mibus subtus lepidotis, spathe valvula exteriore interi- 
oribus triplo breviore, spadicis ramis floriferis paten- 
tissimis, floribus laxis per pares (fl. mas. cum fl. fem.) 
scrobiculis ramorum dispositis, fructu subrotundo. 
Graham. 
Areca montana. Hort. Cantab. 
The plant here described was received at the Botanic 
Garden, Edinburgh, from Grenada, in 1815, through the 
kindness of Mr. Ross, and produced for the first time in 1837 
a spathe, which never attained its full size ; nor did it open, 
but remained above a year upon the tree. In 1838, one, 
somewhat more perfect, was formed, and, bursting, allowed 
the escape of a spadix, which, however, never unrolled, but 
remains still on the tree, imperfectly unfolded. Now, there 
are three spadices upon the plant, all perfect, and exposed 
by the falling of the leaves ; but from the lowest only the 
spathe has yet dropped. The outlines of others may also 
be perceived within the sheathing bases of leaves which are 
still on the tree. Mr. Loppiees writes to me, that a tree 
has been in flower with him for two years, and the succes- 
sion of spadices formed and forming upon one plant, shows 
that the same thing will occur with us. | 
The portion of the plant which is eaten, either as a fresh 
vegetable or as a pickle, is the terminal bud and the soft 
interior of the after part of the stem. Many of the palms 
may be used, or misused, for the same purpose. : 
Descr. Stem, in our plant, ten feet high, marked in its 
whole height with completely annular scars left by the 
fallen leaves, dilated at its base into a nearly globular 
swelling, subcylindrical from this upwards, till the dilated 
sheaths of the leaves near the top give the appearance of 
another enlargement, but much more elongated, and of 
much less considerable diameter than that below. Leaves 
_ (nine feet long) elliptico-obovate, pinnated ; petioles at their 
origin sheathing and embracing each other, unarmed, gla- 
- brous, without leafets (for about two feet) at the base; 
rachis rounded below, above, for some way, flat, and, towards 
the apex, keeled ; sides formed into a broad, oblique, and 
shallow groove, into which the leafets are inserted ; leafets 
lanceolate, entire, glabrous, alternate, spreading wide, con- 
cave on the lower side of their base, each having a strong 
__ middle rib and several smaller lateral ones, the former pro- 
minent with a sharp edge above, attenuated at their apices, 
where, for a time, they are connected to each other by an 
oe almost © 
