220 PALMACE^E, [CLASS 



arranged upon a spadix, sometimes many feet in length, en- 

 closed, at least at first, in a large spathe, similar to that of 

 Arums, though often hard and woody. The flowers are small 

 and sessile upon the branches of the spadix, consisting of a 6- 

 leaved or 6-lobed perianth, usually 6 stamens, and a tricarpellary 

 pistil. Many of the species are dioecious or polygamous. The 

 fruit is very variable both in structure and size. Compare, for 

 example, that of the Cocoa-nut Palm, the Date Palm, and Vege- 

 table-Ivory Palm. The seed is albuminous, and often solitary 

 in the fruit when it is I -celled by abortion. 



As in other Monocotyledons, no tap-root is produced when the 

 seed germinates ; so that, in order to secure stability to the tall- 

 growing stem, the cotyledon (one extremity of which remains 

 in the seed to absorb the relatively abundant albumen) sometimes 

 lengthens downwards into the soil to a considerable depth. 



Amongst the more important species are : 



The Date Palm (Phcenix dactylifera), invaluable to the desert 

 tribes of Northern Africa, serving as the staple food both of 

 themselves and of their cattle. The pericarp is fleshy and sweet. 

 The minute embryo may be found on scraping the back of the 

 seed with a knife, near the middle, embedded in a cavity in the 

 horny albumen. 



Coco-nut Palm (Cocos micifera). The large seed is contained 

 within a thick pericarp, the outer layers of which are fibrous, 

 affording " coir fibre," used for mats, brushes, and the like. The 

 inner layer of the pericarp (endocarp} is hard and bony, forming 

 the shell, which the natives of tropical shores, where the Coco 

 Palm grows, carve into various utensils and ornaments. The 

 coat (testa) of the seed is very thin and not separable from the 

 inner surface of the endocarp, unless the nut be dried near a fire 

 for a few days, when the seed may be taken out entire. A crack 

 may be carried round the shell in any direction by turning the 

 nut in the left hand and applying smart blows with a hammer, 

 two or three times all round, in the direction in which it is re- 

 quired to split. The minute embryo is concealed in a cavity im- 

 mediately beneath one of the three " pores " near to the bottom 

 of the shell. An oil used in candle- and soap-making is obtained 

 from the seed by pressure : 156,000 hundredweights of it were 

 imported in 1 8 86. The juice which flows from wounds in the 

 spadix of this and some other Palms is collected, fermented, and 

 used as a beverage called arrack or toddy. 



Coquilla nuts and Piacaba fibre are afforded by a South 

 American Palm, Attalea funifera. The endocarp is the part 

 used by turners to make toys and trinkets. It is very hard and 



