154 Linnean Society. [June 1 1, 



states a man may seat himself at the end of one of them with per- 

 fect safety. The texture of the leaflets (the largest number of which 

 yet found was ninety-seven) is very strong, and consists of fine 

 threads or fibres disposed in three layers. The direction of the two 

 outer layers is longitudinal, that of the central layer transverse ; 

 when denuded by the decomposition of the parenchyma, their tissue 

 resembles coarse book-muslin. Mr. Clark estimates, that three of 

 the leaves, only one of which is produced each year, occupy eight 

 inches on the stem, and that consequently a tree of eighty feet in 

 height must be about 400 [360] years old. 



According to Mr. Clark, both the male and female spadix, instead 

 of rising from the angle of the accompanying leaf-stalk, pass through 

 a fissure in its base. 



The drupe attains the length of fifteen inches, is about three feet 

 in circumference, and weighs from thirty to fifty pounds. When the 

 fruit has reached its full size, but is still soft (in which state it is 

 called Coco tendre), it may easily be cut through with a knife. A 

 transverse section, Mr. Clark states, successively displays the husk, 

 green on the outside but whitish within, of a harsh astringent taste, 

 much like the husk of the common cocoa-nut, inside of which is the 

 substance which is destined to form the shell; next follows a layer, 

 more or less thick, of a mealy insipid substance, of a white colour, 

 covering a yellow substance, of a very decided bitter and said to be 

 poisonous, which incloses the perisperm. This is a white translucent 

 mass of a gelatinous consistence and sweetish taste ; taken at the 

 proper period it furnishes an agreeable food, much esteemed by the 

 Sechellois. In the centre of this, at the spot where the two lobes of 

 the perisperm unite, is the germ, at this period scarcely visible. 



The germination of the seed sometimes commences before the fall 

 of the fruit, but most frequently after. It is prevented by burying 

 the nut, but readily takes place on the surface of the earth, in a situa- 

 tion not too much exposed to the sun. The length of time from the 

 germination to the period when the trunk begins to be formed above 

 ground, is stated at from fifteen to twenty years ; and even in favour- 

 able situations the Lodoicea is full twenty-five years before producing 

 flowers. 



Mr. Clark states, that although the tree puts forth only one spadix 

 in a year, ten or more may be seen flowering at the same time ; this 

 is explained by the multiplicity of flowers in each catkin, which blos- 

 som successively. The female trees bear flowers and fruit in all their 

 different stages at the same time. As many as seven well-formed 



