CLXIII. PAtME^K. (Beccari & Hook, f.) 405 



** Monocarpic palms, flowering once and then dying. 

 f Spadices axillary from the uppermost leaves. 



Stem scandent. Spadix with long amentiform branches 

 clothed with large closely imbricating inflated spathels 

 that conceal the spikelets of flowers 28. PLECTOCOMIA. 



Stern scandent. Spadix much branched, the branches bear- 

 ing small infundibular spathels, each containing a small ^ 

 spikelet. Scales of fruit distinct 29. PLECTOCOMTOPSIS. 



Stem scandent. Spadix as of the preceding ; scales of fruit 

 most minute 30. MYBIALEPIS. 



ft Spadix very large, terminal. 



Stems short, tufted. Leaves armed 31. EUGEISSONIA. 



Stem stout, erect. Leaves unarmed 32. METROXYLON. 



TRIBE Y. Borasseae. Leaves flabelliform. Spadices interfoliar ; 

 spathes numerous, sheathing. Flowers dioecious ; males minute, sunk in 

 cavities of the catkin-like branches ; perianth glumaceous ; fern, very 

 large, sessile on very short branches of a very stout spadix, each clothed 

 with large coriaceous rounded bracts. 



33. BORASSUS. 



TRIBE VI. Cocoineae. Leaves pinnatisect, leaflets with reduplicate 

 sides. Spadices interfoliar, unisexual or androgynous ; spathes 2. Ovary 

 3-celled, stigmas terminal. Fruit a drupe with a fibrous pericarp and 

 terminal stigmas ; endocarp woody or stony, with 3 terminal pits of which 

 two answer to arrested cells, the third is immediately over the position of 

 the embryo in the subjacent albumen. Seed adherent to the endocarp by 

 the diffuse reticulations of the raphe, which ramifies all over the seed. 



34. Cocos. 



1. ARECA, Linn. 



Stem erect, annulate. Leaves pinnate. Spadices infrafoliar, branched ; 

 MALE FL. many, minute ; sepals small ; petals obliquely lanceolate, valvate. 

 Stamens 3 or 6 ; anthers basifixed, erect. FEM. FL. much larger, few at 

 the base of the branches ; perianth acrescent ; sepals and petals orbicular, 

 imbricate, the petals with acute valvate tips ; ovary 1-celled ; stigmas 3, 

 sessile ; ovule basal, erect. Fruit ovoid or oblong, stigmas terminal. 

 Seed with a truncate base, albumen ruminate, embryo basilar. Species 

 about 24, tropical Asia and Australia. 



1. A. Catechu, Linn. Sp. PI. 1189; hexandrous, trunk tall, fruit 

 ovoid. Roxb. Cor. PL i. 54, t. 75 ; FL Ind. iii. 615 ; Mart. Hist. Nat. 

 Palm. iii. 169, 1. 102 ; Kunth Enum. iii. 184 ; Blume Rumpk. iii. 65, 1. 102 A. 

 et t. 104 ; Griff, in Gale. Journ. Nat. Hist. v. 153 ; Palms of Brit. Ind. 

 47 ; Miq. Fl. Ind. Bat. iii. 8 ; Kurz For. Fl. ii. 536 ; Gamble Man. Ind. 

 Timb. 421 ; Scheff. Arec. 9 ; in Ann. Jard. Bot. Buitenz. i. 144, t. i. v. iii. 

 f. 2, Areca Faufel, Gcertn. Fruct. i. 19, t. 7, f. 2. A. hortensis, Lour. FL 

 Cochinch. 568Rheede Hort. Mai. i. t. 5-8. ^ 



Cultivated in the hot damp regions of ASIA and the MALAYAN ISLANDS. 



Trunk solitary, 40-100 It. Leaves 4-6 ft.; leaflets numerous, 1-2 ft., upper 



