CXLII. FALMM. 1685 



18. CALAMUS, Linn. 

 (From the Arabic for reed.) . 

 Flowers dioecious, distichous and sessile along the spike-like branches of the 

 panicle. Outer perianth 3-lobed, inner of 3 segments, the lobes or segments all 

 valvate in both sexes. Stamens in the males 6, round a rudimentary ovary. 

 Staminodia in the females 6. Ovary 8-celled, with 1 , erect, ovule in each cell. 

 Stigmas 3, sessile or on a very short style. Fruit globular, closely covered with ; 

 reflexed imbricated shining scales.* Seed usually 1 only, nearly globular, 

 obliquely attached towards the base, testa thin. Albumen hard, entire. Embryo 

 basal or nearly so. — Prickly palms, with weak stems often climbing to a great, 

 height. Leaves simply pinnate, the rhachis and sheaths usually armed with 

 hooked or straight prickles, and in some species not Australian ending in a simple 

 armed tendril. Flowers small, the spikes in partial panicles, few or numerous, 

 in a loose general panicle proceeding from a narrow prickly sheath or spatha, 

 and often from the base of the .panicle or from a leaf-sheath below it proceeds a 

 long prickly simple thong or lorum, probably an abortive branch of the, 

 inflorescence. 



The genus is chiefly abundant in tropical Asia, extending also into tropical Africa. The 

 Australian species are as far as known endemic. 



Leaf-segments acuminate and entire with smooth edges 1. C. obstmens. 



Leaf-segments margined with minute distant teeth 2. C moti. 



Leaf-segments margined with numerous sharp prickles . .... .3. G.jaboolum, 



Leaf-segments more or less scabrous on the edges with minute distant 



prickles, and often sprinkled ' underneath with straight prickles or 



bristlep. 

 Leaf-segments acuminate and entire, under lin. broad 4. C Muelleri. 



Leaf-segments hooked or jagged at the end, 1 to 2iu. broad 5. C. caryotoides, 



1. C. obstruens (obstructive), F. v. M. Fra/jm. v. 48. A slender climbing 

 palm [A. Cunningham). Climbing to a great height {F. v. Mueller). Leaves 

 often above 2ft. long, the rhachis armed underneath with short conical 

 recurved prickles, scattered in the lower part, distant in a single row towards 

 the upper end, the upper side of the petiole and lower part of the rhachis 

 armed with straight prickles or bristles mostly turned upwards ; segments 10 

 to 20, the lower ones often 1ft. long and IJin. broad, the upper ones 

 smaller, all shortly acuminate and entire, the edges smooth and the surface 

 without prickles. Panicles long and loose, the main rhachis armed with 

 recurved prickles and long lora armed with recurved prickles, the partial panicles 

 almost or quite recurved. Male spikes 1 to l^^in. long, the flowers closely 

 ■distichous within broadly ovate acute bracts of about 1 line. Outer perianth 

 thick, obtusely lobed, about 1| line long, inner longer, on a short stipes, the 

 segments narrow and thinner. Female spikes 3 to 4in. long, the flowers more 

 ■distant. Fruit globular, 4 to 5 lines diameter. — Wendl. and Drude in Linntea, 

 xxxix. 197; C. austmlis, Mart. Hist. Nat. Palm. iii. 342; Benth. Fl. Austr. 

 vii. 134. 



Hab.: Fitzroy Island, A. Cunningham, M'GUUvray; Rockingham B&y, Dallachy. 



I leave this description as given in Fl. Austr., but consider it likely that two other species are 

 <!onfused in it, I however think it better to keep Mueller's name. I have no specimens from the 

 two localities given. 



2. C. moti (aboriginal name), JSail. Bot. Bull. xiii. " Moti," Barron 

 Eiver, E. Cowley; "Mollukan," Atherton, Roth; "Bai-kal," Tully Eiver, Roth. 

 Stems reclining, but ultimately climbing to a great height. Leaves 6 or 7ft. 

 long, including the petiole which without the sheath is about 2ft. Segments 

 linear-lanceolate, 20in. long, lin. broad, of 40 or more nearly opposite pairs; 



