The Palms of British East India, 345 



P. acaulis. Roxb. Hort. Bengh. p. 73. Fl. Ind, 3. p. 783.* 

 Icones Suppt. 5. t. 15. Buch. Hamilt, Comment, in Hort, 

 Malab. in Linn, Trans, 15. p, 88. Sprengel Syst, PI. 2, 

 p. 139. 



Hab. — Behar, (Roxb.) Elevated plains on the north side 

 of the Ganges on a clayey soil. Buchanan Hamilton, Chota 

 Nagpore. Col. Ouseley. Plains between the valley of Hook- 

 hoong and Mogam. Junglee Khujur, 



Descr. — " Stem none in plants 10 years old ; at this age when in 

 flower, the whole body of the plant, including the inflorescence, but 

 exclusively of the foliage, is of an ovate form, and not exceeding six 

 or eight inches in height from the surface of the ground. Leaves 

 (Fronds, L.) pinnate ; from two to six feet long. Leaflets in nearly 

 opposite, rather remote fascicles ; the superior ones folded, slen- 

 der, ensiform, and about eighteen inches long; lower ones small, 

 straight, rigid, and ending in very sharp, spinous points. Petioles 

 (stipes) near the base flat, towards the apex triangular, smooth. 

 Male. Spathes and spadix as in the female hereafter described. 

 Flowers alternate, solitary, sessile, small, pale yellow. Calyx one- 

 leaved, triangular; angles or lobes acute, unequal. Corol three 

 petalled; petals obliquely-lanceolate, acute, slightly united at the 

 base. Filaments six, very short, inserted into the base of the corol. 

 Anthers linear, nearly as long as the petals. Pistil none. Female. 

 Spathes universal, axillary, solitary, one-valved, about six inches 

 long, with their base rather below the surface of the earth, generally 

 splitting into two portions down the middle on each side. Spadix 

 ramous, composed of many, simple, short, erect, flexuose branches ; 

 all are smooth, and of a pale yellow. Flowers alternate, solitary, 

 sessile, in bractiform notches on the sides of the branches of the 

 spadix. Calyx cup-shaped, truncate, with three obscure points 

 at equal distances on the margin. Petals three, sub-rotund, thick 

 and fleshy, concave, smooth. Nectary a small, six- toothed cup in 



* Buchanan is here given as the authority, but this appears to be a mistake, see 

 Linn. Trans, xv. p. 85. 



