6, PIKENIX, Linn. 



Six to seven Indian species. I 1 , ilitrtylifera, Linn.; Roxb. PI. Ind. iii. 780; 

 Brand is 552. Yern. Khajur, khqji,\& the Dale Palm, cultivated and soli-sown in Bind 

 and the Soutliern Punjab, and producing the well-known fruit. P. acaulis, Roxb. 

 Fl. I iid. iii. 783; Brandis 555; Knrz ii. 535; Gamble 86. Vern. Ehajuri, pind 

 Majur, jangli khajur, Hind. ; Schap, Lcpcha ; Boichind, Mar. ; Chindi, hindi, 

 jfniii tiiiufi, (.iondi ; Juno, Kurku ; I'hinboung, Burin., is a low palm with a thick, 

 short, bulbous-looking stem, found in the Sub-Himalayan tract from the Jumna east- 

 wards, and up to 2,500 feet, also in Central India, Uchar, and Burma. It chiefly grows 

 in forests of Sal or Chil pine in India and Eng in Burma. The fruit is eaten by 

 Lepchas, and a kind of sago is obtained from the centre of the tree in Chota Nagpur. 

 Brandis refers to this species two species described by Griffith, viz., P. Ouseleyana 

 from Chota Nagpur and Assam, and P. pedunculata from the Nilgiris. P. fari- 

 nifera, Willd. ; Roxb. PI. Ind. iii. 785 ; Brandis 556. Vern. Chilta-eita, Tel.; Ichal, 

 Kan., is a small, almost stemless palm of sandy lands near the sea at Coringa, whose 

 leaves are used for making mats, and whose trunk gives a quantity of farinaceous sub- 

 stance, used for food, especially in times of scarcity. P. paludosa, Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 

 789; Brandis 556; Kurz ii. 536. Vern. Hintal, hital, golpatta, Beng. ; Thinboung, 

 Burm. , is a soboliferous, often gregarious, palm of the Sundarbans, Burma and Andaman 

 Islands ; its leaves are used in the Sundarbans to make rough ropes for tying boats and 

 logs, and for thatching. P. rupicola, T. And. in Journal Linn. Soc. xi.49, p. 13, 1869 ; 

 Gamble 86. Vern. Schiap, Lepcha, is a beautiful palm of the lower hills of Darjeeling 

 and Bhutan, generally growing on rocks, often to a height of 20 feet. The interior of 

 the stem is often eaten by Lepchas. 



1. P. sylvestris, Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 787; Brandis 554; Kurz ii. 

 535. The Wild Date Palm. Vern. Khajur, khaji, salma, thalma, Mnikil, 

 Hind.; Pedda eita, Tel., Peria-eelc/iam, Tarn.; Ichal, kullu, Kan.; 

 Seindi, Berar ; Boichand. Mar. ; Sindi\ Gondi. 



A tree with ashy grey foliage, 30 to 4-0 feet high. Stem rough, with 

 the prominent scars of fallen petioles. Wood light brown, the outer 

 portion hard and durable. Vascular bundles less numerous than in 

 Jjorasssus, brown, horny, on a horizontal section circular or slightly oval, 

 the fibrous portion uniform, enclosing the cells and vessels. 



Wild and cultivated throughout India. 



The following experiments have been made to determine the weight and transverse 

 strength of the wood : 



Weight. P. = 



Skinner in Madras, No. 104, found ^ 39 Ibs. 512 



Warth in 1878 found our specimen give 45 



The wood is sometimes used for building, water tubes and other purposes; the 

 leaves are made into mats, ropes and baskets ; but the chief produce of the tree is the 

 sweet sap which is collected in the cold season by cutting a notch in the tree at the 

 base of the lower leaves; the sap then flows for some time, and a thin slice is daily 

 cut off the surf ace of the wound. A tree is usually fit to tap at 10 years old and 

 remains yielding for about 20 years. The juice is either fermented or boiled down 

 into sugar. 



Ibs. 



E 416. Sundarbans l-~> 



P 887. Multan 



7. WALLICHIA, Roxb. 



Contains 4 or 5 Indian species. W. densiftora, Martins, Brand i< ;">!.'.); Kurt, 

 ii. 532,, Gamble 84 (Harina obloiigifolia, Grill'.) Vern. Kala mutfui, (/or aunsa 



