458 C. Lauterbach, Beiträge zur Flora von Papuasien. X. 
spathas primarias anguste vaginantes, superne scariosas, extus breviter 
spinulosas orientibus. Spathae secundariae inermes, angustissime vaginantes, 
superne dilatatae, scariosae, oblique truncatae, ramulos basi pedunculiformes 
floribus distichis ca. 20 in quoque latere nascentes. Spathulae infundibuli- 
formes involucrophorum pedicellatum inferne anceps suffulgentes. Fructus 
parvus, ovoideo-ellipticus, utrinque aequaliter rotundatus, minutissime rostra- 
tus, squamulis 18-seriatis, convexis, stramincis, tenuiter longitudinaliter 
carinatis, apice obtusis loricatus. 
A large climber. Leaf-sheaths . . . Leaves large, terminating into 
a long and robust cirrhus regularly armed with ?/, whorls of strong black- 
tipped claws; rachis with upper salient angle smooth, armed beneath at 
regular distances with black-tipped at first solitary then 2—3 and finally 
half-whorled robust claws; leaflets very numerous equidistant 3—4 cm apart 
on each side of the rhachis, papyraceous linear-lanceolate, concolour and 
almost shiny on both surfaces, very narrowly polished along the lower 
margin, gradually long-acuminate to a fine subulate tip, tricostulate, side 
costae slender, the 3 costae in the upper surface sparingly bristly spinulous, 
underneath not prominent and also more or less bristly, bristles longer on 
the mid-costa; transverse veinlets very faint; margins minutely and closely 
and appressedly spinulous; the lower and larger leaflets 40 cm long and 
2 cm broad; the upper gradually shorter, not narrower, only those near the 
cirrhus smaller in breadth and length. Male spadix ... Female spadix 
large, non flagelliferous at its summit, much branched and forming a large 
diffuse panicle composed of several partial inflorescences. Primary spathes 
tubular, slightly enlarged above, closely sheathing, often split longitudinally, 
on the inner side coriaceous, withered in their upper part, armed with 
small prickles having swollen and often confluent bases and transversedley 
seriate; partial inflorescences arched-spreading inserted. With elongate 
pedicellar part inside their respective spathes, the largest 60—70 cm long 
with 8—10 spikelets on each side; secondary spathes very closely shea- 
thing, tubular slightly enlarged above, obliquely truncate at the mouth 
and prolonged at one side into a triangular point, unarmed, frequently 
split longitudinally, withered above, the withered or dry part forming a 
broad ring around their mouths; spikelets inserted with a flattened pedicellar 
part to the bottom of their respective spathes arched-spreading, - the lowest 
and largest 10—12 cm long with 20—22 distichous flowers on each be" 
e 
the mouth, obsoletely apiculate at one side; involucrophorum unilaterally 
subinfundibuliform, narrowed to the base and therefore distinctly pedi- 
cellate, not exceeding its own spathel and attached to its bottom, 
on the side next to the axis; involucre rather deep obliquely opgi 
slightly produced on the side of the areola of the neuter flower, which P 
niche-like somewhat vertically evolute and sharply bordered. Female A 
