3026 Leaflets of Philippine Botany [Vol. vin, Art. 120 



in diameter, subcoriaceous, only slightly paler beneath; 

 petiole 1 to 2 yards long, more or less recurved toward the 

 distal end, green and smooth, flattened at the broadened 6 

 inches wide base, only 1 inch wide below the blade, ed- 

 ges of the basal one half usually beset with short 0.25 inch 

 long compressed black teeth toward the expanded base, 

 the edges of the petioles become shredded into a soft 

 matrix of brown fibers which persist even after the leaves 

 with their petioles have fallen, and frequently a mass 

 of this nest material can be noticed at different heights 

 along the stem still encircled and intact; inflorescences 

 as many as a dozen, widely spreading among the petioles but 

 not exceeding them; stalks arising from the leaf axils, 

 subterete or sometimes compressed, clothed with smooth 

 brown colored marcescent bracts nearly to their very tips, 

 paniculately branched from near the base; branchlets 

 smooth, light or pale yellow as are also the flowers. 



Luzon: Lucban (Mt. Banahao), Province of Tayabas, 

 May 1907, number 9293. Graceful trees scattered in subal- 

 pine forests. The Tagalogs call it "Anahao". 



The leaves of this palm are used for thatching. 

 The blades are doubled over and tied with rattan strips to 

 the bamboo lattice frame of the roof. A steep and thickly 

 laid roof lasts for many years, and when properly done 

 the inside has a very pretty appearance of so many 

 overlapping rows of fan chaped sections. The stem is 

 split up into two or three inches wide strips and used 

 as flooring. These pieces after being dressed along the 

 inner sides and polished on the outer side are either 

 nailed to the joice or tied down in their places with 

 stout rattan— very much the same way as bamboo floors 

 are constructed. Its floor surface is very smooth, hard and 

 nearly black. The wood is also used in making diverse 

 tool handles— such as spear handles, crude but stout axe 

 and pick handles, knitting needles. Young plants are 

 frequently used as pot plants. 



METROXYLON Rottb. 



Metroxylon Rumphii Mart, in Hist. Nat. Palm in, 

 214 et 313, t. 102 et 159, 1838. 



Field-note— Large tree; trunk 40 feet high, 2 feet 

 thick, terete and straight, covered by the old marcescent 

 leaf sheaths, rather abruptly terminated; leaves imbri- 

 cately scattered ascending, only the lower ones divaricate 

 and recurved 20 feet long; sheath 3 to 5 feet long, 

 nearly 1.5 foot wide across the base, ascending, deeply 



