740 DIORCIA MONANDRIA, Pandanus. 
posed of numerous, wedge-shaped, angular drupes, when ripe 
their large or exterior ends are detached from one another, 
and covered with a firm, deeper or orange-coloured skin ; 
apices flat, consisting of as many angular, somewhat convex 
tubercles as there are cells in the drupe, each crowned with 
the withered stigma, internally the exterior half of these 
drupes next the apex, consists of dry spongy cavities, their 
lower part next the core or common receptacle is yellow, 
consisting of a rich-looking, yellow pulp intermixed. with 
strong fibres; here the nut is lodged. . Nut of each drupe 
compound, turbinate, exceedingly hard, angular, containing 
as many cells as there are divisions in the apex of the drupe, 
each cell is perforated above and below. Seeds single, ob- 
long, smooth, adhering lengthways to a small fascicle of 
strong white fibres, which pass through the perforations of 
the cell. By far the greatest number of the cells are barren. 
_ Note. This plant is much employéd to make hedges, for 
which it answers well, but requirestoo much room. It grows 
readily from branches which renders it rare to find the full- 
rown, ripe fruit. The male is by far the most common, a 
circumstance merely accidental, for [have seen some old ex- 
tensive hedges entirely female, which must be owing to their 
having been originally a female plant or plants nearest to 
these places, It is the tender white leaves of the flowers, 
chiefly those of the male, that yield that most delightful fra- 
grance for which they are so universally and deservedly es- 
eemed ; for of all the perfumes in the world it must be the 
lest and most, powerful, 
_ The: lower. yellow pulpy part of the ied is sometimes 
eaten by the natives during times of scarcity and famine ; the 
tender white base of the leaves is also eaten raw or boiled dur- 
ing the same melancholy periods, ‘The fusiform roots already 
ntioned are composed of tough fibres, % which basket-makers. 
and use do tie, their work with, they are also. so ‘soft and. 
