AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



299 



PAL 



they well deserve. Martius estimates the 

 species at nearly six hundred, of which about 

 one-sixth have fan-shaped leaves. They have 

 been divided by him into various tribes, de- 

 pending chiefly on the nature of the ovary 

 ovules and fruit ; and sections are formed 

 according as the leaves are pinnate or flabel- 

 liform, and the stems spiny or not. The 

 properties of the plants of this order are 

 quite various. In the countries in which 

 they grow, they are used for supplying food 

 and for forming habitations. The fruit of 

 some is edible. Many supply oil, wax, 

 starchy matter, and sugar, the last being fer- 

 mented so as to form an intoxicating drink. 

 Their fibres are employed for ropes, and the 

 reticulum surrounding their leaves is some- 

 times manufactured into brushes and brooms. 

 These products also enter largely into com- 

 merce, and are sources of very considerable 

 wealth. The Palm of the Bible seems to be 

 Phcznix dactylifera, or Date Palm, the drupa- 

 ceous fruit of which supplies food to many of 

 the inhabitants of Arabia and Africa, and is 

 largely exported to different parts of the 

 world, the United States receiving a large 

 share. Cocos nucifera, the Cocoanut Palm, is 

 one of the most useful of the family, supply- 

 ing food, clothing, materials for houses, and 

 utensils of various kinds, besides ropes and 

 oil. The Cocoanuts form an important item 

 of commerce, and are now "dessicated" or 

 dried in vei'y large quantities in New York 

 and other places. The Palm Oil imported 

 from the west coast of Africa is obtained by 

 bruising the fruits of Elwis Guineensis and E. 

 melanococca. The Betel Nut is the produce of 

 Areca catechu, and from it an extract is pre- 

 pared of an astringent nature resembling 

 Catechu. Fine Sago is said to be procured 

 from Sagus Icevis and S. Rumphii, found in the 

 eastern islands of the Indian Ocean. Sago, 

 sugar, and a kind of Palm wine are procured 

 from Caryota urens. The date sugar of Ben- 

 gal IS the produce of PhcB,nix sylvestris. Ce- 

 roxylon or Iriartea andicola yields wax, which 

 forms a coating over its trunk. Copercinia 

 cerifera is another wax-producing Palm. Cal- 

 amus Rotang is used as cane under the name 

 of Rattan, and has a variety of uses in the 

 mechanic arts. Calamus rudentum, the Cable 

 Cane, a native of the East Indies, Cochin- 

 China, and the Moluccas, grows sometimes to 

 the length of five hundred feet. The fruit of 

 Attaleafunifera is known by the name of Co- 

 quilla Nut, and its hard pericarp is used for 

 ornamenting umbrella handles, etc. The 

 spathe of Manicaria saccifera comes off in the 

 form of a conical cap, and is used as a cover- 

 ing for the head in the West Indies. Cha- 

 mcerops humilis is the only European species 

 of Palm. HypfuBne Thebaica, the Doom Palm 

 of Egypt, has a trunk which divides in a 

 dichotomous manner; its pericarp is used as 

 food, and has the taste of gingerbread. In 

 the parched districts between the rivers 

 Dande and Zenza, in tropical Africa, Wel- 

 witsch came upon a Palm forest five leagues 

 in length, which consisted exclusively of the 

 crowded stems of a branched Palm belonging 

 probably to Hyphcene. Like most African 

 Palms, it yields an excellent wine. Rapkia 

 has given the gardener his best tying ma- 

 terial. Other examples might be added of the 

 usefulness of this noble family of plants ; but 



PAN 



the above condensed view will probably suf- 

 fice to give the reader some proper concep- 

 tion of the utility of a class of plants that are 

 now largely used for ornamental and decora- 

 tive purposes. Bentham and Hooker, in 

 " Genera Plantarum," recognize one hundred 

 and thirty-two genera, and there are from 

 eleven to twelve hundred species recorded, 

 though a considerable number of these are 

 not well known. 



Palma Christi. Ricinus communis. 



Palmate. Having five lobes, the mid-ribs of 

 which meet in a common point, so that the 

 whole bears some resemblance to the human 

 hand. 



Palmatifid. Cut half-way to the base in a 

 Palmate manner. 



Palmetto. See Sabal Palmetto and ChamcBrops 

 Pahnelto. 



Palmetto. Saw. Seranoa serridata. 



Pa'lmia. Named after L. H. Palm, author of a 

 work on " The Climbing of Plants," Stuttgart, 

 1827. Nat. Ord Convolvulacexz. 



P. bicolor, the only species, is a beautiful 

 pubescent, twining plant, a native of tropical 

 Asia and Africa. The flowers are white or 

 pale yellow, with a dark purple centre. Prop- 

 agated by seeds in spring. Syn. Convolvulm 

 bicolor. 



Palm Oil. See Ekei'^. 



Palm-veined. Having the main vein radiating 

 from a common point. 



Palmyra Palm.. See Borassus. 



Paludosus. See Palustri.'^. 



Palumbi'na. Named from palumba, a dove. 

 Nat Ord. Orchidacece. 



P. caiidida, the only species, is a beautiful 

 little epiphytal Orchid from Mexico. It was 

 formerly known as Oncidium candidum. The 

 flowers, which are produced on delicate 

 stems, are waxy white, with yellow centre. 

 This plant succeeds well grown in a green- 

 house, and is increased by division. 



Palustris. Growing in marshy places. 



Pampas Grass. See Gynerium. 



Pampas Rice. See Sorghum cernuum. 



Panama Hat Palm. See Carludovica. 



Pa'nax. Ginseng. From pan, all, and akos, 

 remedy ; referring to the stimulant drug 

 Ginseng, to which miraculous virtue is as- 

 cribed by the Chinese. Nat. Ord. AraliacecB. 

 A genus of glabrous, rarely tomentose trees 

 or shrubs widely dispersed over Asia, tropical 

 Africa, the Pacific Islands, Australia, and 

 America. Many of the species, such as P. 

 ornatum, P. dissectum, P. Victories, P. pluma- 

 tum, etc., are cultivated as ornamental green- 

 house plants ; P. lepidum, a late introduction 

 from Brazil, is a very distinct and ornamental 

 plant of dense, compact habit, and deeply in- 

 cised, spinoselj'-toothed leaves. They are all 

 of free growth and may be propagated by cut- 

 tings of the roots. They are often found in 

 cultivation under the name of Aralia. 



The root of the P. Schinseng or Ginseng, is 

 highly esteemed by Chinese physicians, who 

 affirm that it is able to ward off or remove 

 fatigue, to restore exhausted animal powers, 

 to make old people young ; in a word, to make 

 man immortal, if anything on earth can do so. 

 At Pekin it is said sometimes to have been 



