16 ON THE PH@NIX OF THE HONGKONG FLORA. 
differed entirely by its cylindrical caudex, 2—6 feet high, from P. 
acaulis ; whilst P. paludosa is described and figured by Griffith * as 
growing in dense tufts, with slender annulate trunks, 12—15 feet high, 
aud a graceful diffuse habit, and is besides known by the embryo being 
placed at the base of the seed, near the hilum, and not, as in the 
Chinese plant, in the middle of the dorsal surface of the albumen. I 
was disposed to regard it as probably different from any of the Indian 
species, but nearest to P. silvestris, Roxb. 
I had then never seen it with fruit other than of a dull orange or 
vitelline colour, in which state it' may even be met with exposed for 
sale in the streets of Macao, where it is called * Areca de mato," and 
eaten by the little boys, who do not seem to be repelled by its astringent 
inky flavour. It is probable that it does not habitually ripen its drupes 
here, or else that these are much sought after by birds; for, though 
common on the bare sterile sunny slopes of. Hongkong, it was not till 
the summer of this year that I procured spadices laden with fully 
mature drupes; in which state they are quite black and glossy, and 
with a very agreeable, sweet, and farinaceous, though rather scanty 
pulp. A renewed comparison of the specimens with the characters of 
Roxburght and Griffith proves the Chinese Palm to be referable to 
P. farinifera, Roxb. That author's character is as usual very accurate, 
except that I do not notice any elevation over the cavity in which the 
embryo is lodged, and that more than a single pair of the lower pinne 
are reduced to spines. Whether the Anamese P. pusilla, Lour., be 
identical i is as yet uncertain. 
"The species is dispersed over a wide geographical area, being met 
with on both the western and eastern coasts of the Indian peninsula, 
extending to a yet undetermined limit along the east coast of China, 
and, if Junghuhn's assertion f that it was introduced thence into the 
Buitenzorg Garden be raliis occurring also in Japan. Drs. Hooker 
and Thomson § mention it as a native of Ceylon, but probably through 
an error in determination, as P. silvestris is the only Singhalese species 
recorded by Dr. Thwaites.|| 
I may remark, that though this plant abounds along the coast, and 
* Palms of Brit. Tu 144. t. 229 B. 
H cane by Miquel, FL. ‘Ind. me ii, 63. 
ssay. 1 
tl Flora Indica,’ Introd. Essa; 
|| Enum. Pl. Zeylan. 329. 
ey Gt Eran] 
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