CarludovicaJ\ 



EQUATORIAL-AMERICAN PALMS. 



183 



having " folia flabelliformia 3-5-partita,'* and say nothing about 

 the segments being again numerously cloven ; but if the leaves had 

 been 40-cleft (as in our plant) they would surely have so de- 

 scribed them. And while they make no mention of hats being 

 made from the leaves, they say that the Indians thatch their 

 houses with them, and that the petioles (6 feet long) serve for 

 walking-canes*. But although the leaves may serve for thatch, 

 the petioles of the Toquilla are far too weak for walking-canes, 

 and I never saw them more than half 6 feet long. There is, 

 however, a much larger species of Carludovica In Maynas, which 

 corresponds both in character and uses with the C. palmata of 

 Euiz and Pavon. It is called ''Irapai;*' and the palmatipartite 

 leaves are much used for thatch in the villages of the Upper 

 Amazon, whereof I saw a fine example in the old church of San 

 Regis, a little below the mouth of the Tigre; but they are 

 not at all used for hats. Unfortunately I never saw fresh spe- 

 cimens, so that I can give no description of itf. 



This is all I have to offer on the question of the identity of 

 Carludovica palmata^ R. et P. Future investigators, with ade- 

 quate materials, will be able to decide it. 



"Incolse e stipitibus orgyalibus teretibus baculos leves et fleiiles confi- 

 clunt. Indi hujus specie! et sequentium frondibus tuguria tegunt." — Syst, 

 Veg, I. c. 



t In the Forest of Canelos, on the banks of the Bombonasa, I saw growing 

 along with the Bombonaje, a third fan-leaved species of Carludovica^ foliis parris 

 flabelliformibus hi- Cnec auadrHwartitig anice multifidis. 



.r 



