1922. \ PALMS. 29 



Caryota viitis. Fish Tail Palm. Burma to Malaj'a. 



A spineless palm with numerous stems, 25 to 30 feet high, leaves 

 bipinnate. Leaflets wedge shaped, broad and jagged, like a fish's tail, 

 the outer angles usually being prolonged. Fruits purple borne in long 

 pendant bunches. The individual fruit is about the size of a marble. 



Caryota iircns. Wine Palm. Toddy Palm. Fish Tail Palm. India and Ceylon. 



Height 50 to 60 feet, leaves bipinnate, inflorescences pendulous, 



produced in descending order when the tree is fullj' grown, the oldest 



at the top and the younger successively lower dosvn in the axils of the 



old leaves till the tree finally becomes exhausted and dies. 



Chrysalidocarpus lutescens. Madagascar. 



One of the most popular and ornamental palms, branching 'at the 

 roots to form numerous stems which grow to a height of 10 to 20 feet. 

 Leaves bipinnate, bright green with yellow petioles. This plant is 

 largely grown in pots, etc., in many countries fcr decorative purposes, 

 and is very common m Trinidad. 



Cocos aviara. West Indies. 



A lofty palm. Stem erect about 10 inches in diameter bearing a 

 ci'own of drooping, pinnate leaves. The fruit is about the size of a hen's 

 egg, of a bright yellow colour turning to brown when dry. 



Cocos x>^umosa. Brazil. 



A most attractive palm 30 to 40 feet high. Leaves plume-like, dark 

 green from 12 to 15 feet in length. Fruits orange coloured, very sweet 

 and sticky, much liked by the local children. 



Desmoncus major. Lattan (Tobago). Native. 



A strongly armed climbing palm with a slender flexible stem, and 

 pinnate leaves. The upper pairs of leaflets on the older leaves develop- 

 into hooks to assist the plant in attaching itself to trees. The fruit is 

 small, round and red when ripe. 



The mature stems are used for basket making, etc . 



Bictyosperma rubrum. Palmiste Rouge. Hab ? 



Height about 30 feet. Trunk 8 to 9 inches in diameter, having 

 corky spiral ridges where the old leaves were attached. Leaves pinnate 

 with bases encircling the stem for 3 or 4 feet. Leaflets usually adhering 

 at the tips. In young plants the leaves are darker green with the 

 primary veins and margins dark red, the redness however disappears 

 very much in adult plants. As a pot plant in its young state it is 

 very attractive. 



Didymosperma nanam. Assam and Khasi mountains. 



A dwarf palm about four feet in height. Leaves pinnate, segments 

 alternate, thinly dispersed, broad and jagged somewhat resembling 

 Caryota. Fruit purple, oval, about \ an inch in length, containing two- 

 hard brown seeds. 



