3r4 ^'' J- E. Smith's Defcriptlon of , 



cUnilled a great quantity of thick clear infipid mucilage, which foon 

 hardened into a lubflance refembiing gum tragacanth, in which 

 probably re fides the nutritive quality for which this Palm is fo cele- 

 brated in the Flora Japonica. VVc are there told that a very fmall 

 morfel of the pith of its ftem is fufficient to fuftain life a long time, 

 and on that account the plant is jealoufly preferved for the ufe of the 

 Japanefe army. The drupce are alfo faid to be ufed as food. We 

 roafted fome, and found in their kernels the flavour of chefnuts, 

 with lefs fwcetnefs and a more watery confiftence. Each drupa 

 is elliptical or fomewhat obovate, a little comprefled, tipped with a 

 minute rigid point formed of the permanent fligma, which is umbi- 

 licated at its fummit. The outer coat is coriaceous, bright orange 

 red, clothed with woolly down which eafily rubs off. This coat 

 is not eatable. Nut folitary, eUiptical, even, hard, whitifli, tipped 

 with a point conne6led with the fligma, and internally lined 

 with a loofe brown membranous integument elofely enfolding the 

 kernel, which is alfo elliptical, white, firm, uniform, completely 

 occupying the fhell, and confifting entirely of albumen'^. In its 

 upper part, immediately under the ftigma, we difcovered a fmall 

 rourrd cavity where the embryo fiiould have been, but no traces of 

 it were to be found, for want of impregnation by the male pollen, 

 which is produced on a feparate tree. Probably the flavour of the 

 nuts might have been improved had they been impregnated. 



Enough has been faid to fhow the near affinity of this genus to 

 Zamidy (fee Gxrtner, tab, 3.) from which it is chiefly, and indeed fuf- 

 liciently, diflinguifhed by its drupa; growing on a true frond, con- 

 tracted with the amentaceous fruit of Zamia, The two genera per- 

 haps, conftitate an intermediate order between Palmce and Filicesy 

 but arefurely mofl: akin to the former. 



* Gaertner rather choofes to call it vitellus In Zamia. 



The 



