428 ORIGIN OF CULTIVATED PLANTS. 



The areca palm is much cultivated in the countries 

 where it is a custom to chew betel, that is to say through- 

 out Southern Asia. The nut, or rather the almond which 

 forms the principal part of the seed contained in the fruit, 

 is valued for its aromatic taste ; chopped, mixed with 

 lime, and enveloped in a leaf of the pepper-betel, it forms 

 an agreeable stimulant, which produces a flow of saliva 

 and blackens the teeth to the satisfaction of the natives. 



The author of the principal work on the order Palm- 

 acese, de Martius, 1 says of the origin of this species, 

 " Its country is uncertain (non constat) ; probably the 

 Sunda Isles." We may find it possible to affirm some- 

 thing positive by referring to more modern authors. 



On the continent of India, in Ceylon and Cochin-China, 

 the species is always indicated as cultivated. 2 So in 

 the Sunda Isles, the Moluccas, etc., to the south of Asia. 

 Blume, 8 in his work entitled RumpJiia, says that the 

 " habitat " of the species is the Malay Peninsula, Siam, 

 and the neighbouring islands. Yet he does not appear 

 to have seen the indigenous plants of which he speaks. 

 Dr. Bretschneider 4 believes that the species is a native 

 of the Malay Archipelago, principally of Sumatra, for he 

 says those islands and the Philippines are the only places 

 where it is found wild. The first of these facts is not 

 confirmed by Miquel, nor the second by Blanco, 5 who 

 lived in the Philippines. Blume's opinion appears the 

 most probable, but we must still say with Martius, 

 " The country is not proved." The existence of a num- 

 ber of Malay names, pinang, janibe, etc., and of a San- 

 skrit name, gouvaka, as well as very numerous varieties, 

 show the antiquity of cultivation. The Chinese received 

 it, 111 B.C., from the south, with the Malay name, pin-lang. 



1 Martius, Hist. Nat. Palmarum, in folio, vol. iii. p. 170 (published 

 without date, but before 1851). 



2 Eoxburgh, Fl. Ind., iii. p. 616 ; Brandis, Forest Fl. of India, p. 551 ; 

 Kurz, Forest FL of Brit. Burmah, p. 537 ; Thwaites, Enum. Zeylan., p. 327 ; 

 Loureiro, FL Cochin-Oh., p. 695. 



3 Blume, Rumphia, ii. p. 67 j Miquel, FL Indo-Batava., iii. p. 9 j 

 uppl. de Sumatra, p. 253. 



4 Bretschneider, Study and Value, etc., p. 23. 

 8 Blanco, Fl. di Filipinos, edit. 2. 



