53 COCOS NUCIFERA. 
Calyx below, perhaps two-leaved, but it is difficult to say where 
the’corol begins. 
Corol six-petal’d, if two are allowed for the calyx ; heart-shape, the 
exterior three much the largest, of a firm leathery texture, 
concave, and do not expand but in a trifling degree, except 
force be used. 
Nectary: a thin orange-coloured ring surrounds the base of the germ. 
Germ somewhat conical. 
Style none. 
Stigma small, immersed in the apex of the germ, slightly three- 
lobed. 
The Nu is well described and delineated by Gertner. 
This tree delights in a moist, sandy soil, near the sea. Its uses 
and its produce, are various and well known. 
Explanation of the Figures. 
Fig. 1. A female flower, not open. 
. Back and front view of a male flower, magnified. 
Go dO 
. The same of a female flower, natural size. 
Section of the germ near the apex. Ditto. 
. Another near the middle. Ditto. 
. A third section near the base. Ditto. 
nD or 
74. PHOENIX FARINIFERA. 
Chitty-cita of the Telingas. 
Trunk, the little it has is only about one, or at most two feet high, 
and so entirely enveloped in the leaves that it is never seen ; 
the whole appearing like a large round bush. 
Leaves feathered, as in Phoenix dactylifera (the Date tree); nearly 
as large. Leaflets longer, narrower, more pointed, of a much 
deeper green. 
Spathe axillary, one-valved, inside concave, fitting the trunk or base 
of the leaf immediately within it: this concavity is bordered _ 
by two sharp edges, outside convex, there splitting longitudi- 
nally, leathery, smooth, withering. 
Spadix erect, very ramous: branches simple, spreading in every 
direction; eight to twelve inches long. 
MALE FLOWERS. 
Calyx small, slightly three-tooth’d. 
Petals three. 
Filaments six, very short, inserted into a fleshy, globular receptacle. 
Anthers oblong, erect. 
FEMALE FLOWERS on a different plant. 
Calyx as above. 
_ Petals three, orbicular, equal, rigid, calyx-like, lasting. 
Pistil as in Phoenix dactylifera. 
Berry, when ripe, shining black, size of a large French bean; the 
pulp is sweet and mealy, but in small quantity. The natives 
eat them as gathered from the bush, without any preparation. 
Seed cartilaginous, shape of the berry, grooved longitudinally, as 
in Phoenix dactylifera, pretty smooth, brown on the outside, 
light-greyish white within; on the middle of the back there 
is a small elevation, under which is an oblong pit containing 
the embryo. 
This is a dwarf species of the Date tree, not taken notice of by 
any author I have met with. It is a native of dry, barren ground, 
PHOENIX FARINIFERA. 54 
and chiefly found on the sandy lands at a small distance from the 
sea. Flowers in January and February; fruit ripe in May. 
The leaflets are wrought into mats; the common petioles are split 
into three or four, and used for making ordinary baskets of various 
kinds; but they are not so proper for this purpose as the Bamboo, 
which is elastic, much more durable, and splits easily. 
The small trunk, when divested of its leaves, and the strong 
brown fibrous web that surrounds the trunk at their insertions, is 
generally about fifteen or eighteen inches long, and six in diameter, 
at the thickest part; its exterior or woody part, consists of white 
fibres matted together, which envelope a large quantity of a farina- 
ceous substance, used as food by the natives in times of scarcity ; 
but it is also interwoven with many white fibres ; to separate which 
from the farinaceous part, the trunk is split into six or eight pieces, 
then dried, beaten in wooden mortars, and afterwards sifted: the 
rest of the preparation consists in boiling the meal into a thick 
gruel, or (as it is called in India) conjee. It seems to be much less 
nutritive than the common sago, and is less palatable, being consi- 
derably bitter when boiled; but probably by more care in the pre- 
paration, or by varying the mode, it might be improved. It certainly 
deserves attention, as during the end of the last, and beginning of 
the present year, 1791, it saved many lives: rice being excessively 
dear, and at times not to be had, which obliged numbers of the 
poor to have recourse to this meal. It may further be remarked, 
that the tree fortunately is one of the most common on this part 
of the coast, particularly near the sea. 
75. ARECA CATHECU. 
Linn. spec. plant. 1659. 
Po-ka-tshittoo of the Hindoos. 
Spathe double. 
Spadix very branchy. 
Male Flowers very numerous, above the female, sessile, without 
bractes. 
Calyx one-leaved, small, three corner’d, three-parted, smooth. 
Petals three, oblong, rigid, striated, smooth, many times longer than 
the calyx. ; 
Filaments, generally three, very short and broad ; two-parted, in- 
serted round the base of the columnar style. 
Anthers always six, arrow’d. 
Germ, no other than a short column, which splits into three short, 
obtuse segments. 
Female Flowers in the same spadix, one, two, or three at, or near the 
7 base of each ramification of the spadix, sessile, without bractes. 
Calyx six-leaved: the interior three largest, hearted, rigid, fleshy, 
permanent. 
Corol none. 
Nectary membranaceous, generally six-tooth’d, embracing closely 
the base of the germ. 
Germ ege'd. 
Style scarce any. : 
Stigmas three, short, triangular, seemingly united into one, conical, 
sharp. 
Drupe well described and delineated by Gertner. 
Where it grows wild, I cannot say from my own observation, 
but it is cultivated over every part of India, and is in flower most 
