42 PALM TREES 



Genus Haphia, Commerson. 



Male and female flowers intermixed on the same 

 spadix. T^o common spathe, but many small incomplete 

 sheaths. Male flowers with from six to twelve stamens 

 and no rudiments of a pistil. Female flowers with 

 three sessile stigmas and barren stamens. 



The stems are short, thick and ringed. The leaves 

 are very large, regular and pinnate ; the leaflets are 

 linear and have spinulose midribs and edges. The 

 bases of the petioles are sheathing, and persistent some 

 way down the stem, and the margins are fibrous. The 

 spadices grow from among the leaves, and are very 

 large and much branched ; and the fruit is oblong and 

 covered with large imbricated scales. 



There are three species of the genus known ; one is 

 a native of the west coast of Africa, another of Mada- 

 gascar, while a third is found on the banks of the 

 Lower Amazon. 



