180 ANNALS OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, CALCUTTA. [D. Forbesii 
collar is another, turned upwards, formed almost entirely by the bases of black, 
criniform bristles; the two opposite collars form a circular gallery, the abode of 
ants; below this pair of collars are 1-2 others of the same kind but considerably 
smaller, and then follow several, almost horizontal, complete, or in the lower part 
of the sheath interrupted, circular rows of small criniform ascendent  spiculae. 
Leaves about 50 cm. long in the  pinniferous part, and terminated by a 
long cirrus; the petiole alone is 23-25 cm. long, somewhat  flattened-biconvex 
with very obtuse edges that are rather remotely clawed; a few small claws appear 
also on the upper part of the dorsum along the centre; the upper surface of the 
petiole is smooth; the rachis is slightly thicker in the portion corresponding to 
the insertions of the groups of leaflets than elsewhere; on the upper surface it 
is smooth and has a salient angle with flat side-faces; on the  under-surface, it is 
armed lower down with solitary, rather robust claws, which become ternate higher 
up and finally 5-nate on the very long comparatively terminal cirrus; leaflets very 
few (in one specimen only 27 in all), approximate in number or 3-5 on each side 
of the rachis and arranged in 3 distant (8-10 cm. apart) groups; in each group the 
leaflets are almost equidistant, and 10-15 mm. apart on each side of the rachis, 
are all in one plane and nearly equal in size, 15-20 cm. long, 20-27 mm, 
broad; they are thinly papyraceous, green and concolorous on both surfaces, 
narrowly lanceolate or elliptical-lanceolate, being broadest about the middle, and 
thence tapering towards a rather acute base, while somewhat suddenly acuminate 
to a bristly tip, which is rather conspicuously indented on the lower margin, 
about 2 cm. below the apex; on the upper surface the mid-costa is slender but 
very sharp; usually it has a few bristly spinules near the apex; the secondary 
nerves are many, one on each side of the  mid-costa being a trifle stronger 
than the others, and occasionally carrying a few scattered spinules here and there; 
on the under-surface 5 very slender nerves are furnished, from the base to the 
apex, with several black, short, spreading, rather conspicuous bristles; transverse 
veinlets numerous and sharp on both surfaces; margins acute, finely, and near the 
apex, spreadingly spinulous-ciliate. Maie spadiz.... Female spadiz when in fruit 
diffusedly panicled, nodding, about 50 cm. long (in one specimen); its peduncular 
part is rather elongate (15 em. long), somewhat flattened and with obtuse edges. of 
the uniform breadth of 5 mm. throughout, feebly armed with fascicles of spiculae 
and with a few small prickles; the axial parts are more or less covered with 
a thin, furfuraceous, rusty-brown indumentum; the main axis is straight, rather 
slender ; the two lowermost internodes are jsubterete and slightly clavate, the others 
obsoletely and irregularly angular; primary spathes deciduous (not seen by me); 
partial inflorescences 4-5 in number, spreading, and with a distinct axillary 
callus, their axis angular, slightly sinuous; the largest are 10 em. long and carry 
distichally 3-4 almost horizontal spikelets on each side; the succeeding ones are 
slightly smaller, and the ultimate have only a few short spikelets; secondary spathes 
small, embracing, and with a small but distinct, almost horizontal, broadly triangular, 
acute limb; the spikelets are 4-5 cm. long and have 3-5 flowers on each 
side; involucrophorum pedicelliform, trigonous, slightly tapering towards the base 
and with a distinct axillary callus, spreading or almost horizontal, flat at the upper 
end, where it is very slightly produced at one side into a small triangular 
acute point ; involucre almost at a level with the involucrophorum, flat-discoid, 
