219 ANNALS OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, CALCUTTA. [D. ruptilis 
last consists of a single spikelet 34 cm. in length; secondary and tertiary spathes mem- 
branous, exsuccous, cinnamon-brown in colour, shortly infundibular-amplectent, laterally 
produced into a broadly triangular acuminate, lacerate limb; the axes of the 
partial inflorescences have the internodes short, thick, subterete or obsoletely angular 
and swollen at the nodes; spikelets spreading, very conspicuously callous and with a 
transverse rima at their axilla; they have a very short (1 cm. long) pedicellar part, 
are 15-18 cm. long, are thick and robust and have many closely packed flowers ; 
the terminal spikelet (which is 20 cm. long) has the flowers almost regularly bifari. 
ously set; the others have usually the flowers disposed in 4 series in their basal part, 
and bifariously towards the apex; spathels large, spathaceous, exsuccous, more or less 
split longitudinally and embracing their flowers which they exceed considerably 
in length; the involucrophorum has a very short rusty-furfuraceous pedicellar part and 
suddenly expands into a broad asymmetrically spathaceous and at times, split, 
obtuse limb; involucre rather deeply and asymmetrically cupular, partially immersed 
in the involucrophorum; the areola of the neuter flower is not sharply defined, 
but has a rather large non-callous scar, which is hidden within a kind of small 
cupula, formed by the shorter side of the limb of the involucrophorum. Female 
flowers comparatively large, 8 mm. long; the calyx it cyathiform-campanulate, truncate, 
has 3 inconspicuous teeth, and later is irregularly split: callous at its base; the 
corolla twice as long as the calyx, its segments ovate-lanceolate, gradually narrow- 
ing towards a rather obtuse point, very faintly striate longitudinally. Fruit, in 
the very young stage, ovoid-oblong, tapering to a short and thick style, and crowned 
with 3 large, thickly trigonous-subulate, internally lamellose, recurved stigmas; scales: 
in 15 longitudinal series, slightly grooved along the centre, yellowish or greenish, 
and with a very obtuse or rounded point. 
Hasitat.—Borneo; but the exact locality unknown; collected only by Low with 
very immature fruit (Herb. Kew. and Calcutt.). Malay name “Rotang biluboh 
ambuk.” 
OssERvATIONS.— D. ruptilis is a very distinct species, related only to D. longispathus ; 
it is easily distinguishable by its robust spadix, with very large and thick spikelets ; 
by the large, spathaceous, lacerate secondary spathes and spathels, which are longer 
than their respective flowers; and by the 4.farious flowers, at least in the lower part 
of the spikelets. 
A specimen preserved at Kew collected also by Low in Borneo and distinguished 
by the Malay name of ‘‘ R. tambyeangan” apparently belongs to D. ruptilis. This. 
specimen is represented by a male spadix with very young flowers, and by a portion 
of a leaf, which in no way differs from the corresponding part that accompanies 
the female spadix described above, Of this male spadix I subjoin a description as 
I consider it as almost certainly belonging to D. ruptilis:—It is 70 cm. long on the 
whole, straight and rigid; the peduncular part is very short, 12 mm. broad, flattened, 
with the edges acute and armed with  ascendent subulate spines; the partial 
inflorescences are 4 in number, beside a few others very small at the summit; 
primary spathes coriaceous, elongate, all unarmed, the outermost with 2 dorsal keels. 
and gradually narrowing into a long point ; secondary spathes loosely infundibular, 
membranous, not so large as in the female spadix; partial inflorescences slightly 
