OF THE PALMS. 81 



356 species ; and, up to the present time, 440 

 species have been scientifically described, in- 

 cluding the new East Indian species arranged 

 by Griffith. Much, however, without doubt, 

 remains to be done ; and Von Martins, looking 

 at the vast extent of country in the tropics as 

 yet entirely unexplored, or only very partially 

 investigated by botanists, estimates the total 

 number of palms at not less than a thousand 

 species. It is probable that the greatest num- 

 ber remains to be discovered in the equinoctial 

 parts of South America, and the tropical islands 

 of Asia. 



The following observations of Humboldt will 

 show some of the difficulties which beset the 

 examination and study of this noble tribe. " In 

 the space of two years, we have seen as many 

 as twenty-seven species of palms in South 

 America. How many there must have been, 

 observed by Commerson, Thunberg, Banks, the 

 two Forsters, Solander, Adanson, and Sonnerat, 

 on their extensive travels ! Yet, at the moment 

 I am writing,='= our vegetable systems scarcely 

 recognise more than from fourteen to eighteen 

 methodically described species of palms. The 

 difficulties of reaching and procuring the blos- 



* This was written during Humboldt's South American 

 travels, about fifty years ago. 



