251 



46. Myrialepis, Bece. Malaya. 



47. Zalacca, Keinw. Malaya ; Java. 



48. Mctroxvlon, Eottb. Malaya : Borneo. 



COCOINE.E. 



49. Bactris, Jacq. Brazil ; Colombia. 



50. Dosmoncns, Mart. Brazil. 



51. Astrocaryum, Mey. Mexico; Trop. America; South America. 



52. Martinezia, R. and P. Venezuela; West Indies. 



53. Elfeis, Jacq. Africa. 



54. Cocos, L. Tropical and Snl)-tropical America. 



55. Maximiliana, Mart. Brazil. 



56. Attalea, IT. B. Iv. Brazil; Peru. 



57. Pseudophoenix, AYendl. Florida. 



58. Eaphia, Beauv. Tro}). Africa ; Madagascar. 



Bor-Assk.t:. 



59. Borassus, L. India; Africa; Malayan Peninsula. 



60. Lodoicea, Comm. Seychelles. 



61. Latania, Comm. Mauritius. 



62. HyphaMic, Gaertn. Africa. 



A general description of the Palm family has already been 

 given. It is now proposed to take the individual species separately. 



Palm.e. 



Shrubs or trees, solitary or gregarious, armed or unarmed, 

 rarely pubescent.^ ^Stem erect, scandent or decumljent, rarely 

 branched above. Leaves alternate, plaited in bud, pinnatisect or 

 palmate, rarely simple or bipinnate ; petiole sheathing. Flowers 1 

 or 2 sexual, small, in panicles or spikes that are enclosed in one 

 or more large sheathing bracts, generally termed spathes, usually 

 3-bracteate. Pcrianili inferior, segments 6 in two series, sepals and 

 petals, usually all free, imbricate or valvate. Stamens 3 or 6 

 rarely more; anthers versatile. Ovary 1 — 3 celled or of 3 1-celled 

 carpels; stigmas 3, usually sessile; ovules 1 — 2 in each carpel, 

 adnate to the wall, base or toj) of the cell, anatropous. Fruit a 

 1 — 3 celled drupe or hard berry or of 1 — 3 carpels. Seeds erect 

 or laterally attached, rarely pcmlulous; albumen horny or bony, 

 solid or ruminate. 



Genera about 140. Chiefly tropical. 

 Pepresented in tlie Gardens — about 60 genera. 



Xo key to the genera has been inserted owing to its highly 

 technical character. A key to enable visitors to distinguish speci- 

 mens in the Gardens will be given later. 



The descriptions have been kept as simple as possible, but to 

 describe a species accuratelv without using a fair number of techni- 

 cal expressions is very difficult and would make them very long. 

 Where practicable a key to species has been inserted, based on 

 general characters as much as possible. 



