THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 355 



at regular intervals, by which means they are divided into long 

 narrow strips of equal width, and are ready for plaiting." 



One of the best known, in this country, of the strong- 

 growing green-leaved forms is P. utilis, a very handsome species, 

 grown largely for exhibition. The leaves are of a rich glaucous 

 green, with fine deep red margins, which, as well as the hack of the 

 midrib, are armed with dark red spines. They are rather broad, 

 and range from six to eight feet in length, according to the strength 

 of the specimen. Young plants have slightly pendulous foliage, 

 and are well suited for decorative purposes generally. At a more 

 advanced stage they make grand exhibition specimens. 



The sacks and bags in which sugar is exported from the Mauritius, 

 where the plant is very common, are manufactured from its leaves. It 

 is, indeed, so valuable for bag-making, that it is cultivated extensively 

 at the Mauritius for the sake of its leaves. In speaking of this 

 Pandanad, the late Eev. W. EUis, in his " Three Visits to Mada- 

 gascar," says : — " The Pandanus exhibits a form of growth peculiar 

 to the vegetation of the sea-shore in many tropical regions. It 

 thrives well in pure sand near the water's edge. It is also an 

 exceedingly useful tree. The trunk is durable, and is employed in 

 the structure and fitting of native canoes. The leaves in the South 

 Sea Islands make excellent thatch, and the fruit or nuts are baked 

 and the kernels eaten. In Madagascar the leaves are used chiefly 

 for covering packages to exclude rain during transit from the coast 

 to the interior. It is extensively cultivated in Mauritius, and its 

 leaves used for making bags, large quantities of which are brought 

 from the Seychelle Islands, and all the sugar produced in Mauritius 

 is exported in bags made from the leaves of this singularly growing 

 but useful tree." 



In referring to other species met with in Madagascar, Mr. Ellis 

 observes: — "I had seen nothing either in the Mauritius or 

 Polynesia resembling them, especially one kind seldom attaining 

 above ten or twelve feet in height, having a number of leaves 

 in the centre of the crown, apparently glued or stuck together 

 at their extremitfes, giving to the centre, or crown, a singular 

 form ; while the disentangled leaves that stretched out horizontally 

 or hung down parallel with the stem, seemed very much like the 

 leaves with which the Chinese line their tea-chests. Another 

 species of Pandanus was to me equally new and remarkable. The 

 stem of this was straight as that of a fir-tree, and the branches 

 horizontal with feathery tips of flag or short ribbon-formed leaves. 

 The tree was frequently forty or fifcy-feet high, «rowned with an 

 upright plume, and at a distance might have been mistaken for a 

 larch, but for its stifl" and formal growth. I did not see it near 

 the shore, but amongst the low wet places inland." 



The Preycinetia, Cyclanthus, Marquartia, and Oarludovica are 

 closely allied to the Paadanus, but they are all of less importance, 

 both as regards their decorative and economic value. One of the 

 species of Oarludovica, namely, C. palmata, possea.ses some amount 

 of interest, for from its leaves the celebrated Panama hats are made. 

 The best account of this plant is that from the pen of the late Dr. 



December. 



