222 AKECACEAE 



diameter, yellowish green and lustrous above, silvery white beneath, the segments numer- 

 ous ; ligules orange, about 18 mm. long, long-pointed ; petioles 12-14 dm. long, 18 mm. 

 broad at the apex to 5-7 cm. broad at the base : spadix about 1 m. long ; branches ivory- 

 white becoming yellow-green or orange in age : pedicels about 3 mm. long, slender : 

 flowers pungent-aromatic : perianth ivory-white : drupes spheroidal, 6-9 mm. in diameter : 

 seeds chestnut-brown, lustrous, the basal cavity extending nearly to the apex. 

 On sandy shores and coral ridges, southern peninsular Florida and the Keys. 



2. Thrinax microcarpa Sarg. A tree sometimes 10 m. tall, with a maximum trunk 

 diameter of about 2.5 dm. Leaves ample ; blades suborbicular, 1 m. broad, or smaller, 

 pale green above, silvery white beneath, more of less tomentose when young, the segments 

 longer than the body ; ligules suborbicular, 2-2.5 cm. broad, concave ; petioles 10-15 mm. 

 broad near the apex : spadix relatively slender, 3-6 dm. long ; branches curved upward 

 above the middle : perianth white, jointed to a disk-like pedicel, about 3 mm. long, with 

 6 low broad lobes : filaments triangular, exserted : drupes subglobose, 3-4 mm. in diameter, 

 white : seeds depressed. . 



In dry coral soil, southern peninsular Florida and the Keys. 



3. Thrinax Key6nsis Sarg. A tree with a trunk about 8 m. tall and 2.5-3 dm. in 

 diameter raised on a base of matted roots sometimes about 1 m. high. Leaves ample ; 

 blades rather longer than broad, about 1 m. in diameter, lustrous and yellowish green 

 above, bluish green and more or less densely pubescent with silvery white hairs beneath, 

 the segments numerous, longer than the body ; ligules acute, about 2.5 cm. long ; petioles 

 stout, about as long as the blades, 2.5 cm. broad at the apex, about 10 cm. broad near the 

 base : spadix nearly 2 m. long, incurved ; branches orange : pedicels very short, disk-like : 

 flowers faintly aromatic : perianth ivory-white : drupes subglobose, 5-6 mm. in diameter, 

 the flesh thin : seeds chestnut-brown, the basal cavity extending only to the middle. 



In sandy soil, Florida Keys. 



2. COCCOTHRINAX Sarg. 



Shrubs or trees, with very short or elongated stems and unarmed foliage. Leaves ap- 

 proximate : blades plaited, suborbicular, or truncate at the base, pale or silvery white be- 

 neath, rather thin, more or less deeply parted : ligule free, concave : petioles flattened. 

 Spadices shorter than the petioles, paniculately branched. Spathes papery, 2-cleft. 

 Flowers perfect, slender-pedicelled. Perianth cup-like, obscurely 6-lobed, deciduous. 

 Stamens 9 : filaments subulate, nearly distinct. Ovary 1-celled : stigma funnelform. 

 Ovule solitary, anatropous. Drupe subglobose, raised on the thickened receptacle. Seed 

 erect, depressed. Endosperm channeled. Embryo lateral. The plants flower chiefly in 

 the spring. 



Plants stemless or nearly so: leaf-blades 2-3 dm. broad : drupes 7-9 mm. in diameter. 1. C. Garberi. 

 Plants with upright trunks 4-8 m. tall : leaf -blades 4-6 dm. broad : drupes 12-18 mm. in 



diameter. 2. C.jucunda. 



1. Coccothrinax Garberi ( Chapm. ) Sarg. A shrub with a very short stem or none. 

 Leaves erect or spreading ; blades suborbicular, rather broader than long, 2-3 dm. in 

 diameter, yellowish green and lustrous above, pale or whitish beneath, the segments many 

 times longer than the body ; ligules rounded, 5-8 mm. long ; petioles as long as the blades 

 or shorter : spadix erect or ascending, 2-4 dm. long, with slender branches : pedicels 1-3 

 mm. long : perianth whitish : drupes subglobose, 7-9 mm. in diameter, deep purple : seeds 

 brownish. [ Thrinax Garberi Chapm. ] 



On dry coral ridges along Biscayne Bay, Florida. 



2. Coccothrinax juctinda Sarg. An unarmed tree reaching a height of 4-8 m. and 

 a maximum trunk diameter of about 15 cm. Leaves numerous ; blades rather longer than 

 broad, 4-6 dm. broad, thinnish, yellow-green and lustrous above, silvery white beneath, 

 the segments longer than the body ; ligules orange, crescent-shaped, 16-20 mm. broad ; 

 petioles slender, early drooping, rather longer than the blades : spadix about as long as 

 the leaf-blades : peduncles flattened : spathes brittle, reddish brown : pedicels rigid, spread- 

 ing, about 3 mm. long : perianth white : drupe subglobose, 12-18 mm. in diameter, violet 

 or nearly black at maturity, lustrous, edible: seeds tawny brown. [Thrinax argentea 

 Chapm., notK. & S.] 



On dry coral ridges, southern peninsular Florida and the Keys. 



3. SABAL Adans. 



Unarmed plants with subterranean, creeping or erect stems. Leaves ample : blades fan- 

 shaped, cordate or narrowed at the base, many-cleft, the segments 2-cleft at the apex, often 



