PALMAR 89 
Scheff. ex Becc. in Ann. Jard. Bot. Buitenz. 2 (1885) 156, is a 
synonym. 
Illustrative specimen from Sablang, Benguet Subprovince, Lu- 
zon, March, 1912 (Merrill: Species Blancoanae No. 144). 
ARECA Linnaeus 
ARECA CATECHU Linn. (err. cathecu) ; Blanco Fl. — (1837) 714; ed. 2 
(1845) 494; ed. 3, 3 (1879) 120, t. 350. 
The Linnean species was correctly interpreted by Blanco. It 
is commonly cultivated throughout the Philippines and is often 
spontaneous. There is no reason whatever for considering the 
species a native of the Archipelago, although it has been collected 
at least once (in Palawan) in the primeval forest, but here near 
an ancient trail. It is certainly a purposely introduced plant 
in the Philippines and of prehistoric introduction. The specific 
name cathecu is the original spelling, but it is a manifest typo- 
graphic error for catechu. 
Illustrative specimen (immature fruits) from Antipolo, Rizal 
Province, Luzon, November, 1914 (Merrill: Species Blancoanae 
No. 218). 
Areca catechu Linn. var. humilis Blanco Fl. Filip. (1837) 716 (var. nov.) ; 
ed. 2 (1845) 495; ed. 3, 3 (1879) 120=ARECA IPOT Becc. in Elm. 
Leafi. Philip. Bot. 2 (1909) 639. 
The form described by Blanco as the variety humilis of Areca 
catechu is a very distinct endemic species, recently described by 
Beccari as Areca ipot. It was erroneously reduced by Naves to 
Areca catechu Linn., var. pumila Mig. The species is of local 
distribution in the Philippines and in Luzon is generally known 
as sacsic and ipod (not ipot); Blanco gives the Tagalog name 
as mangipod. 
Illustrative specimen from Nagcarlan, Laguna Province, Luzon, 
February, 1915 (Merrill: Species Blancoanae No. 844). 
COCOS NUCIFERA Linn.; Blanco Fl. Filip. (1837) 716; ed. 2 (1845) 495 
(nucigera) ; ed. 3, 3 (1879) 123, t. $64. 
The coconut palm is very extensively cultivated in the Philip- 
pines and presents a number of more or less distinct forms, 
varying in the size of the plant and in the size, shape, and quality 
of the fruits. It is most certainly not a native of the Archipelago 
and nowhere occurs spontaneously in the Philippines. It is cer- 
tainly of prehistoric introduction into the Archipelago. 
Illustrative specimen from the Catubig River, Samar, Feb- 
ruary, 1916 (Merrill: Species Blancoanae 927). 
