4 The Palms of British East India. 



Sub-Familia— CALAMINE.* 



Ovarium squamosum vel strigosum. Fructus squamis 

 retrorsis loricatus. 



Frutescentes et sccpius scandentes, vel arboreal. Foliorum 

 vaginae petiolique spinis plano-subulatis vel aculeisf sapis- 

 sime armati ; laminae pinnate (generis unici orbis novi fla- 

 belliformes), pinnis saepissime linearibus, margine et super- 

 ficie saepius seligeris. Spathae fCeratolobo excepto) plures 

 incomplete. Inflorescentia spicato-vel racemoso-paniculata. 

 Flores polygamo-monoici vel dioici, utriusque sexus valvati, 

 tribracteati, solitarii, vel binati t ambobus masculis, vel altero 

 fcemineo, altero neutro, vel masculo? Perianthium striato- 

 venosum. Corolla indurata t saepe cuspidata. Stamina 6, 

 raro \2, unius indefinila. Ovarium triloculare. Ovula so- 

 litaria. Fructus solitarius, 1-3 spermus, squamis corneis lo- 

 ricatus, saepius exsuccus. Albumen ruminatum, excavatum, 

 vel aequabile. Embryo dor salts vel pr ope basin seminis, 



Sub-familia e maxima parte gerontogea, perpaucis Ame- 

 ricanis typi aberrantis hucusque detectis. Vita plerumque 

 perennis, Sagi monocarpica. Limes borealis specierum In- 

 dicarum 29° 30'. 



Usus. — Trunci paucarum arborescentium farina, Sagum 

 dicta, locupletissimi : frutescentium graciliorum aliquarum 

 praebent bacula, scandentium plurium viminibus et funibus 



* This name is here proposed, because Calamus appears to have the 

 best claims to be considered the typical genus. Lepidocaryum moreover, 

 which has hitherto given its name to the division, is not, I think, dis- 

 tinct from Mauritia. The termination is in accordance with the practice 

 of some Zoologists, and the Report of the British Association, the uni- 

 versal adoption of.which is highly desirable. 



f The terms here applied to the armature of these plants are not to 

 be taken in their strict sense, which is not properly applicable to the 

 general Monocotyledonous structure. If the thorns are of considerable 

 size I call them spines ; if small, and especially if hooked, I call them 

 aculei. 



