CHAP. III. J TYPHINE^. 453 



which bursts on the under side. The mass of 

 flowers is called a spadix ; and it is succeeded 

 by the fruit, which, when ripe, is either a 

 drupe or a berry. In the Cocoa-nut Palm 

 (Cocos nucifera) the fruit is a drupe ; but the 

 pericardium consists of hard, dry, fibrous mat- 

 ter, which is uneatable, the only part fit for 

 food beincr the albumen of the kernel. The 

 Date Palm {Phoenix dactylifera), and the Sago 

 Palm {Sagus Rumphii), are two interesting 

 plants, from their products. 



ORDER ecu.— PANDANE^. 



The most interesting plant in this order is 

 the Screw Pine {Pandanus), which has the 

 habit of the Palms, but the flowers of the 

 Arum tribe. 



ORDER CCIII TYPHINE^.— THE BULLRUSH 



TRIBE. 



The Bullrushes (Typha), also called Cat's-tail 

 and Reed-mare, are tall rush-like plants, with a 

 cylindrical mass of dark brown flowers round 

 the stem, surmounted by a spike of yellow 

 flowers. The lower dark-brown flowers are fe- 

 male ones, and the yellow ones are the males ; 

 the former consist only of an ovary on a long 

 stalk, and a calyx cut into fine hairs so as to 

 form a kind of pappus. The male flowers have a 



