IN FLORIDA 99 
but I have never been able to make anything larger than small 
plants with a few leaves grow. 
Along the shores of Biscayne Bay and for some distance to the 
‘northward there grows a dwarf Inodes (J. megacarpa) in rocky 
or sandy pine land, which is believed by some to be a depau- 
perate form of the common cabbage palmetto. The trunk of this 
form is either prostrate or bent back deep into the ground, from 
whence it rises to the surface where it throws out a head of 
leaves. Its larger seeds and peculiar manner of growth would 
seem to be good distinguishing characters. If given plenty of 
fertilizer this makes a fine object, and, with the saw palmetto, 
is very useful for forming low screens along the sea. 
The despised saw palmetto (Serenoa serrulata), when given 
room and a little care, makes fine clumps and can be used with 
highly decorative effect, especially at the border of large groups 
of palms. There are several varieties of it, just as there are of 
the cabbage palmetto. One of them has leaves of a glaucous, 
bluish tint, in another they are brilliant green; and there are forms 
which are almost arboreal. 
In the northern part of the state a low growing fan palm 
(Sabal adansoni) is found, mostly in moist ground, which some- 
what resembles the saw palmetto. It has been placed by some 
botanists in with the genus Inodes but the most obvious differ- 
ence is that this species has flat leaves while in all the Inodes 
the midrib is curved back toward the summit of the leaf. This 
low Sabal does finely on pine land and is a good species for 
borders of groups of palms. 
Growing in the same general region as the last is the porcu- 
pine palm, Rhapidophyllum hystrix, which has fan-shaped 
leaves that are silvery underneath and is armed with many 
long spines or needles. It is an exceedingly slow grower but is 
well worth cultivating in shaded situations, and when in bloom 
is very attractive. 
The genus Thrinax, comprising fan-leaved, usually slender 
stemmed, palms is represented in Florida by four species, all 
of them living on the lower keys and the extreme southern part 
of the mainland. Until recently the species have been in much 
confusion, it having been believed that all of ours were West 
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