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Palmacee.] THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINS. 395 
world. Africa and New Holland appear less favourable to this family, in India we 
have several of the same species found in every part of that extensive empire. It does 
not, however, appear to be the general rule, that families of plants are distributed in equal 
numbers, in all parts of the world where the climate is favourable, but rather 
that they occur, for reasons we cannot explain, im the greatest numbers: in some 
particular country or region; and yet have their representatives in the form of a few 
genera or species in other, and often very distant countries. 
Palms, therefore, will no doubt continue to be found in the greatest numbers in 
the equinoctial parts of S. America and the tropical islands of Asia. In other parts of 
the world they are but sparingly distributed. Thrinax is found in the West Indies, 
and Sabal in N. America. On the west coast of Africa we have Elais guineensis, 
Metroxylon, a Corypha, Calamus, and a species very nearly resembling the Elate or Phenix 
sylvestris of India. Hyphaene Cucifera is found in Upper Egypt, and H. coriacea, like 
it having a dichotomous stem, in Melinda on the east coast of Africa, probably also in 
Madagascar, where Drypsis is likewise found. The other African Palms, as Hyophorbe, 
Latania, and an Areca, aré found in the isles of Bourbon and Mauritius. In New 
Holland, where Seaforthia and Livistona are indigenous, Mr. Brown remarks that only six 
- Palms have been found, and of two of these, including Latania chinensis, the fruc 
tification is unknown. He states it as remarkable, that no species of Palm has been 
found in South Africa, and that none were observed by M. Lechenault on the west coast 
of New Holland, even within the Tropic. He has further noted it as a remarkable fact 
respecting the geographical distribution of Palms, that E/ais guineensis, so common on 
the west coast of Africa, and Cocos indica, which is indigenous to the shores of equi- 
noctial Asia and its islands, should be the only two species of an extensive section 
(Cocoine) of this order, that are not confined to America. The other African Palms are 
either confined to this continent or its islands, or exist also in India, but none of 
them have been observed in America, unless perhaps, Elais, if Alfonsia oleifera of 
Humboldt should prove tobe a distinct species of that genus: 3 
The Palms which chiefly prevail in the tropical islands of Asia are Cocos nucifer 
and Areca Catechu, the Cocoa and Betel-nut Palms; Arenga saccharifera (Saguerus 
Rumphii), the Anou of the Malays; Sagus Rumphii (S. farinifera, Gertn), the Malay 
Sago Palm; with Borassus flabelliformis, Caryota urens, Corypha Utan, and others, 
together with species of Calamus, out of which several genera have been formed. 
Lodoicea Seychellarum, or Seychelle nut, is confined to the Seychelle Islands, while 
Zalacca edulis extends from Java along the Malayan’ Peninsula to Tenasserim, and 
to the shores of the rivers Saluen and Attran, in Martaban. pene 
Cocos nucifera, and’ Areca Catechu, are abundant in Ceylon, and in Bengal along 
the Ganges and Burhampootur, as well as also on the Malabar coast, where the 
common black pepper is usually trained on the latter, but neither of them flourish 
at any great’distance from the sea. Of the Cocoa-nut Palm, Dr. Roxburgh states 
that several varieties, if not distinct species, are cultivated near the shores of India. 
3x2 ae 
