AGRICULTURAL BULLETIN 
OF THE 
STRAITS 
AND 
FEDERATED MALAY STATES. 
No. 5.] MAY, 1903. [Vol. II. 
RATTANS — ( Concluded ). 
The genus Dcemonorops includes two groups, the Cymbospatha ' 
with very short panicles of flowers which are at first enclosed in 
boatshaped spiny bracts, and the Piptospathae in which the inflor- 
escence is much longer, and not entirely enclosed in the first outer 
bract. These plants have stems shorter than the Calami , and 
none are. as thin as some of the latter, nor are they considered as 
valuable to the rattan collector. They fruit heavily and as they 
are, as a rule, not collected for trade purposes, and so not exter- 
minated, several species are among the most abundant in our 
forests. 
Among them are Rotan Sabut, or Rotan Buah Dcemonorops 
Hystrix ; Rotan Getah or Rotan Hudang, D. Didymophyllus\ Ro- 
tan Kerai, Kamunting, Gulang, D. geniculatus\ Rotan Dudok, Ma- 
ch ap, D. longipes. 
Several of the species have in the fruit scales a peculiar red 
resin, known as Dragon's blood, and such rattans are known as 
Rotan Jerenang. 
Rotan Sabut, Dcemonorops hystrix is a very common stout rattan 
30 or 40 feet long, with long pinnate leaves with narrow leaflets, 
armed with a long thorny flagellum. The stem is very thorny and 
the mouth of the sheath armed with very large erect flat thorns 
3 inches long, by which it is easily known. The flower and fruit, 
sprays are very long, and it produces great masses of light yellow 
oblong fruits. 
The cane is about half an inch long with joints four inches in 
length, 1 doubt if it comes into trade to any extent but is used 
for rigging of ships, split rattan and other purposes of this nature. 
The Rotan Kerai or Gulang. D. geniculatus is a shorter very 
stout rattan with an exceedingly thorny stem, covered with long 
yellow thorns. The long leaves have the leaflets in groups with a 
space between. It is very abundant in our forests, and is usually 
about 15 or 20 feet long. The cane is over half an inch through, 
the joints 7 inches apart and thick. This makes good walking 
sticks but does not seem to be much in request. 
The Korthalsias are recognized by their peculiar cuneate leaves 
usually white underneath and the subterminal inflorescence of 
