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on at intervals of nine months each succeeding leaf 

 approaching more nearly to the vertical, and increas- 

 ing in size. In about fifteen years the plant presents 

 the appearance of an enormous bell shaped vase, the 

 mouth upwards, the stem not having yet appeared. 

 From this time till about ten years later is the period 

 of the greatest beauty of the plant, the leaves clus- 

 tering together and supporting each other and being 

 larger than they are after the stem appears. They 

 are much of the shape of those of the fan- palm, but 

 larger, attaining a length of nearly twenty feet, in- 

 cluding the stem, and about half of that breadth. A 

 strong tendinous rib supports each leaflet ; these are 

 sewn round the inside of the Seychelles hats to 

 strengthen them. The leaf consists of two layers of 

 fibres crossing each other at right angles with great 

 regularity, embedded in a rather thick stratum of pa- 

 renchyma, (a) which is enclosed in a tough skin. They 

 are so strong that they are commonly used as baskets 

 for carrying fruits and vegetables, without any pre- 

 paration except hying the edges together. 



At the age of about thirty years, the plant begins 

 to flower. The male and female blossoms are not found 

 on the same plants, nor do they bear any resemblance 

 to each other. The male flower is an enormous catkin (b) 



(a) The Parenchyma or Cellular Tissue of vegetables con. 

 eists altogether of ordinary cells, and contain no vessels. 



(6) A Catkin or Amentum is a deciduous (dropping off after 

 the shedding of the pollen) unisexual spike (inflorescence without 

 stalk on an axis). 



