IN FLORIDA 119 



which climb to great distances. Most of these would probably 

 do well in hammocks in the lower part of the state. C. rotang 

 and C. tennis furnish the rattan of commerce. 



Caryota, the Fish Tail palms. A genus of striking palms, 

 most of which sucker freely. Their leaves are twice pinnate and 

 the leaflets are more or less fan-shaped and irregularly truncate. 

 When they reach maturity they send out immense tassels of 

 flowers at the top of the tree, continuing to produce others along 

 down the stem until finally the plant dies. Around Fort Myers 

 and Punta Gorda these palms do finely but here they do not 

 always succeed. C. urens, C. blancoi, C. sobolifera, C. purpuracea 

 and C. mitis are in the writer's collection. 



Chamaedorea. A genus of slender palms some of which grow 

 in clumps. They are from the American Tropics, are spineless 

 and often reed-like. C. gmminifolia is a strong growing, tufted 

 species, C. multicaulis soon forms a large cluster; C. arenber- 

 giana and C. corallina are growing in my hammock and are very 

 slender and attractive. They should be grown in shade and will 

 probably stand but little frost. 



Chrysalidocarpus lutescens is one of the most exquisitely grace- 

 ful palms in cultivation. It forms large clumps, the stems rising 

 to the height of thirty feet in time and crowned with elegant, 

 glossy rich green leaves, tinted yellow. It is a native of Mauri- 

 tius and is rather tender; it will grow equally well in sunshine 

 or shade and it should be cultivated all over the lower part of 

 the state. It has been generally sold as Areca lutescens. 



Cocos. Besides the common coconut there are a number of 

 fine species, most of which do well in Florida. Several of these 

 are natives of southern Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina and are 

 therefore hardy throughout a considerable part of our territory. 

 Mr, John Schnabel of Gainesville reports that C. plumosa, one 

 of the hardiest species, does well at his place when grown in a 

 sheltered situation. It was formerly believed that the common 

 coconut originally came from the old world but there is good 

 evidence to show that all the Cocos are natives of the new world 

 only. There is a species said to come from Cuba which is 

 growing in my grounds that looks something like a diminutive 

 coconut. C. coronata, C. flexuosa, and C. romanzoffiana are fine 



