PALMS OF WESTERN TROPICAL AFRICA. 431 
longa, gradatim attenuata, dorso convexa, supra basin versus conyexa apicem versus acutangula et 
producta in cirrhum 1-1}! longum filiformem segmenta 4-6 abortiva hamæformia solitaria alternantia 
reversa basi incrassata, infima 6-12" longa suprema diminuta, inferne 4" inter se distantia superne 
magis approximata ferentem ; margine rhacheos cirrhique spinoso, spinis iis petioli simillimis sed 
magis recurvis approximatis et gradatim diminutis. Segmenta subaggregata, gregibus oppositis vel sub- 
oppositis utrinque 9-13, late lanceolato-elliptica, basin gustata, apice acuminata, leviter falcata, 
marginibus inermibus utrinque lævibus nitidis, nervis duobus raro uno primariis supra prominentibus 
percursa, utrinque decrescentia, infima paulum retroflexa, superiora erecto-patentia, media 7-9" 
longa, 13" lata. Spadix terminalis, ovatus, 13-2! altus, ramis 6-8 primariis, infimis recurvato-paten- 
tibus simpliciter ramulosis basi spatha incompleta spinosissima tubulosa oblique rumpente, apice in 
caudam plures pollices longam transeunte, ramulis alternatim distichis in ramo inferiore 10-12 
primum erectis deinde recurvis, infimis 4—5" longis apicem versus gradatim decrescentibus spathulis 
pollicem longis tubuloso-inflatis apice oblique truncatis et unilateraliter in apicem acuminatissimum 
productis suffultis, inermibus densissime spathellulis 2-3" longis obsitis. Flores alternatim distichi, 
patentissimi, geminati; ambo spathellula communi ventre plano vel concavo apice utrinque paulum 
producta dorso convexa 2" longa circumdati, breviter pedicellati supra pedicellum horizontaliter 
patentes, unusquisque ad hee singulis spathellulis partialibus dorso inter se concretis circumdatus 
altera a latere rupta, altera cyathiformis florem alterum basi bractea suffultum circumcludens. 
Perianthium exterius campanulatum, 2" longum, basi calloso-incrassatum, fere semitrifidum ; laciniis 
- ovatis, acuminatis, rigidis, dorso nervoso-striatis, interiori arcte appressis: interius 4" longum, tripar- 
titum, flavescens; laciniis 31" longis, lineam latis, elongato-lanceolatis, acutis, marginibus precipue 
superioribus incrassatis, foliatione valvata, rigidiusculis, intus concavis, tenuissime longitudinaliter 
nervoso-striatis. Stamina 6, perianthio int. paulum breviora ; filamentis basi cum perianth. int. con- 
cretis, crassis, linguzeformibus, acutis, 1)" longis; antheris basi bifidis, medio dorso affixis, 1" longis, 
flavis. Germen globosum; stylo columnari, intus cavo 2" longo, apice stigmatibus 3 oblongis bre- 
vibus coronatum, squamulis minimis laciniato-fimbriatis arcte involutum, triloculare, uniovulatum. 
. Fructus immaturus seriebus 18 verticalibus squamularum straminearum margine castaneo laciniato- 
eroso. 
Hab. In shady virgin forests in the neighbourhood of Gaboon (G. Mann, no. 1045). 
Puate XXXVIII. B. View of the plant, showing its natural habit. 
3. CALAMUS (LACCOSPERMA) OPACUS, Mann et Wendl. Segmentis utrinque circ. 11 bifor- 
mibus alternatim majoribus elliptico-lanceolatis vel elongato-lanceolatis falcatis 
marginibus ciliato-spinosis 1—4- raro 5-nerviis. (Plates XLI. D. & XLIII. D.) 
Caudex 25-30! longus, sobolifer. Frondes patentes, 6-8' longæ, glaucescentes, tomento detergibili f usco 
obtectze, Vagina circ. 1' longa, tubulosa, arcte caudicem amplectens, apicem versus spinis solitariis 
ancipiti-subulatis basi flavescentibus apice nigris 6" longis vestita, apice in ochream 6-1 9" longam 
tubulosam unilateraliter rumpentem spinis iis vaginze affinibus obsitam producta. Petiolus circ. 3 
longus, 4-5!" crassus, supra canaliculatus, dorso convexus, ad margines spinis retrorsis 3-6" longis 
dense vestitus. Rhachis in parte foliosa 23—3' longa, gradatim attenuata, dorso convexa, supra basin 
versus applanata, apicem versus acutangula, apice producta in cirrhum 2}-3' longum filiformem et 
segmentis 4-6 abortivis hamzeformibus flexilibus inferne solitariis alternantibus 4-6" inter se distan- 
tibus superne oppositis reversis basi incrassatis magis approximatis et decrescentibus infimis 1}-1 3" 
longis 1" latis vestitum. Margines rhacheos cirrhique dense spinosi, spinas valde recurvas apicem 
versus decrescentes ferentes. Segmenta subaggregata, gregibus oppositis, utrinque 11 biformia, 
 angustiora et latiora alternantia, elongato-lanceolata vel elliptico-lanceolata, basin versus contracta, 
apicem versus acuminata, marcescentia, opaca, ad margines remote spinifera, falcata, 1-4- raro 5-nervia, 
9K2 
