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These grappling-hooks on the Hop are as perfect in their way, though by no means so beautiful and elegant as those which are found in the climbing palm, Desmoncus, so well described by Kerner in his _Natural History of Plants_. It is one of the rotang palms which reach lengths of 600 feet, though their stem may be no more than 1-1/3 to 2 inches thick. The leaflets towards the end of the leaf are transformed into strong spiny barbs which are exquisitely adapted to hang on to other plants. In many places, thickets in which these rotang palms have developed are so matted and tangled together that it is quite impossible even to cut into them, and they are practically impenetrable.