4. Ph(enix.] 137. PAL MACE. E. 



Frequent in open lands in Tirhut, Gaya, the northern and eastern parts of 

 Hazaribagh and towards the Orissa coast, occasional in other parts of the province ! 

 Fl. h.s. Fr, May-June, also seen in fruit Sept.-Oct. 



Tlie leaves are used for mats and baskets. It is frequently tapped for the 

 preparation of toddt/, the cuts are successively made in the lower butgrowin.o- part 

 of the crown and greatly disfigure the tree. 



2. P. humilis, Boijle. Khajur, H., ; Kita, A". ; Polot, Th. 



Stem very rarely 12 ft usually 4-6 ft. at time of flowering, attains 

 9" diam., densely covered with the stumps of the fallen petioles, often 

 developing root-suckers when the primary stem has been burnt or 

 injured. Leaves 4-8 ft. Leaflets pliable, 10-20" long, -3—5" Avide, 

 fascicled, not lying in one plane, base not thickened nor decurrent on 

 the rhachis Avhich is I" broad at the base, spines up to 3" long. Fruit- 

 ing peduncle 2-4 ft., compressed, -5" broad. Fruit -5" long, orange 

 to black. 



Common on the dryer ground and ridges in the " bhabar " and hills of N. 

 Champaran ! Chiefly on ridges of white clay schist in Singbhum ! Fl. March- 

 April. Fr. May- June. 



The si)adix frequently exceeds the leaves in fruit. 



The uses are the same as of P. acaulis and I am not quite sure that the 

 distinguishing characters between the two species always hold good. 



Var. robusta, . Beccari. Syn. P. robusta. Hook. f. 



Hooker describes this as follows : — Trunk 15-20 ft. as thick as a man's body 

 closely clothed and appearing tessellated from the sheaths of the fallen leaves. 

 L. Rbout 3 ft. long, Iflts. fascicled i-farious, strict, strongly conduplicate, fruiting 

 peduncle 2 ft. Trunk with the appearance of a Cyciig. 



Parasnath, 4000 ft., J.D.H., eic-. 



3. P. acaulis, Buck. Ham. Vern. names as for P. Jnnnilis, also Pind 



Khajur, H. 



Stem thick and ovoid, not more than a foot high and as broad as 

 high, covered with the persistent leaf bases. Leaves 2-6 ft. long 

 with stiff fascicled leaflets 10-20" long, •3--7" wide, not in one plane, 

 lowest reduced to strong spines 2-6" long, base of Ifits. thickened and 

 decurrent on the rhachis. Spadix 6-10" long in flower, elongating 

 to 1-3 ft. in fruit, suberect. Drupe •5--6" long, red finally black. 



A common plant in Chota Nagpur, especially on poor clay soils in open grassy 

 forest ! Fl. April. Fr. May-June. 



The fruits are much eaten by pea-fowl. The leaves are used for thatching, mats, 

 etc. A sago is prepared from the interior of the stem. 



4. P. paludosa, Roxb. Hital, Or. 



Soboliferous Avith stems 6-20 ft. high and 3-8" diam. covered to a 

 great extent by the dark fibrous network of the sheaths and long 

 pointed petiole-bases but lower parts bare, annulate. Leaves 3-10 ft. 

 Jong, Iflts. 2-farious in one plane, not fascicled, flaccid except the lowest 

 spinescent ones, longer 12-18", tips filiform. Spathe much as in 

 P. sylvestris, scurfy outside. Spadix M'ith numerous spreading 

 branches, up to 3 ft. long. Stamens 6, short. Female Avith 6 scale- 

 like staminodes. Drupe -5" long, shining black Avhen ripe, pulp a 

 dirty looking soft greenish-black of an intolerable taste (Roxb.). 

 kSeed cartilaginous, embryo at the base. 



SS2 



