22 



DIVISION II.— CORYPHIN.E. 



This division, typified by the genus Cortpha (Linnoeus), yields 

 numerous valuable materials : thus C. gehanga (Bl.), yields a leaf pecu- 

 liarly useful for basket and mat-making, and, according to Dr. Lindley, 

 produces employment for thousands of boys and girls in Java. 



The leaves of the Talijwt Palm of the East Indies constitute the 

 Palmetto thatch of that country ; they are of enormous dimensions, 

 and the smaller ones are made into umbrellas, fans, &c. The Conj- 

 phinae also yield sago from the pith of their stems. C. cerifera, the 

 Brazilian Palm, called Carnahuha, yields wax from its leaves, which is 

 often imported as Vegetable Wax. 



LivTSTONiA (R. Br.) — A beautiful Indian genus of fan-leaved palms ; 

 has one very useful species, the Toko-pat of the Assamese. It is the 

 L. Jenkimia, (Griff.) ; its leaves are used for maldng the hat-umbrellas ; 

 for covering palanquins, and the roofs of boats, &c. : they are re- 

 markably light, tough, and durable. 



The next genus is Cham.erops, the only genus which extends so far 

 north as Europe and North America ; in the former continent it is 

 represented by C. humiUs, which grows in the extreme south of Europe, 

 and in the latter by C. palmetto, which is found in lat. 34° 36°. An 

 Atfghanistau species, C. ritchiana, called by the natives Muzurry, yields 

 a fibre which is extensively used for making cordage, &c. 



LicuALA is an Indian genus. The species L. pellata is called in the 

 vernacular chattah pat ; its leaves are in great demand amongst the 

 lower orders for making hats. The well known walking sticks called 

 Penang Lawyers are the slender stems of L. acutijida. 



The next genus Phoenix, is one of the most useful of the order. 

 P. dactylifera is the well known date bearing palm, the fruit of which 

 ia the chief food of many tribes of Asia and Africa ; it has been culti- 

 vated from a very early period, and rewards the careful cultivator with 

 improved varieties. In a letter addressed to Lord Palmerston, by Dr. 

 James Richardson, on the dates of Fezzan, he states that nineteen- 

 twentieths of the population of Fezzan live on dates during nine 

 months of the year. He also enumerates and describes 46 ditferent 

 varieties, the result of cultivation. 



P. s;/Zt)6Sfm is tapped for its juice, which is either fermented into 

 palm wine or toddy, or else it is boiled for its sugar ; of the latter 

 article immense quantities are not only used in India, but also exported 

 to Europe. It is rather less in value than cane sugar. 



The small trunks of P. paladosa are used for walking sticks, which 

 the natives believe to have a "charm" for driving away venomous 

 serpents ; the larger stems are much used for rafters of houses. 



