ARACEAE 225 



dm. long : peduncles 2-2.5 cm. thick, nearly terete ; branches, except those bearing 

 flowers, flattened above : perianth white ; staminate 6-7 mm. long, the sepals and petals 

 oblong or ovate-oblong, acute or acutish ; pistillate perianth barely \ as long as the staminate, 

 the sepals and petals triangular or ovate-triangular, slightly pinched below the apex : drupe 

 oval-oblong or globose-oval, or sometimes slightly narrowed at the base, 12-14 mm. long, 

 violet-blue. [ Oreodoxa regia H. B. K. ] 



In hammocks, southern peninsular Florida and the Keys, also in the West Indies and Central 

 America. It flowers mainly in winter. ROYAL PALM. 



7. PSBUDOPHOBNIX H. Wendl. 



Unarmed trees, with enlarged bases and narrowly spindle-shaped 'trunks. Leaves 

 arching, with pinnate blades, the segments numerous, narrow, longest and broadest about 

 the middle of the blade, ascending : rachis concave above near the base, with gland-like 

 excrescences along the sides : petioles relatively short, the margins thin, entire. Spadix 

 much shorter than the leaves, pendulous, branched, glabrous, barely zigzag. Flowers 

 monoecious : staminate not yet seen : pistillate with a 3-lobed cup-like calyx, 3 acute 

 petals and 6 staminodia with imperfect anthers. Drupe subglobose or sometimes 2-3-lobed, 

 bright-colored, with a thin mesocarp. Seed free, erect, slightly depressed. Endosperm 

 uniform. Embryo basal. 



1. Fseudophoenix Sarg6ntii H. Wendl. An unarmed tree, ranging from 6 to 8 m. 

 tall, with a maximum trunk diameter of about 3 dm. Leaves 1.5-2 m. long ; blades pin- 

 nate, the segments narrowly linear-lanceolate, acuminate, 4-4.5 dm. long .at the middle of 

 the blade, decreasing in size toward each end ; petioles strongly concave or nearly involute, 

 15-20 cm. long : spadix slightly shorter than the leaves, becoming 6-7.5 dm. broad, yel- 

 lowish green, the branches rather widely spreading, slightly flattened, the ultimate divi- 

 sions rigid : pistillate flowers numerous : petals ovate or oblong-ovate, pinched under the 

 acute or obtuse apex : drupe subglobose or 2-3-lobed, 12-20 mm. broad, orange-scarlet, on 

 pedicels 4-6 mm. long. 



In sandy soil, Elliott's and Long Keys, Florida. 



8. COCOS L. 



Unarmed trees, with erect usually elongated stems. Leaves often ample : blades pin- 

 nate, the segments entire, toothed or cleft at the apex, 1 -nerved, the rachis acute above, 

 concave beneath. Spadix at length drooping. Flowers monoecious, white or yellowish : 

 staminate with lanceolate or triangular valvate sepals, oblique valvate petals, 6 included 

 stamens and a rudimentary ovary, or this wanting : pistillate flowers often larger than 

 the staminate, accrescent, with thick imbricated sepals, included imbricated petals, an an- 

 nular disk and a 3-celled ovary, in which 2 cavities are often imperfect. Drupe terete or 

 3-angled, with a thick fibrous pericarp and a bony endocarp. Seed with a brown or red- 

 dish testa. Endosperm often hollow. 



1. Cocos nucifera L. A stately tree often 12-30 m. tall, with a trunk diameter vary- 

 ing from 2-6 dm. Leaves ample ; blades pinnate, 3-5 m. long, short-petioled, the seg- 

 ments numerous, 5-7 dm. long, commonly 4-5 cm. broad : spadix 1-2 m. long, the 

 branches firm, 3-4 dm. long : perianth of staminate flowers fully 1 cm. long : petals about 

 twice as long as broad : pistillate perianth about 2.5 cm. high, somewhat broader : drupe 

 oval, or slightly broadest above or below the middle, obtusely 3-angled, 2-3 dm. long, with 

 a thick husk : stone with a wall 3-5 mm. thick : endosperm hollow, enclosing a milky 

 juice. 



In sandy soil, peninsular Florida. Introduced. Also in all tropics. Coco PALM. COCO-NUT PALM. 



Order 7. ARALES. 



Perennial, frequently bog or aquatic herbs, or rarely trees ; in LEMNACEAE 

 reduced to very small or minute floating thalloid plants. Leaves mainly basal : 

 blades sword-like or expanded. Inflorescence a spadix, the complete or incom- 

 plete flowers wholly or partially covering the axis, sometimes subtended by or 

 enclosed in a spathe, or in LEMNACEAE, with one or few flowers in propagative 

 pouches on the margin of the plant-body. Perianth not readily separable into 

 calyx and corolla, sometimes wanting. Fruit a berry or a utricle. 

 15 



