IN FLORIDA I19 
which climb to great distances. Most of these would probably 
do well in hammocks in the lower part of the state. C. rotang 
and C. tenuis furnish the rattan of commerce. 
Caryota, the Fish Tail palms. A genus of striking palms, 
most of which sucker freely. Their leaves are twice pinnate and 
the leaflets are more or less fan-shaped and irregularly truncate. 
When they reach maturity they send out immense tassels of 
flowers at the top of the tree, continuing to produce others along 
down the stem until finally the plant dies. Around Fort Myers 
and Punta Gorda these palms do finely but here they do not 
always succeed. C. urens, C. blancoi, C. sobolifera, C. purpuracea 
and C. mitis are in the writer’s collection. 
Chamaedorea. A genus of slender palms some of which grow 
in clumps. They are from the American Tropics, are spineless 
and often reed-like. C. graminifolia is a strong growing, tufted 
species, C. multicaulis soon forms a large cluster; C. arenber- 
giana and C. corallina are growing in my hammock and are very 
slender and attractive. They should be grown in shade and will 
probably stand but little frost. 
Chrysalidocarpus lutescens is one of the most exquisitely grace- 
ful palms in cultivation. It forms large clumps, the stems rising 
to the height of thirty feet in time and crowned with elegant, 
glossy rich green leaves, tinted yellow. It is a native of Mauri- 
tius and is rather tender; it will grow equally well in sunshine 
or shade and it should be cultivated all over the lower part of 
the state. It has been generally sold as Areca lutescens. 
Cocos. Besides the common coconut there are a number of 
fine species, most of which do well in Florida. Several of these 
are natives of southern Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina and are 
therefore hardy throughout a considerable part of our territory. 
Mr. John Schnabel of Gainesville reports that C. plumosa, one 
of the hardiest species, does well at his place when grown in a 
sheltered situation. It was formerly believed that the common 
coconut originally came from the old world but there is good 
evidence to show that all the Cocos are natives of the new world 
only. There is a species said to come from Cuba which is 
growing in my grounds that looks something like a diminutive 
coconut. C. coronata, C. flexuosa, and C. romanzoffiana are fine 
