. bidentate. Male flowers inserted at an angle of 45°, in contact 
204 ANNALS OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, CALCUTTA. [D. longipes 
rigid, slightly 
axis at first furfuraceous, soon glabrescent, and almost polished, 
depres- 
zig-zag sinuous, the internodes sumewhat angular and with numerous smal] 
sions produced by the adjoining parts, not swollen at the junctures ; partial inflores- 
cences 7-8 in number; those of the summit small and with few branchlets, the 
lower ones—which are the largest—are 15-25, and in cultivated specimens as much 
as 35 em. long, with a distinct axillary callus and 7-10 spreading, bifarious, grad- 
ually diminishing, spreading branchlets on each side broadly pyramidate in 
outline; the lower branchelets (the largest) have 5-6 distichous, gradually but speedily 
diminishing, spreading spikelets on each side: secondary and tertiary spathes have 
a very short annular, sheathing part, and are produced into a small triangular 
or acuminate point; spikelets with a distinct axillary callus, the lower ones 
each branchelet (the largest) 2-4 em. long, with 8-10 flatly bifarious flowers on 
each side; their axes are slender, zig-zag © sinuous, angular ; spathels striately 
veined, very shortly asymmetrically ^ subinfundibular, produced externally to a 
broadly triangular bluntish point ; involucre almost horizontally posticously 
subtended by its own spathel, shallowly cupular, orbicular or more or less distinctly 
with 
each other, oblong-ovoid, obsoletely trigonous, bluntish, 4-5 mm. long; the calyx 
tubular, cyathiform, finely  striately veined, slightly 3-toothed ; the corolla about 
twice -as long as the calyx, smooth, divided down two-thirds of its length, 
into three lanceolate, externally smooth segments; internally each of the segments is 
furnished at its base with two small callosities, between which springs & filament 
which in its lower part is connate with the undivided part of the corolla, and in 
the fres part is subulate and has an inflected apex; anthers linear-lanceolate, acumi 
nate, the cells slightly separated at the base and here obtuse; internally in the 
short tubular part the corolla has the appearance of being lined with a nectari- 
flous tissue; from the bottom of the corolla rises the rudimentary pistil, which is 
formed by three long, linear, subulate rods, united by their bases and reaching to and 
even surpassing the middle of the corolla. Female spadiz has a long peduncular part, 
exactly like that of the male spadix ; the flowering panicle is rather broadly ovate, 
40-50 cm. long and has only 2-3 large partial inflorescences and one very small one 
at the apex; the axial parts are more or less permanently rusty-furfuraceous; the main 
axis is angular; the lowest partial inflorescences are 20-35 cm. long, have a plano- 
convex, 2-7 cm. long peduncular part and a very conspicuous axillary callus and 5-8 
distichous spikelets on each side; secondary spathes as in the male spadix; spikelets 
when in flower erecto-patent, when in fruit spreading or horizontal and 
with a distinct axillary callus; they are of variable length: the lowest of each 
inflorescence are the largest and 8-14 cm. long, have 7-10 bifarious flowers on each 
side; the others are gradually smaller; the axes are zigzag sinuous, the joints straight 
or slightly curved; spathels bracteiform with a very short annular limb produced at one 
side into a horizontal, broadly triangular acute point; involucrophorum pedicelliform, 2-5 
mm. long, obsoletely angular, callous at its axilla, at its upper end truncate and with a 
very short limb which is slightly produced or only apiculate at one side; involucre almost 
at a level with, and immersed in the involucrophorum, shallowly cupular or pateriform, 
entire, orbicular or slightly more produced on the side of the neuter flower, of which 
the areola is rather distinct, not very sharply bordered, often depressed and with a more 
! 
or less swollen scar. Female flowers elongate, ovoid, 7 mm. in length; the calyx 
