Areca. monoecia hexandria. 619 



bottom of the cell. Style none. Stigma conic, and composed 

 of three, small, unequal, conic lobes. Berry oblono-, of the 

 size of an olive, but longer, smooth, when ripe of a lively 

 orange, becoming red. Pulp in small quantity, and mixed 

 M'ith many longitudinal, strong, ligneous fibres, one-celled. 

 Seed conform to the berry, much ruminated as in catechu, 

 and with embryo lodged in its very base. 



4. A. gracilis. R. 



Leaves pinnate ; leaflets few, plaited ; lower pairs falcate, 

 -alternate, acuminate, the terminal pair praemorse. Spadix 

 axillary, simple, retrofracted, with flowers on all sides; male 

 polyandrous. Seed oblong. 



Beng. Gooa soopari, and Ramgooa are the vernacular 

 names at Silhet. 



An elegant, tall, slender species, a native of the hills of 

 Chittagong, Silhet, and the east border of Bengal, where it 

 blossoms during the hot season ; and the seed ripens in Oc- 

 tober. 



Trunk erect, straight, marked with the circular scars of 

 the fallen leaves, about as stout as a walking cane, and from 

 six to ten feet high. Leaves alternate, pinnate, smooth, about 

 three feet long. Leaflets from three to four pair, opposite 

 or sub-alternate, plaited, from two to three inches broad, and 

 from twelve to eighteen inches long, lower pairs falcate, with 

 the exterior half tapering to a very long, fine point, exterior 

 pair shorter, linear, and praemorse, with each of the plaits end- 

 ing in a bifid point. Petioles somewhat triangular, with a 

 vaginated base. Spaihe one-leaved with a bifid apex, open- 

 ing down the interior or concave side. Spadix axillary, ge- 

 nerally simple, retrofracted, completely clothed on all sides 

 with male and female flowers, viz. for every female two males, 

 one on each side. Jilale calyx minute, three-cornered. Petals 

 three, obliquely cordate, acute, many times longer than the 

 calyx. Stamina numerous, shorter than the corol. Female 

 calyx and corol of three equal leaflets, and petals each. 



3 z 2 



