Nipa] CX. PALJLE 64& 



midrib. Fl. monoecious, densely crowded, the <? in cylindric spikes, the ? on a 

 u'luiios.- head, the spadix of both sexes with sheaths and bracts on the peduncle. Male: 

 sepals and petals uniform, linear, valvate, anthers 3, adnate in their entire length to a 

 cylindric staminal-column. Female: 3 distinct l-celled carpels, surrounded by a few 

 scales. Fruit a large nodding head. 1 ft. diam.. consisting of numerous densely 

 crowded angular one-secld ■ 1 1-1 1 ( .■■-. tic- exocarp fibrous fleshy, the mesocarp hard, 

 fibrous, and the endocarp spongy. Seed erect, the size of a hen's egg, grooved on one 

 side, endosperm horny, with a central cavity, embryo basal, obconic. L. used exten- 

 sively for thatching. 



7. ZALACCA, Reinw. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. vi. 472. 



Stemless, soboliierous, armed. L. pinnate, leaflets linear-lanceolate, longitud. 

 n. numerous, transverse veinlets conspicuous. Spadix usually unisexual, 

 having cylindric, pendulous, catkin-like spikelets, in the axils of, and at first 

 enveloped by, persistent spathes, fl. densely crowded. $ : calyx 3-fid. 

 stamens 6, inserted on the tubular rigidly coriaceous corolla, at the base of 

 the 3 segments. ? : sepals 3, more or less cohering, membranous, petals 

 cohering, rigidly coriaceous, ovary densely clothed with stiff hairs, which < as 

 the fr. ripens) develop into scales, the tip of which is brittle and often breaks 

 off. Seeds 1-3, outer coat fleshy. Species 9 or 10. India and Malaya. 



1. Z. Wallichiana, Mart. — Syn. Z. edulis, Reinw. ; Wall. PL As. Ear. t. 222-224 

 (Bump/iii): Griff. Palms t. 17") : Z. macrostachya, Griff. Palms t. 178 A. B.C. Vern. Yingan, 

 Burm. Pegu, Martaban, Tenasserim, common in evergreen forests. — Malay Penins. 

 and Aivlup. L. 15-20 ft. petiole half the 1. or longer, leaflets lanceolate, margin 

 distantly spinnlose filiate approximate in groups of 2-4, 12-20 by 1J-2J in., the upper 

 confluent, 4-6 stouter n. on either side of midrib. Sheaths and petiole densely armed 

 with flat sharp spines in oblique half whorls, on the rachis gradually becoming 

 Solitary. Spadix nearly as long as petiole, spreading and often touching the ground, 

 bearing distant cylindric. villous, pale rose-coloured, all but the lowest sessile, spike- 

 lets 2-8 in. long, enclosed by long spathes, which, as the fl. develop, split up into long 

 shreds, rachis deciduously rusty-woolly. EV. obliquely obovoid, 1-3 in. long, densely 

 clothed with retrorse scales, terminating in a reflexed brittle bristle. 2. Z. Beccarii, 

 Hook. f. Pi-l'h. Leaflets strict, ls-21 by Ik in., shining on both surfaces, margins 

 with numerous strong sharp bristles, stouter n. 2-1 on either side of midrib. 3. 

 Z. secunda. Griff. Palms t. lsij. Qpper Assam. Nags hills. Spikelets pedtincled. much 

 longer than spathes, fr. clothed with spreading lanceolate scales. 



8. PLECTOCOMIA, Mart.; Fl. Brit. Ind. vi. 477. 



Loft}- climbers, stem up to ltll ft. long. 1. pinnate, leaflets linear-lanceolate. 

 petiole spiny, rachis prolonged into a thorny flagellum. Inflorescence terminal in 

 P. Himalayan a, in the other species as far as known axillary. According to 

 Hooker Fl. Brit. Ind. vi. 4u.">, I'lrHnromia and Plectocomiopsis are mono- 

 carpic. Fl. dioecious on short spikelets, each spikelet in the axil of and 

 concealed by large, usually imbricating distichous bracts (spathels . £ : 



calyx cup-shaped, 3-foot hed or -lobed, petals lam late, valvate, stamens G -12, 



filaments connate below. ? : ovary 3-celled, surrounded by 3 staminodes, 

 perianth accrescent. Fr. globose, usually 1 -seeded, protruding beyond the 

 spathels, ]*ricarp thin, clothed with tightly appressed scales, which terminate 

 in pointed, soft or stiff, spreadiug or recurved appendages. 



1. P. himalayana, Griff. Palms t.219. Vern. TakriBel, Nep. ; Banal, Lepcha. Sikkini 

 I 7. mm ft., common, [leaflets alternate, green on both sides, linear-lanceolate, 

 narrowed into filiform tips 2 8 in. long, 2 Btouf longitud. n. on either side of midrib, 

 rachis armed with stout hooked prickles, confluent at the base, Inflorescence a terminal 

 panicle, clothed with rust-coloured tomentum, branches drooping, the lower supported 

 h\ pellet i,. the upper in the axils of sheaths and Bagella, without leaflets, braots 

 [spathels) distant, not markedly imbricating, 1-2 in. long, cuneate, with a triangu- 

 lar apex, t H. | in. long, supported by 8 narrow bristle-pointed bracteoles, spikelets 

 half the length of spathels, Fr, A in. diam., scales shining, fimbriate. 



•2. P. khasyana. Griff. Palms t. 218, Syn. /'. atsamica, Hook. Bot Mai.-, t. 5105. 



