KEY TO THE V.\EIETIES. 99 



when ripe; flesli 2.r» to .") imii. thick, becoming hard and dry; seed about 

 two-thirds as lonf? as the fruit, one-third to two-fifths as wide as long, 

 broad and rounded at both ends, between russet (III. l(i) and wood 

 brown (III, l'.»). the ventral channel oi)en ; Itranches of the fruit clusters 



oranj^e buff (VI, -2) Kciitc<'.s}i u " (p. 84). 



i<Liii, nlicrc /oo.sc, ni.sxct (III, 1(5) ; giatit-ceU zone less xluiiiiln defined, ivitft 

 (/roups of these cells cxtend'Diy thromjh the outer lai/er of flesh nearly to 

 the slchi. 



lilpe fruit dull })urplisli niuroon (IV, 1'), with considerable bloom, 33 to .'fO mm. 

 loiHi. often somewhat curved ; flesh 2.5 to 4 mm. thick ; seed about two- 

 thirds as lonj; as the fruit, j^enerally one-third as wide as lonir. the ventral 

 channel open; (jidiit cells ira.r i/elloir (VI, 7) ; branches of the fruit 

 clusters oranjie colored Lenisy (p. 75). 



Ivi/ie fruit dull buy (IV, 5) (dull Indian purple (VIII, (i) towanl l)a.se), with 

 considerable bloom, 32.3 to 3") nim. louy : flesh 2 to '.\ nnn. thick ; seed about 

 seven-tenths as lonj; as the fruit, one-third to two-fifths as wide as Ions?, 

 the ventral cbanne! open ; yiuut cells titiniy (V, 1 ) Itroioi ; l)ranches of the 

 fruit clusters pale orange llulooa Buydu <* (p. 7(>). 



Soft Dates. 



bound soft dates. 



Fruit J.j to .'/J vi))i. ill f/icfiiest diuuieter, mostly loiujer Ihtiii iride, sjiherical or 

 nearly so. keeyiiiy its slniye irell iilieii preferred, color before maturity 

 dull oraiiye Itroini. betircen maroon (IV. 2) and prune purple (VIII, 1) 

 irhen ripe : skin, where loose, tawny (V, 1 ) ; fiesli firm. S to 10 nun. 

 thick ; seed very thick, six-tenths to seven-tenths as loni,' .ns the fruit, 

 aliout three-fifths as wide as \o\v^. eoiispiciioiisli/ loiKiheiieil iritli lonyi- 

 iiidinal and transrerse fiirroirs. the ventral chainiel closed, the germ 

 pore not distinguishable; giant cells mostly spherical or quadrangular 

 with rounded angles, rarely more than one and one-half times as long as 

 wide, ferruginous (IV, 10) in color Tronja (]). G7). 



fruit 2') to S") mm. in yreatest diameter, usually somewhat wider than long, 

 usually widest above the ndddle, often slightly depressed at the apex. 

 not heeyiny its shape well irhen preferred, deep chrome yellow (VI, 8) 

 before maturity, reiy dark broirii purple (almost black) irhcn ripe; flesh 

 rerii Koft. <! to 10 nun. thick, very dark colored; seed two-thirds to four- 

 fifths as long as the fruit, one-half to two-thirds as wide as long, mummy 

 brown (III, 10) to russet (III, 16) color, smooth, the ventral channel 

 nearly closed except near the ai)ex ; giant cells very variable in sixe and 

 shape, spherical, elliptical or irregularly triangular or quadrangular with 

 rounded angles, mostly one to one and one-half (rarely more than 2) 

 times as long as wide, burnt umber (III, 8) colored; l)ranclies of the 

 fruit clusters deep orange Tantaboosht a (p. 85). 



BROAD SOFT DATES. 



Sirupy Broad Soft Dates. ^ 



Fruit 32.5 to 35 mm. long, about three-fourths as wide, rery broad orate, widest 

 at the baseband )iarrowed thence to the broad rounded apex, bright bay 

 (IV, 5) colored with a pronounced bloom whe)i ripe; flesh A'ery soft, about 

 .") nun. thick, translucent; seed wood brown (III. 19), one-half to two- 

 thirds as long as the fruit, about one-half as wide as long, rounded at 



o Description supplemented by fruit from the garden at Tempe, Ariz., from a 

 palm originally from Biskra, Algeria. 



&The fruits of young palms labeled Halooa in the Tempe garden, originally 

 from Biskra, Algeria, differ from the above description in several particulars 

 and probably belong to another variety. It should be noted that in Tunis the 

 word Halooa (sweetmeat) occurs as a prefix in the names of several very 

 different varieties of dates. Thus, Halooa Ch'eb, Halooa Teboolboo, etc. 



c Description supplemented from the fruit of 3 palms iu the Tempe, Ariz., 

 date garden. 



92 



