454 The Palms of British East India. 



Descr.* — " Trunk 30-40 feet high, attached to the soil by innumer- 

 able black fibrous roots." Naked part of the petiole about 3 feet long. 

 Lamina 4-feet long : pinnce sub-opposite or alternate, falcate, very acumi- 

 nate, 19*20 inches long, about H inch broad, above with 2-3 stout keels ; 

 terminal deeply bilobed, variously partite, (lacinise bidentate) ; the less 

 divided, broader part obliquely truncate with irregular teeth. 



Spadix about a foot long ; peduncle compressed, branched from 

 near the base, branches stout flexuose. A scale-shaped bracte under 

 each female flower, several of which occur on the lower parts of the 

 branches. Fruit oblong ovate, 1 inch long, 5 lines wide, attenuated 

 to both ends, base surrounded by the perianth, (sepals round oblong, 

 obtuse, petals larger sub- cordate with a short obtuse cuspis), apex 

 rostrate mammillate, truncate, with a small mammilla in the centre : 

 fibres numerous, stout, whitish. Seed erect, ovate, half an inch long, 

 marked with many veins arising from the hilum, these are generally 

 dichotomous, anastomosing reticulately on the dorsal face. Albumen 

 cartilaginous, horny, ruminate, opaque white. Embryo basilar. 



This appears distinct by its roots and fruit. It is accord- 

 ing to Mr. Owen, used by the Nagas and Abors instead of 

 the Betel- nut; the leaves are much like those of A. gracilis. 

 Mr. Owen informs me. that it is very scarce, and courts high 

 situations generally on river sides. 



Both this and A. laxa require further examination. 



74. (5) A. cocoides, (n. sp.) arborea, procera, foliis pinnatis 



pinnis linearibus acuminatis bipartitis, spathis fl. 



masculis binatis polyandris, faemineis paucis bases versus 

 ramulorum undique insertis, stigmatibus 3-revolutis, drupa 

 ovata magnitudine ovi gallini. 



Habit. — Cultivated at Malacca, but not commonly. Occurs 

 in a garden in Malacca towards the Dutch Redoubt ; also 

 in a Sawa, half way to Malim. Malayan name, Pinang 

 Punowar. 



* Specimens ; imperfect leaves, and an imperfect spadix with immature fruit 

 rom Major Jenkins; perfect fruit from Mr. Owen. The leaves may be open to 

 doubt, from their resemblance to those of agracilis. 



