The Palms of British East India. 35 



into three oblong-lanceolate, acute, ascending segments : where 

 it is enclosed in the calyx, fleshy. Stamina united to the corolla 

 up to its segments. Filaments thence shortly monadelphous, (some- 

 times two filaments are united to each other nearly to the anthers,) 

 angular, smooth, as long as the corolla. Anthers linear, exserted. 



Rudiment of the pistillum long, angular, of three abortive car- 

 pels united to the middle, often with bifid points. 



Female unknown. 



This is a very handsome species, and well marked by its 

 erect stems, dark brown almost black spines, leaves, which 

 are white underneath, and long, pendulous male spa- 

 dices, with the primary spathes armed. I should have been 

 inclined to refer it to Roxburgh's C. erectus,* had the white- 



* I subjoin Roxburgh's description of this species and of his C. humilis, pro- 

 bably referrible to this section ; also Martius's character, etc. of C. scipionum. 



C. erectus. R. 



Shrubby, erect, no flagelli. Leaflets rather remote, equidistant, opposite and 

 alternate, linear-lanceolar. Spines subverticelled. Spadix compound. Berries 

 oblong. 



Sun-gotta, the vernacular name in Silhet, where it grows with an erect trunk, 

 like the true palms, of about fifteen feet in height; when divested of the sheaths, 

 from three to four inches in circumference ; and the joints from two to three inches 

 long. The poorer natives use the seed as a substitute for areca. 



C. humilis t R. 



Shrubby, not scandent nor flagelliferous, Leaflets lanceolar, smooth, many- 

 nerved. Spines few, but long and strong. 



A native of Chittagong. 



C. Scipionum : caudice robusto, articulis tripedalibus subulatis rutilis ni- 

 tidis ; frondibus breviusculis, vaginis rhachibusque aculeatis, pinnis ; 



spadice crasso decomposito, ramulis brevibus paucifloris ; baccis 



C. Scipionum, Lour. Flor. Cochinch. I. p. 210. No. 3. Edit. Willd. I. p. 260. 

 Lam. Encyclop. VI. p. 304. No. 3. Rees. Cycl. No. 3. Schult. Syst. Veg. VII. 2. 

 p. 1326. No. 2, (exclusis synonymis Pluk., Rheed., Rumph.) Spreng. Syst. Veg. 

 II p. 17. No. 9. Arundo Rotang, Pis. Mant. p. 188. c. icone (fide Loureiri.) 



Haec species scipiones suppeditat omnium elegantissimos, colore rutilo vel 

 obscurius lutescente ac nitore insignes, unico plerumque articulo constantes. 



In sylvis Peninsulae Malaianae ex utraque parte freti Malaccensis, unde 

 abundanter in Sinas et in Europam exportatur : Loureiro. In Cochinchina 

 dicitur " Heotau." Martius. 



This I imagine is the well known Malacca cane. The Plant does not appear 

 to occur about Malacca itself, and I was informed that the canes are imported 

 chiefly from Siak, on the opposite coast of Sumatra. 



