Strange case for expect_type

[Paul Hilfinger]

Can anyone explain this code fragment from evaluate_subexp_standard?

    case UNOP_IND:
      if (expect_type && TYPE_CODE (expect_type) == TYPE_CODE_PTR)
	expect_type = TYPE_TARGET_TYPE (check_typedef (expect_type));
      arg1 = evaluate_subexp (expect_type, exp, pos, noside);

It SEEMS to be saying that if I "expect" type T* from expression *E, then
I should expect type T from E.  Say what?  Thanks for any help.

Paul Hilfinger