Palms of Puerto Rico 529 



the larger towns. The climate is, however, too cool and too moist 

 to permit the fruit to ripen properly, and there is apparently no 

 inducement for planting in large quantities. 



Family SABALACEAE 



Although forming no conspicuous part of the palm vegetation 

 of the island the fan-leaved species seem to be more numerous 

 than those of any other family. It is certain also that further species 

 remain to be discovered, since in addition to the species listed be- 

 low, young inflorescences supposed to belong to a Copemicia were 

 collected by Sintenis (no. 6512) near Utuado, and he also col- 

 lected two other Thrinax-Yike palms of doubtful identity, one near 

 Cabo Rojo and one at Fajardo. 



Key to tlie Genera of Sabalaceae 



Leaves depressed in the middle, with a distinct decurved midrib ; a slender fiber rising 



from each of the notches which separate the leaf segments. INODES. 



Leaves flat, midrib rudimentary ; segment without alternating fibers. 



Leaves chartaceous, naked on both sides when mature, the veinules unequal ; fruits 

 nearly sessile ; seeds smooth, albumen solid except for a deep basal cavity. 



Thrinax. 

 Leaves tough and coriaceous, the lower surface silvery with a persistent, closely 

 appressed pubescence ; veinules equal ; fruits distinctly pedicellate ; seeds 

 deeply grooved or furrowed. 

 Trunk tapering upward, tall and slender ; pedicels short, bracteate at base ; 

 seeds subspherical, ruminate with deep narrow grooves ; surface with a dull 

 membranous cuticle. Thrincoma. 



Trunk columnar, of equal diameter or enlarged upward ; pedicels long, brac- 

 teate above the base ; seed naked, smooth and shining, cerebriform, the sur- 

 face irregular with broad furrows and convolutions. TiiRiNGis. 



Inodes gen. nov. 

 In this genus, of which the hat palm of Puerto Rico may be con- 

 sidered the type, it is proposed to accommodate the dendroid 

 palms commonly referred to Salmi, the type of which is 5". Adan- 

 sonii Guersent. The most conspicuous difference between Inodes 

 and Sabal is, of course, the fact that the former produces an 

 upright trunk while the latter has only what might be called an 

 underground rootstock, although such a distinction is quite arti- 

 ficial, both groups of species beginning life with a creeping axis 

 which becomes erect in one and remains horizontal in the other. 

 A much more important difference is to be found in the leaves 



