200 



MONOCECIA. 



ORDER VI. HEXANDRIA. Stamens 6. 



GEXUS Cocos. Cocoa-nut tree. Linnaeus derives this 

 name from the Greek, kokkos, which signifies a kind of fruit. 

 This is a tree of the palm kind, arid there are few trees more 

 extensively or variously employed. The leaves are used to 

 thatch, or cover the roofs of houses, and to make mats either 

 for sitting, or lying upon by the natives of hot climates. Of 

 the leaf when reduced to fine fibres, is also made beautiful 

 and costly carpets, while the coarser parts are made into 

 brooms. The tree grows to the height of 50 or 60 feet, and 

 has neither branch nor leaf, except at the top, where there is 



197 - 



Fi - 198 - 



a large tuft of pinnated fronds, as 



represented by Fig. 197. From 



the top of the tree, there is pro- 



duced a large shoot, which, when 



boiled, is said to resemble brocoli 



in taste. This bears the flowers 



and fruit which are represented 



by Fig. 198. The fruit is a nut, 



whose husk is of the size of a 



man's head, and when fully ripe, 



it falls with the least wind. The 



shell is hard, oval, and of the size 



of an ostrich's egg. This is 



lined with a white pulpy sub- 



stance, which is hollow, and con- 



tains a quantity of liquor, which, 



when the fruit is young, is clear like water, and more than a 



pint in quantity. As the fruit grows old, this liquor turns 



milky, and is gradually absorbed, by the white pulp, until 



finally none remains. This pulp is used by the natives of 



hot climates for food, and the liquid makes a beverage of 



which they are very fond. The Cocoa-nut is grown in the 



East and West Indies, and is transported to various parts of 



the world for sale. 



ORDER VII. POLYANDRIA. Stamens more thanG. 

 GENUS Sagittaria. Arrow-head. Name from the Latin, 

 Sagitta, an arrow, in reference to the arrow-headed form of 

 the leaves. This is a genus of considerable extent, of which 

 eight species are natives of North America. Common Ar- 

 row-head, (Sagittaria sagittifolia,) is frequently to be seen 



What is said of the uses of the several parts of the cocoa-nut tree ? 



