234 DR. KIBK OK THE PALMS OE EAST TROPICAL APRICA. 



close to it.. There is no other of its like in the country within 

 several hundred miles. IFrom the root there are many young 

 plants coming up. 



5. Phcenix spinosa, Schum. and Thon. 



Common over the central regions of the continent and on the 

 coast, both as a bush and a tree with flexuose stem 20 feet high. 

 The green bunches of fruit, if immersed for twelve hours in water, 

 suddenly assume a rich scarlet hue, and the astringent pulp 

 becomes sweet. 



The split leaf is made into fine mats and caps, which take colour 

 easily, and are worked of many patterns. 



6. Eaphia tinieera. 



This was not seen by us near the coast. It occurs south of 

 the Zambesi, in the mountains of Gorongozo; and in the hilly 

 regions south of Nyassa, near streams. It is not known in the 

 country near the Victoria Falls, 



Htph-Sike. 



This genus is difficult to subdivide into satisfactory species. 

 In some trees we have the stem dichotomously branched as m 

 the Doum of Egypt, in others cylindrical throughout, in others 

 ventricose." These differences are accompanied by others, in the 

 forms of fruit and ligule, which are local ; but the intervening 

 districts yield forms also intermediate. 



I have endeavoured to reduce the number of species as far as 

 possible ; the following table shows their leading characters : 



TABLE OE THE ZAMBEZI HTPHiEKES. 



Stem. Fruit. Ligule. Locality. 



1 Ilypheene eoriacea, Gaert, dichotomous. pyriform. oblique. marituue. 



2. „ crinita, Gaert, cylindrical. oblong, equilateral, inland. 



3. „ Tentricosa,n.sp. ventricose. unilspherical. ateral. central. 



Syphcene Thehaica differs from H. eoriacea in the form of its 

 fniit, which is larger at the base than at the apex. The n&^ 

 species, with small globnlar fruit, brought from central Africa by 

 Capt. Grant, has not yet been described, but will stand between 

 H. eoriacea and S, crinita. 



7. Hxpu^NE CORIACEA, Gaevt. Frucf. et Sem. i. p. 28. 



*^ Caudice ramose, drupa turbinato-pyriformi ; vertice plani* 



usculo, medio constricto." Martin's Sist, Nat 

 p. 227. _ 



4» * 



