212 | VEGETABLE IVORY PALM. 
year or more old. If the seed be then tapped with a hard instrument 
its sound will indicate its emptiness; and the fracture of the shell will 
exhibit nothing in the interior but a little half-dried pulp, lining the 
inner integument of the seed. Henceforth the plant depends upon the 
soil for its nourishment and growth; and our individuals, now four 
years old, exhibit very much of the perfect character of the Palm, save 
in size, (for the oldest has no real stem,) the leaves with us being four 
feet long instead of twenty, as in the fully developed specimens. 
REFERENCES TO THE PLATES. 
Tab. VI. A scene upon a river-bank, exhibiting a Phytelephas 
macrocarpa, very much reduced. 
Tab. VII. Fig. 1.—Cluster of young fruits, with torn and lacerated 
spathaceous covering, about one quarter of the natural size. Fig. 2, 
a fully formed fruit, with the coat partially broken to shew some of the 
seeds within; about one quarter of the natural ‘size. Fig. 3, seed, 
natural size, in a state of germination. Fig. 4, section of a perfect 
seed deprived of its outer crustaceous coat, showing the anastomosing 
vessels, the foramen indicating the position of the embryo, and the 
hard ivory-like albumen. Fig. 5, represents an Indian toy made by the 
aborigines of El Equador (sent with several others by Prof. Jameson); 
the animal is presumed to be a Lama, or Alpacha, the usual beast of 
burthen, with a pack on its back: natural size. Fig. 6, a box turned 
from the albumen in London: natural size. (All these and many 
other specimens of the Vegetable Ivory Palm, may be seen in the 
Museum of the Royal Gardens of Kew.) 
