PALM^E. 513 



ing the filaments : pollen simple ; ? flowers supported by a hairlike bract ; stigma filiform, 

 exceeding the hairs. — T. latifolia, Mey. Esseq. ! — Not distinguished from the European form 

 but by larger growth, longer spadices, and much broader leaves. — Hab. Jamaica !, Wullschl., 

 common in lagoons j Trinidad !, Cr. ; [both temperate and tropical zones : the variety ranges 

 from Texas ! to South Brazil !]. 



CXXX. PANDANE^E. 



Character of Aroidea, but spathes usually several, albumen devoid of amylum, fleshy or 

 • hard, and plumule included. — Woody (rarely stemless) plants; leaves approximate at the 

 summit of the trunk, resembling those of large grasses, if entire, or of palms, if divided. 



They are fibre-plants, used for thatching and cordage. The fruits of several, and the seeds 

 of Pandanus, are eatable : Pandanus utilis, Bor., is a cultivated tree in the West Indies 

 (Jamaica !, Trinidad) : its large rosular leaves are spinous-dentate. 



1. CARLUDOVICA, R. P. 



Flowers monoecious, (J in fours around the $ . Calyx-limb of <J multidentate, of ? 4-fid, 

 superior. Anthers co . Ovary surrounded by elongated, sterile filaments : placentas 4, pa- 

 rietal, multiovulate. Berry " 4-gonal." — Trunk radicant or none ; leaves rosulate, 2-palma- 

 ti/id ; spadices axillary, cylindrical, peduncled : spathes 2-5. 



1. C. Plumieri, Kth. "Trunk radicant;" leaves deeply 2-fid, unicostate, flattish, ta- 

 pering into the petiole : lobes oblong, acumiuate, about twice as long as the midrib : petiole 

 one-third as long as the blade, hall-terete, channelled above ; spathes 5, distant, oblong-lan- 

 ceolate, acuminate, clasping-concave ; $ calyx cupulate ; sterile filaments in $> long, filiform, 

 ilexuose. — Plum. Descr. t. 59, 51,/. — C. palmii'olia (Salmia, W.). — Leaves 2'-2i' long: 

 lobes 3"-2" broad; midrib 8"-9" long: principal veins 7-9-jugal; spadix nodding; spathes 

 2i"-4", spadix l"-3", sterile filaments about 2" long. — Hab. Dominica !, Imr. ; Trinidad !, 

 Cr. ; [French islands]. 



Two other species occur in the French islands : 1. C. gracilis, Liebm. Syn. C. angusti- 

 folia, Seem. {Eoodianthus, Oerst.), nou R. P. C. Plumieri, PI. Carib. : leaves deeply 2-fid, 

 with narrower (1"-1 \" broad) lobes, spathes 3 ; 2. C. insignis, Duchass. Syn. C. palmata, 

 PI. Carib. Allied to C. latifolia, R. P. : leaves 3-costate, shortly 2-fid, lobes at length cut, 

 spathes 4. 



CXXXT. PAL1LE. 



Spadix supported by spathes, mostly branched : flowers usually unisexual. Perigone 

 2-seriate. Stamens 6 (3-oo). Ovary 3-l(-5)-celled: cells l(-2)-ovulate. Pericarp in- 

 dehisceut, fleshy, or hard : putamen often cohering with the testa. Albumen devoid of 

 amylum, cartilaginous, bearing the embryo in a special, peripherical cavity. — Woody, mostly 

 unbrauehed plants ; leaves usually approximate at the summit of the trunk, pinnati- or 

 palmati-sect, rarely entire. 



Of the various productions of this Order, the following are chiefly mentioned as West 

 Indian : timber is afforded by Cocos, Geouoma Swartzii, Bactris Plumieriana, Acrocomia 

 tasiospatha, Thrinax parvifcora ; fibre by Cocos, Sabal umbraculifera, Manicaria ; thatches 

 are coustructed with the leaves of Copernicia, Sabal, Thrinax, and Geonuma Swartzii ; eat- 

 able are the fruits of Bactris Plumieriana, the albumen of Cocos, the leaf-buds of the 

 cabbage-palms, e.g. Euterpe oleracea, Oreodoxa oleracea, Cocos and others ; wine and 

 spirits are prepared from the saccharine sap of Cocos and Phoenix spinosa ; oil from the 

 albumen of Cocoinece, e.g. Acrocomia, Cocos, and from the pericarp of Eltpis ; starch from 

 Oreodoxa oleracea. Two of these palms have been introduced, but are so much cultivated 

 as to appear naturalized, viz. Elais guineensis and Cocos nucifera : the latter as Mr. 

 Wullschlaegel informs me, was never seen by him but in a cultivated state. Other palms, 

 cultivated hi the West Indies, are : Areca Catechu in Antigua ! : Wullschl., and S. Vincent ! : 

 Guild. ; Phoenix spinosa in Antigna ! : Wullschl. ; Ph. dactylifera in Jamaica (5/.), but 

 not thriving there, and in Trinidad ! : Cr. ; Arenga saccharifera in Jamaica {Macf. MS.). 



