10 The Palms of British East India. 



ramorum congestis distichis, fructibus ovatis mammillato- 

 cuspidatis (glabris.) 



Hab. — Ching near Malacca, Emanuel Fernandez.* Salak 

 Batool,j- of the Malays of Malacca. 



Descr.J — The leaves are altogether smaller, and the stalk slenderer 

 than in any of the other species : their length is twelve, thirteen feet : 

 the pinnules being confined to the upper half or thereabout of the 

 stalk. Spines very long, comparatively slender, and in irregular, in- 

 completely transverse sets, the longest deflexed, the others spreading 

 in various directions ; those of the pinniferous portion solitary, and 

 somewhat deflexed. Pinnce interrupted, subascending, otherwise 

 with the ordinary direction, those of each fasciculus rather crowded, 

 often almost opposite, outline decidedly falcate, spathulato-lanceolate, 

 acuminate, § scarcety cirrhose, acumina with few setse, upper surface 

 with three stout prominent veins ; under with about twelve, all much 

 less prominent. 



The male Spadix appears to be about one and half feet in length, 

 it is imbricated with the usual scariose, mealy, variously split and 

 lacerated spathes : the general form being subulate. The lower 

 axes of inflorescence are branched, those above the middle simple. 

 Spikes generally under an inch in length, (those of the branches 

 crowded together) with about twelve rows of small flowers dis- 

 posed in pairs, their lower halves immersed in the tomentum of the 

 spikes. Bractes roundish- cordate, membranous, distinct, comparative- 

 ly small. Flowers two to each bracte, both male, separated from each 

 other by a membranous vertical septum, (part of the bracteoles) pe- 

 nicillate at the apex. A narrower, conduplicate, equally penicellate 

 one on the outer side of each flower. || 



* An intelligent Portuguese of Malacca, now in my employ as collector. 



f The meaning of which is true Salak. 



% Specimens, two entire leaves, a male spadix, part of a female spadix in flower 

 and two fruits. 



§ The uppermost are not uncommonly incised at the apex, when both margins 

 bear the setae. This is also the case with Z. edulis. 



|| The bracteoles in this also appear to be originally united into a bilocular 

 cupula, in one of which a flower exists, the arrangement described appears to be 

 the result of pressure and distention. 



