276 INDUSTRIAL PLANTS 
rods, articles of furniture, and various ornaments. In tropical 
and eastern countries where bamboos flourish, the uses to 
which the light, strong stems are put would require pages 
to enumerate. 
The hard parts of certain fruits may be considered also 
as pseudo-woods, and are sometimes put to minor uses of 
importance. The hard inner shell of the coconut forms the 
Fic. 266, 11.—Vegetable Ivory. A, pistillate flower-cluster in bud. B, 
staminate flower. C, stamen. JD, pollen. Z£, pistillate flower, cut 
vertically, showing pistil accompanied by rudimentary stamens. 
F, fruit, cut across. G, seed. (Karsten.) 
bowl of the familiar coconut dipper. The shells of various 
gourds (Fig. 265) play a most useful part as vessels for 
holding liquid or storing food, in the domestic economy of 
many regions. Finally, may be mentioned the vegetable wory 
(Fig. 266) which is a seed-food that takes the form of nearly 
pure cellulose. Large quantities of these seeds are imported 
and used in place of ivory or bone for umbrella handles, 
