204 NEW MALAYAN PLANTS. 



with three linear narrow lobes edges rounded fringed, f 

 inch long. Stamens filaments short, anthers long linear 

 narrow acute, Female spadix 12 in. long with abroad 

 flattened orange peduncle 3 inches long. Flowers about 

 20, crowded, terminal portion of spadix barren, about 2 in- 

 ches long. Bracts 2 broadly semicircular 1 inch long and 

 as wide, (in youngfruit) edges lacerate, orange brown out- 

 side, yellowish white within stigmas. Young fruit ob- 

 ovoid dark green with 3-4 white lines corresponding to 

 cells sepals obovate orange 2 inches long paler at base. 

 Petals longer rounded truncate. Seeds 3 oblong woody, 

 outer face convex inner face obscurely 3 angled, 3 inches 

 long 1 inch through covered with rough brown hair. 



Perakin dense forest at Kamuningnear Sungei Siput, 

 (Machado), Native name " Chang-hai." 



The genus Borassus has hitherto been considered to 

 consist of a single species Borassus fiabellif or mis L This 

 species including B. cethiopum Mart, is a native of Africa 

 and probably India. A sacred tree of the Hindus it has 

 been carried all over the east, and more or less esta- 

 blished itself chiefly in sandy places near the sea, 

 or in temple grounds. It does not thrive in damp 

 spots nor does forest country suit it at all. It is evi- 

 dently a desert plant by nature. This plant is known 

 as Lontar by the Malays. Lon being an old name 

 for Pohon "tree," and Tah being the Hindu Tal, 

 the name of the Borassus. I was therefore much sur- 

 prised when Mr. Machado sent me a leaf and seeds of a 

 Borassus he had found in the forests of Kamuning in 

 some quantity. He has since sent me complete material 

 of this remarkarble palm, which proves to be quite dis- 

 tinct from the well-known Lontar or Palmyra palm. It 

 differs from that species in the entirely thornless petiole, 

 and the blade of the leaf split to the base in the three 

 lobed calyx, and narrow petals of the male flower, and 

 in the long narrow anthers. I can find no description of 

 Borassus to agree with this. All the Indian descriptions 

 are undoubtedly those of B. flabelliformis, Rumphius 



Jour. Straits Branch 



