514 PALME. [ Plectocomia. 
PLECTOCOMIA, BI. 
Flowers dioecious, bracteoled, hidden by the dichotomously 
arranged scale-shaped spathules, forming a branched spadix with 
simple spikes, by pairs. Calyx more or less cup-shaped, 3-lobed 
i Cor 
ina cup. Ovary 3-celled, only one of the cells fertile; stigmas 
3, filiform, united at the base. Drupes densely covered with re- 
flexed imbricate shining scales, 1-seeded. Albumen homogeneous, 
wrinkled outside. Embryo basilar.—Lofty scandent palms, with 
pinnate leaves, the rachis terminating into 4 whip-like recurved- 
thorny tendri 
ft. long, about 2 in. thick, somewhat compressed, pendulous ; 
spathules distichous, rhomboid-obovoid, acute, 14 to nearly 2 1. 
. . rfy : 
lose, the rachis rather strong, shortly and distichously branched ; 
female flowers not seen. Male flowers: calyx wide, cup-shaped, 
about a line deep, shortly 3-toothed, the teeth acute, bordered, 
especially in their sinuses, by a dense brown woolly tomentum; 
petals rigid, falcate, lanceolate, sharply acuminate, about 3 1 
pee: or somewhat longer, sulcate outside; stamens 6; drupes un 
nown. 
Has.—Tenasserim, on the Bithoko range, at 3,000 ft. elevation. 
CALAMUS, L. 
Flowers polygamously dioecious, solitary within the spathules, 
and forming an erect or drooping branched spadix. Spathes 
numerous or several, the outer ones complete or incomplete, those 
of the branchings gradually smaller and passing into spathules, 
persistent or deciduous. Calyx 8-toothed or -cleft. Corolla 3- 
cleft or deeply 3-parted. Male flowers sessile, usually supported 
by 2 bractlets united in a cup. Stamens 6; filaments coher™S 
