416 PALM.K. [Borfi*xi'X. 



Besides these, several species from other countries are to be seen, cultivated, iu 

 India. The magnificent" Oreodoxa reyia from Brazil may be seen in Calcutta, where 

 avenues of it have been planted in the Botanic Gardens, and isolated plants in the 

 gardens of many houses. 



The wood and bark are not distinct, but the stern generally consists of 

 an inner softer, and an outer harder portion. The stem consists of a larv 

 number of scattered fibre-vascular bundles, embedded in soft cellular 

 tissue. On a horizontal section the vascular bundles appear most.- 

 numerous near the circumference of the stem; here they are small, 

 very hard, and often nearly confluent, so as to form a hard rind. In 

 the centre of the stem, the bundles are less numerous and genera llv 

 not so hard as near the circumference. Consequently, the central portion 

 of the stem is chiefly composed of cellular tissue which often decays, 

 so that the centre of old palms is frequently hollow. 



On a vertical section the fibro-vascular bundles appear like long 

 wavy lines, which do not run parallel to each other. On a radial section 

 the vascular bundles cross each other, and they can be traced from the 

 base of the leaf, where they terminate, bending inwards to the centre 

 of the stem and then outwards again towards the circumference. 



The structure of each bundle is different in its upper and lower 

 parts. In its upper part it contains firstly, vessels varying in size, which 

 on a horizontal section appear as pores; secondly, elongated or polygon- 

 ous cells, generally forming a mass of softer tissue immediately surround- 

 ing the vessels ; thirdly t a mass of long, thick-walled fibres, of which 

 the hard horny portion of the bundle is composed. In the lower part, 

 the bundle is composed almost entirely of fibres without any vessels 

 or cells. 



A horizontal section shews the bundles near the circumference in 

 their lower part; these therefore only consist of fibre, while towards 

 the centre the upper part of the bundles is cut through and shews 

 fibres, vessels and cells. It must not be forgotten that on a cross section 

 the upper portion of the bundles is cut through near the circumference 

 where they enter the leaf stalk, but these are cut through obliquely, 

 are easily recognised, and there are few of them. 



1. BORASSUS, Linn. 



1. B. flabelliformis, Linn. ; Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 790 ; Bramlis 511; 

 Kurz ii. 529. The Palmyra Tree. Vern. Tal, tdla, tar, Hind. ; Ul, 

 Beng. ; Potu tddi $ , penti tddi, $ Tel.; Panam, pariftie, Tain.; Pana 

 Mai.; Tali, talt, Kan.; Tad, Guz. ; Tdl, Cingh.; Wan, Burm. 



A large tree with tall cylindric stem, surmounted by a terminal 

 crown of Ian-shaped leaves. The young stems are covered with dry leaves 

 or the lower part of petioles, while the old stems are marked with the hard, 

 black, long and narrow scars of the fallen petioles. 



Centre soft, but not often hollow. Fibro-vascular bundles black, 

 crowded in the outer portion of the stem ; if cut through at right 

 angles, they are oblong, generally with one large poiv and aunt 

 cells at one end. Outer wood hard, heavy, ami durable. 



Cultivatfvl throughout tropical India :m<l hrv<nd <he trojtirs in Bengal. :ml the 

 i part of t he .North-Wi'stri n 1'rm in< v>. 



