Calamus] OX. PALM^E ^^1 



some species attaining 3-400 ft., annulate, the upper internodes clothed with 

 spinous leaf -sheaths. L. pinnate, leaflets linear or lanceolate, with a midrib 

 and numerous longitudinal nerves, some of which are stouter and pro- 

 minent. Transverse veinlets conspicuous. FL usually unisexual, dicBcious, 

 monoecious or polygamous, spadix often unisexual, peduncle and 

 branches sheathed by more or less tubular spathes, often with a lanceolate 

 blade, the fl. in the axils of one or several, more or less concave or sheathing 

 bracts (spathels). $ spikelets often varying in length in the same species, 

 calyx campanulate or tubular, 3-toothed, u^sually membranous, petals rigidly 

 coriaceous, valvate, stamens 6, anthers dorsifixed, filaments dilated and 

 frequently connate at base, pistillode 3-toothed. ? perianth often more ^or 

 less accrescent, staminodes connate into a cup. Fr. globose or ellipsoid, 

 beaked, pericarp clothed with appressed closely imbricate deflexed polished 

 scales, seed one, endosperm hard, bony, uniform, or ruminate. Species 160-170. 

 India. Malay Archip. South China. North Australia. A few in tropical Africa. 



I. Leaf rachis without flagellum. 



A. Leaflets few, 20 or less. 



1. C. erectus, Eoxb. ; Kurz in Journ. As. Soc. Bengal 43, t. 23, 24. Syn. 

 C. schizospathus^ Griff. Palms 1. 187 ; Q. colHnus, Griff. Palms t. 186 ; C macrocarpus^ 

 Griff". Pah-ns t. 186 a, fig. 1, 2. Verii. Kadam hei^ Beng. Tliamg, Burm. Hima- 

 laya from Kepal eastwards, ascending to 3,000 ft. Assam. Khasi hills. Manipur. 

 Chittagong. Pegu, in evergreen forests. Stems erect, annulate, densely tufted, 

 12-18 it. high, 1-2 in. diam., internodes short. L. 12-18 ft., leaflets 18-24 in. long, 

 leaf-sheaths petiole and rachis armed with flat sharp pale spines, up to 1 in. long, semi- 

 verticillate below, single above, leaflets green beneath, 18-24 in. long. 6 spikelets 4-8, 

 in. long, I in. broad across the imbricating spathels, fl. i in. long. Pr. ovoid, IJ m. long, 

 dark brown, scales trapezoid, endosperm ruminate. 2. 0. platyspatlms, Mart. Tavoy. 

 Leaflets alternate, rigid 10-12 by l-lj in. 6 spadix long, very slender, sparsely armed, 

 spikelets J-^, fl. ^^V in long, spathes with long, flat, lanceolate blades. 3. C. acantho- 

 spathus, Griff. Palms t. 190 AB, Vern. Goari het, Nep. ; JRue, Lepcha. East Nepal. 

 Sikkim 3-6,000 ft. Khasi hills. Porms dense thickets mixed with Plectoaoinia. 

 Leaflets few, inequidistant, lanceolate, 8-15 by l|-2 in., sheath stout, densely 

 armed with long and short spines, pet. long, ve'ry stout, armed with short 

 spines on a conical base. Plagella on sheath and spadix. Pr. stipitate, shining, 

 chestnut-brown, | in. diam,, scales slightly channelled, fruiting calyx oupular, J in. 

 diam., seed deeply pitted. 4. C. Feanus, Becc. Tenasserim. Similar to 3, but fr. 

 opaque, scales not channelled. 5. G. floribundus, Griff. Palms t. 197. Upper Assam. 

 Khasi hills. Silhet. Climbing, sheaths densely armed with bristles and long spines, 

 rachis with long spines and short curved prickles. Leaflets bright green, linear- 

 lanceolate, few, the uppermost crowded and often connate. Spadix long, decompound, 

 spikes distichous, short, spreading and recurved, flagellum on the spadix long, armed 

 with simple or compound recurved spines. Spikelets numerous, short, recurved. Pr. 

 globose, ^ in. diam., shortly beaked, scales pale yellow, channelled down the back. 



6. C. Brandisii, Becc. Courtallum. Stem slender, leaflets few, fascicled, sheath with 

 solitary or aggregate slender flat straight spines, mouth with long needle-shaped 

 spinules, pet. slender with few very long straight slender spines. 6 spadix 

 elongate, shortly flagelliferous, spatbes narrow, tubular. 



B. Leaflets numerous, equidistant. 



(a) Fruiting calyx not pedicelliform. 



7. a art)orescens, Griff. Palms t. 188a, b ; Kurz in Journ. As. Soc. Bengal, 43 t. 22. 

 Vern. Zandn, Dandn, Burm. Pegu Yoma, southern part, common and gregarious in 

 evergreen forest. Stems erect 15-20 ft. high, annulate, green and glossy, stoloniferous, 

 internodes 7 in., leaves 6-8 ft. long, no flagellum on sheath or spadix. Sheaths and pet. 

 armed with more or less oblique whorls or half whorls of brown or black broad sharp 

 spines, up to IJ in, long, the spines on the rachis smaller and less numerous. Leaflets 

 white beneath, nearly opposite, 1-2 ft. long, black bristles along the edges and here and 

 there on the stouter nerves. Spadix 5 ft. long, pendulous, spathes tubular, the lower 

 armed with scattered spreading black spines, 6 spathels short, closely imbricate, 

 truncate, fl. nearly * in. long, 8. 0. Flagellum, Griff. Palms 48. Syn. 0. JenUnsiaiius, 

 Griff. Palms 1. 186 a, fig. iii. Sikkim, ascending to 3,000 ft. Assam. Khasi hills. 

 Oachar. East Bengal. Somewhat resembles 1, but soandent and 1. smaller, 6-7 ft., 

 leaflets numerous, equidistant, 24-30 in. long. Petiole deeply channelled, armed along 

 the back with a solitary row of large hooked, along the edges with fascicled spines, 



