210 PHILIPPINE PALMS 
Philippine species are Heterospathe philippinensis Becc., H. 
negrosensis Becc., H. sibuyanensis Becc., and the extra-Phil- 
ippine H. elata Scheff. The genus is relatively unimportant 
from an economic standpoint and a consideration of the most 
common and widely distributed species will suffice. 
Conspectus of the species. 
a’. Large trees. 
b*. A tree 8 to 10 m high. Leaflets with strong secondary nerves, the 
midrib without paleolae underneath. Spadix three times branched, 
floriferous branches slender. Fruit globular, 7 to 7.5 mm in diam- 
eter, excentrically apiculate, the surface granulose from short 
scattered sclerosomes. Seed spherical... 0002000000200... 1. H. elata. 
b°. A tree as much as 9 m high, 12 cm in diameter. Leaflets having 
rather distinct secondary nerves, and the midrib furnished under- 
neath with conspicuous brown paleolae. Spadix three times 
branched; floriferous branches thickish (2.5 mm thick). Fruit 
ovoid, 1 cm long, 7 mm thick, having the point conical and slightly 
oblique and the surface shagreened by linear sclerosomes. Seed 
globose-evoid; blanteat a. eee oe 2. H. sibuyanensis. 
a. Shrubs or small trees. 
b’. Stem slender, 1 to 3 m high, 2 to 3 em in diameter. The largest 
leaflets 25 to 30 cm long, 10 to 15 mm broad, secondary nerves faint. 
Spadix twice branched in its basal part, simply branched above. 
Fruit ovoid, 10 to 11 mm long, 6 mm thick, very suddenly, and 
nearly centrally, apiculate, the surface closely shagreened by con- 
spicuous, shortly fusiform sclerosomes. Seed globose-ovoid, blunt. 
3. H. philippinensis. 
b*. More robust than the preceding, 3 to 5 m high. Stem 4 to 5 cm 
in diameter. Leaflets 35 to 40 cm long, 2 to 2.5 cm wide, the 
secondary nerves rather distinct. Spadix twice branched. Fruit 
ovoid-ellipsoid, narrowing above to a conical, nearly symmetrical 
point, 9 to 11 mm long, 5 mm thick. Seed ovoid, acute. 
4. H. negrosensis. 
HETEROSPATHE ELATA Scheff. (Plate XXXII). SacisI. 
Local names: Dayumaka (Cagayan); sagisi, segisi (Bisaya); salaniog 
(Bagobo) ; tagisé (Bikol). 
This is a tall, slender palm with pinnate leaves 3.5 to 4 meters 
in length, and long, pendulous, branching, axillary fruit stalks 
with numerous, small, globose fruits. The palm is widely dis- 
tributed in the Philippines from Luzon to Mindanao. In the 
Bisaya islands it is not uncommonly planted about houses, either 
for ornamental or economic purposes. The small hard seeds 
are said sometimes to be chewed as a substitute for the Areca 
seed. The buds of this, and apparently of all the species of the 
genus, are edible. From the petioles, splints are secured for 
use in making baskets. In Bohol the leaflets are extensively 
used in the manufacture of the sun-hats known as salokots. 
