The Palms of British East India. 329 



the epidermis is altogether removed ; care must be taken not 

 to take away much more, as the inside is like the substance 

 of a rattan. It is on this account that the smaller, thinner 

 sticks are so much sought for, and are so rare. The sticks 

 are then straitened by fire. No other process is used." 



The plant seems to be confined within narrow geographi- 

 cal limits ; it is not known I believe about Malacca, where its 

 place seems supplied by the following closely allied species. 

 Martius, however, states it to be found throughout the Ma- 

 layan peninsula. 



I have an impression that under this species as given by 

 Martius, two distinct ones will be found ; for though the 

 description agrees well with my Penang specimens, yet the 

 drawing of the spadix represents the parts nearly of the same 

 size as in L. spinosa. 



L. pumila, Blume, appears only to be distinguished from 

 this by the broader equal teeth of the pinnae, the intermedi- 

 ate ones of which are the broadest, being described as 16-21 

 lines broad and 6-8-toothed, while the two innermost ones are 

 said to be only an inch broad.* 



58. (5) L. glabra, (n. sp.) trunco gracili 3-5 pedali, foliis 

 flabelliformibus, pinnis 16 subaequilatis lineari-cuneatis tri- 

 carinatis, lateralibus apice 3-4-lobis dentatisve, terminali 

 4-lobo, intermediis trilobis lobis (lateralibus exceptis) obtu- 

 sissimis bipartitis sinubus latis, spadice folia subsequante 

 cum spathis spicis floribusque glabro, ramis 3-5-partitis, 

 spicis gracilibus, floribus inferioribus binatis, calyce cyathi- 

 formi brevissime tridentato, corolla triplo longiore infra 

 medium tripartita, ovariis usque ad medium cohaerentibus. 



Hab. — Solitary on Goonong Miring, an offset of Mount 

 Ophir. Flowers in February. Malayan name, Plass Goonoong. 



* Syst. Veg. ed. Sch. 7, 2. p. 130. 



