182 



sunlig'ht and the violence of wind and rain. This arranp'ement 

 adds very much in some cases to the l)eautv of the plant. Plioeni.r 

 rupicola, Auders.. aifords an excellent exam])le. 'J^he curve affected 

 by the leaves of this plant renders it more l)eautiful tlian would lie 

 the case were the leaves straioht. 



Flowkhs. These are produced in large nnmhe-rs on large and 

 much-hranclied inflorescences. They are frequently emhedded in 

 the fiesliy surface of the brandies, and belong to a type of inflores-' 

 cence known as a spadix. In almost all palms the inflorescences 

 are axillary, oidy in one or two cases are they produced termiiuilly. 

 as in Metro.ri/loN . and Corjipha. Piach inflorescence when in hud. 

 is enclosed in a |)rotective structure called a spathe. This is hurst 

 hy the growing inflorescence and falls off at once, or sometimes 

 remains to sheathe the stalk and lower branches. The flowers are 

 very small and indi\ iduaUv insignificant. ])nt are ])rodueed in 

 enormous tpiajitities. thousands oft^en being- borne on one inflores- 

 cence. Collectively they often ])resent a handsome appearance. 

 They are sessile, and as a rule unisexual, the male and female 

 occupying different parts of the same inflorescence. Very rarely 

 Iii^rmaphrodite flowers are produced. In some eases female flowers 

 are borne on the lower branches of the spadix with the male flowers 

 densely packed on the upper. In others as for example in Piiwnga 

 the female flowers are )>laced between the male floAA'ers and it is 

 so arranged that two male flowers appear in succession and then 

 the female, thereby making the spike unisexual for the time being. 

 As ijalms are monoiotyledonous plants the general ai'rangement 

 of the flowci' is trinierous, tliat is ;5 sepals, 13 petals, 6, or a multiple, 

 stamens, and o carpels. In the male flowers the car]:)els are 

 rudimentary and are called pistillodes ami in the female flowers 

 the stamens are rudimentary and are termed staminodes. Pollen 

 is produced in great quantities ami probably wind is one of the 

 cliief agents in ]'ollination. Bees also play an im))ortant part in 

 this matter. Also the writer has seen flower spikes literally swarm- 

 ing with a larue type of ant and it seems probable that pollination 

 might he can-ied (uit l)y them. The ovarv generally consists of 

 three carpels either (piite free or completely united. 



KiU'iT. The fruit is either a lierry or a druiie. Two of the 

 i-arpels may he ahortive as in the Coconut, or if the carpels an- 

 free, a .-yncarj> of one-seeded fruits results, or again if united, a 

 single fruit with one, two or three seeds, according to the numher 

 of ovules whicli develop is the result. The fruits are on the whole 

 small when compared with the size of the plant, that of the Coco- 

 nut hein.g one of the largest. 'This is, however, quite dwarfed by 

 the liuge fruit of the Double Coconut {Lodoicea secheUaritm-. 

 [jahill.). from the Seychelles. 



Skkds. The seeds are of various shapes and sizes. Tliev are 

 rouiul in the Coconut, owing to one o\ ule oidv as a rule having 

 <leveloped, whilst in the Date, (Plioeni.r (lacfi/lifera, L. ), they are 

 long and mirrcnv. Where tliree seeds are produced two sides are 

 often flattened. 



