STARCHES. 



this nut, pushed to the first stage of growth, and dried in the sun, consti- 

 tutes a very palatable vegetable, and that subsequently reduced to powder 

 forms a fecula highly esteemed by the Dutch. The germ is eaten in 

 Bombay and is the Pannay-kalung of the Tamils. 



Caryota urens. W. Torn-leaved Caryota. 



Linn. Syst. Moncecia Polyandria. 



The fecula of the pith. 



Vernacular. Bheerlee-mahr, By. Erimpana, Schunda-pana, Mai. 

 Coonda-panna, Tarn. Teerooya, Tel. Kitul, Cey. 



Habitat. East Indies. 



Remarks. This tree is chiefly found in Malabar, Bengal, Assam, and 

 other parts of India, and is more remarkable for the immense quantity 

 of toddy, w\& jaggery (sugar) it yields than for its fecula, which however 

 is palatable, and easily obtained. I am not aware of its sago being used in 

 this Presidency. Ainslie gives Codda-panna, as the Malabar name of 

 Corypha umbraculifera, W. the pith of which also yields Sago. The 

 best Sago, and the substance which is familiar to Europeans under that 

 name, is obtained from two species of Metroxylon, namely, Metroxylon 

 rumphii, Martins (Saaus rumphii, W. Sagus genuina, Rumphius), 

 Rumphius's Sago-Palm, and Metroxylon Iceve, Martins {Sagus Icevis, 

 Rumphius), of the Eastern Archipelago, the Rambiya of the Malays. 

 Arenyasaccharifera, Labill. (Saguerus rumphii, Rox., Borassus Gomutus, 

 Lour. Gomutus saccharifera, Spr. Saguerus saccharifer, Blume. " Palma 

 Indica vinariasecunda, Saquerus sive Gomutus Gomuti," Rumphius. Anau, 

 Marsden) the Sagwire, or Gomuti of economic works, and also a native 

 of the Eastern Archipelago, yields largely a good Sago. Like the Caryota 

 urens, it is yet more famous for its toddy and jaggery, as well as for the 

 fibre covering the base of the petiole, the Ejoo or Gomuti of the Malays. 

 The flesh of the fruit yields the " Hell water " of Dutch writers, but the 

 seed is edible. The Ipurma sago of St. Thomas is obtained from Mau- 

 ritia flexuosa, Wallace ; and Giulielma speciosa, Mart, of Guiana and the 

 Amazon country is also faiiniferous. Metroxylon flare, Mart, yields 

 a very inferior Sago ; as is also stated of Raphis Jlabelliformis, Ait. a 

 native of Southern China ; and Corypha Gebanga, Blume, of Java. 

 Phcenixfarinifera, "W. Small Date-palm of Coromandel, the Sirroo-eetchum 

 of the Tamils, and Chittyeita of the Telingas, has a floury drupe eaten 

 as a bread stuff by the natives without preparation. The ancients would 

 appear to have been unacquainted with Sago, and the substance is first 

 mentioned by Marco Polo. The word is from the Malay Sagu, which 

 seems to be applied to whatever species of Palm or Cycad may in any 

 region of the Eastern Archipelago be there the special source of the 

 farina used. 

 239 



