137. PALMACE.E. [4. Phcenix. 



divided into numerous drooping spikes bearing fern, with a few herm. 

 fi. near the base, the upper portion being densely covered with male 

 flowers. Fruit obtusely 3-quetrous, 10-15" long. The endocarp and 

 contained seed is the well-known cocoanut. 



In villages, esp. neai- the houses in most districts but only occasional in the 

 dryer ones, increasing in numbers in the damper districts and becoming abundant 

 near the sea in Orissa. Fl. h.s. and beginning of r.s. and ripening nearly a year 

 afterwards. 



Coir is obtained from the fibrous pei'icarp and everj^ part is used. A '"' dab " after 

 slicing off the apex yields a most refreshing cool drink in the hot season. 



4. PH(ENIX, L. 



Tall or very short palms with the stems clothed for a considerable 

 time with the bases of the fallen leaves. Leaves pinnate Avith linear, 

 lanceolate or ensiform leaflets Avhich usually lie in different planes 

 and are frequently fascicled, lowest often spinescent. Flowers 

 dioecious, yellowish, coriaceous, in branched erect or ultimately 

 drooping branched interfoliar spadices. Calyx cupular 3 -toothed. 

 Male petals 3, obliquely ovate, valvate, stamens usually 6 (3-9) with 

 subulate filaments and erect dorsifixed anthers, pistillode minute or 



0. Fem. fl. globose, calyx accrescent, petals rounded, imbricate,, 

 staminodes 6 or a 6-toothed cup, carpels 3 free, stigmas sessile, un- 

 cinate. Ovule erect. Fruit an oblong drupe with fleshy pericarp. 

 Heed Avith very hard or cartilaginous grooved testa and equable or 

 subruminate albumen. Embrj^o dorsal or sub-basilar. 



A. Leaflets more or less fascicled and in different planes :— 



1. Trees attaining 40 ft. : — 



Lflts. 6-18" by -Ib-V. Fr. 1-1-3" 1. sylcestrh. 



2. Shrubs, or trunk under 20 ft. :— 



Stem G-12 ft. covered with the spiral leaf -bases. Lflts. not 

 very rigid, base not thickened nor decurrent . . .2. humilis. 



Stem 15-20 ft. and much stouter than type with relatively 



small tessellated leaf-bases var. roLitsfa. 



Stem very stout, bulbous and tessellated, under 2 ft. Lflts. 

 very rigid with swollen and decurrent bases . . .3. aeaidis. 



B. Leaflets'not fascicled, 2-farions : — 



Stem stout soboliferous 6-20 ft. ^Estuarial . . . .4. vahidom. 

 Stem short slender, not soboliferous. Rupicolar . . . 5. rupicola. 



The descriptions are mainly after Braiidh. 



Phoenix dactylifera, L., the true Arabian and Persian Date, is a tree allied to 

 /'. »}jlvestri». It is cultivated in Sind and the Punjab but oi\\y specimens are 

 occasionally grown in our area, where it does not thrive. 



1. P. sylvestris, Roxb. Khajuri, H. ; Indian Date Palm. 



A tall palm, often 40 ft. high, with the trunk densely covered with 

 the bases of the fallen petioles. Leaves greyish-green, 7-12 ft. long, 

 leaflets 6-18" by -75-1", the lowest converted into long spines 4" long, 

 much fascicled Avith the fascicles up to 3" apart and lying in different 

 planes. Spathe thick, almost AvoodA\ Male inflorescence Avhite, 

 scented, compact, on a short peduncle Fruiting peduncle finally 

 drooping 2-2-5 ft. long, terminating in large bunches of spikes bearing 

 orange to reddish -broAvn drupes 1-1-2" long. Flesh SAveet but very 

 scanty. Stone -7- -75" long, nearly half as broad as long. 



8Sl 



