126 cook: the mascarene cabbage palm 



The inner spathes also have a distinct but very narrow carina on 

 each side, running about halfway up. The tip is distinctly apiculate, 

 bu1 not produced. The outer surface is even, but dull, and of a rather 

 light rusty-brown color, while the inner surface appears smooth and 

 shining, bu1 is marked with distinct slightly prominent longitudinal 

 brownish lines, with finer lines and wrinkles between, representing 

 the finer ramifications of the fibro-vascular system. 



The number of pinnae and several other features noted at Payta 

 seem not to have been recorded before. Bory and Martius refer to 

 p.tioles and other parts of leaves as sometimes tinged with red, which 

 may have caused confusion with another palm from Reunion, de- 

 scribed by Bory as Areca rubra, but now placed in the genus Acantho- 

 phoenix. It is distinguished readily by the presence of spines on the 

 trunks and leaf-bases. A third species, Areca crinita, also described 

 by Bory from the same island, has the trunk and leaf-bases clothed 

 with slender curved spines and hairs. This also is referred by modern 

 botanists to Acanthophoenix. 



It appears from Bory's account that all three species afford edible 

 "cabbages," but the species now referred to Acanthophoenix are said 

 to grow in the mountains, while Areca alba is said to prefer the shores 

 and inhabited parts of the island. 



It might be presumed that this is the species that is now put up 

 in tins and shipped to Europe and America as a salad delicacy, 

 under the name "hearts of palms" (coeur de palmier). A study of a 

 specimen of this commercial product shows the presence of minute 

 slender spines embedded in the loose flocculent coating of the surfaces 

 of the embryonic leaves, which would indicate that the material repre- 

 sents Acanthophoenix. 



In addition to seeds that have been received on different occasions 

 from commercial horticulturists the Office of Seed and Plant Intro- 

 duction, Bureau of Plant Industry, has received seeds closely similar 

 to those collected at Payta from Mr. G. Regnard, Port Louis, Mauritius, 

 .■iceompanied by the following note: 



A palm that attains a height of 50 feet. Young plants have dark 

 rod margins on new leaves which diminishes when the tree becomes 

 older. The true red variety is getting very scarce now as almost all 

 the trees newly planted are a cross mixture with the white. These 

 seeds were gathered on true red sort in a wide plantation of them. 

 The cabbage of this palm is commonly eaten here and has a quite 

 delicate flavor. 



