Corypha. hexandria monogynia. 1^ 



deeply channelled, the sharp margins armed with nu- 

 merous, short, stronjif, dark-coloured polished, com- 

 pressed spines. Spathes jiist as numerous as the prima- 

 ry and secondary ramifications in tiie spadix, all 

 smooth, and obtuse. Spadix supra-decompound, issuing 

 in the month of February from the apex of the tree, 

 and centre of the leaves, forming an immense, difluse, 

 ovate panicle, of about twenty or more feet in height, 

 so that the height of the whole tree, form the ground to 

 the top of tho spadix is now about fifty feet. Primary 

 branches alternate, round, spreading nearly horizontal, 

 with their apices ascending. Secondary ramifications 

 alternate, bifarious, compressed, drooping, recurved, 

 soon dividing into numerous, variously curved, smaller, 

 subcylindric, branchlets, covered with innumerable, small 

 white, odorous, sub sessile flowers. Calyx; perianth 

 inferior, minute, obscurely three-toothed. Petals three, 

 oblong, concave, fleshy, smooth, expanding, many times 

 larger than the perianth. No nectary. Filaments six, 

 nearly of the length of the petals, at the base broad, and 

 in some measure united. Anthers ovate. Germ above, 

 three-lobed, three-celled with the embryo of a distinct seed 

 in each, attached to the bottom of its cell. Style shorter 

 than the stamina. Stigma simple. Berries from one to 

 three conjoined, though one is the most common, and 

 then the rudiments of the other two are present, they are 

 singly quite round, about the size of a crab-apple, when 

 ripe, wrinkled, and of a dark olive, or greenish yellow 

 colour. The pulp is but in small proportion, and yellow 

 when the fruit is ripe. 6'get/ solitary, round, attached to 

 the base of the berry, of a white colour, and horny sub- 

 stance, with a small vacuum in the centre. Embryo 

 lodged in the apex, which circumstance alone, is suflicient 

 to distinguish it from Gcertners Crypha umhraculifera. 



The leaves of this tree are employed by the natives, 

 to write on with their pointed steel bodkins, and also to 



