of E.. tc 50 ft., with bipinnate frondose leaves, to 20 ft. by 10, with cuneate segments, 

 monocarpic : terminal inflorescence, 10-12 ft., flowers first, and laterals in sequence 

 to extreme base of stem, with long and slender tassel-ramuli. Flowers in triads, 

 carpellary T and staminate T'; the latter with numerous stamens {40-45); car- 

 pellary flower sub-globose, ovary 3-locular. Fruit globose, ^ in., with i (2) seeds, 

 endosperm hard and ruminated. 



Areca Catechu, Betel-Nut Palm, cult.; to 100 ft., with smooth annulate 

 stem, 6-9 in. diam. ; leaves pinnate, 4-6 ft. Infloiescence below the leaves, monoe- 

 cious, branched; staminate flowers at end of ramuli, small, normal; carpellary 

 flowers at base of ramuli ; ovary syncarpous, unilocular, with 3 stigmas, and i basal 

 erect ovule. Fruit a fibrous scarlet drupe, 2 in. long. Seeds i in., sub-globular, 

 with beautifully ruminated endosperm, thick cellulose walls and fat-storage. 



Arenga sacehifera, Malay Sago-Palm, cult.; Monocarpic: stem 24-40 ft., 

 densely clothed with fibrous remains of leaf-bases, leaves 20-28 ft., pinnate, in dense 

 crown. Inflorescence much branched, 6-10 ft., with pendulous laterals; lateral 

 systems function basipetally, flowers commonly in triads with carpellary T. Stami- 

 nate flowers I in. long, with numerous stamens; carpellary flower i in. diam., ovary 

 3-locular ; Fiuit 2 in., seeds 2-3, compressed, endosperm simple. Starch-storage in 

 main a.xis (sago), spadi.x ta[)ped for sugar (toddy). 



Nipa fi'utieans, estuarine and halophytic in all Trop. Asia, giving N/pa-zont 

 on mud-banks of tidal estuaries. Stem a branched, creeping, rhizome, rooting 

 below, with crowns of pinnate fronds, 15-30 ft.; leaflets coriaceous, 2-4 ft. : Flowers 

 monoecious, in packed spicate systems. Staminate flowers in cylindrical spikes, 

 jierianth segs, 3-1-3, stamens 3 on a coluimi : carpellary flowers on a globose head, 

 3 carpels distinct, i-seeded. In fruit the whole enlarges to a globose aggregate, 

 I ft. diam., of angular drupes, with surface-facets, sclerocarp fibrous-fleshy; the seeds 

 2-3 in., with horny endosperm and central cavity. 



Cf. Phytelephas of Trop. Amer., Vegetable-Ivor}', for very parallel ecological 

 type. 



II. Pandanaeeae (2/220) including comparable phases of e.xtremo reduction- 

 specialization, as arboreal forms with monaxial or branched habit, climbing or 

 rhizomatous, of estuarine and tidal swamp-forest, with stilt-roots, leaves coriaceous, 

 linear, in 3 ' spires ' (Screw-Pines). Commonly regarded (since apocarpous and 

 destitute of perianth as extremely archaic, and placed on a level with indigenous 

 Sparganiiim and Typha (Engler, 1886) ; more ]irobably convergent only in adaptation 

 to suamp-habit.) 



Pandanus teetorius ( = odorathsimtis), of coast-forest, gregarious, as a zone 

 above high-water, and much cult.; Stems to 25 ft. on strong stilt-roots; leaves 

 3-5 ft. spinous on edges ; dioecious ; inflorescence terminal or axillary ; staminate 

 with pendulous ramuli and flowers clustered, without perianth, of numerous stamens 

 on a ' column ', in axils of white, fragrant, sheathing bracts. Carpellary flower of 

 4-12 closely aggregated carpels, each with i ovule. In fruit the entire system fuses 

 to a massive drooping ' syncarpium ' of scarlet drupes, each several-seeded within 

 a common sclerocarp. 



47 



