MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 137 
flowers. The roots are also used as a condiment, as a sub- 
stitute for ginger. 
Arenga saccharifera. Palmae. Sugar palm.—aA_ tree 
30-40 feet high, native of the Molucca Islands and the 
Philippines. It is one of the principal sources of palm sugar, 
or jaggery, this being obtained by boiling and evaporating 
the saccharine juice which flows upon wounding the young 
spadices. When fermented the juice yields toddy, or palm 
wine. When the trees have become exhausted by this 
wounding and bleeding the trunks are split and sago is 
obtained from the interior by scraping out the cellular con- 
tents, washing it, and granulating the starch. The tree dies 
after flowering. 
Aspidistra elatior var. variegata. Liliaceae—A popular 
conservatory and house plant from China. The foliage is 
stiff and shiny, with small inconspicuous flowers borne close 
to the ground. The plant is naturally fond of water, but 
will stand much abuse, dust and dry air, and lack of water 
and light. In rich soil the variegation disappears and the 
a ig begin to starve, hence compost made of half sand is 
used. 
Astrocaryum mexicanum. Palmae.—A spiny, stemless 
palm of Mexico, growing to a height of 6 feet. The fruit 
consists of a hard nut covered with a thin coating of pulp. 
The plant is often used in medium-sized conservatories. 
Attalea Cohune. Palmae. Cohune palm.—A wing-leaved 
palm of Honduras, similar to cocoanut, but not attaining 
such a great height. The fruit is about the size of a turkey’s 
egg and is produced in large bunches. The kernel tastes like 
a cocoanut but contains more oil of finer quality, this being 
pressed out and used for illuminating purposes by the 
natives. The trunk contains a great quantity of naeid 
which is obtained by cutting the tree down, making a hole 
near the top, and slightly raising the butt end so that the 
liquor flows into the hole. The supply lasts a long time and 
forms a cooling drink. 
Attalea speciosa, Brazil. 
Bactris major. Palmae.—A small palm, native of Brazil, 
reaching 15 feet in height. The stems are armed with pee 
spines, which make the plants undesirable for ornamen 
culture. 
Bambusa arundinacea. Gramineae. Bamboo.—A reed- 
like plant of India, attaining a height of 40-60 feet. The 
stems are produced in dense clumps, and are green and 
shiny, with spiny branches which are terminated with grass- 
