ENDOGENS. 127 



world. The latter are for the most part trees of gigan- 

 tic growth, often reaching dimensions unknown among 

 other plants. They are used for supplying food and for 

 forming habitations. The fruit of some is edible, while 

 that of others is hard. Many supply oil, wax, starchy 

 matter, and sugar, which is fermented to form an intoxi- 

 cating beverage. Their fibers make ropes, and the re- 

 ticulum about their leaves is sometimes manufactured 

 into brushes. 



The Date palm, (Phoenix dactylifera,) which supplies 

 food to so many of the inhabitants of Arabia and Africa, 

 is considered to be the Palm of the Bible. The Cocoa- 

 nut palm (Cocos nuciferd) is one of the most useful, 

 supplying the South Sea Islander with food, clothing, 

 houses, utensils, ropes, oil, sugar, wine, and Palm cab- 

 bage from the terminal bud, etc. (Fig. 51.) 



Sago and other starchy matter is obtained by bruising 

 and washing the cellular tissue of many Palms, espe- 

 cially Sagus Rumphiiy S. lavis and 5. genuina. 



6. The BANANA family (Musacecz) contains plants 

 which furnish a large supply of nutritious fruit, while 

 their leaves afford valuable fibers. The best known spe- 

 cies are Musa paradisiaca, or Plantain, and M. sapientum, 

 or Banana, (Fig. 52 ;) the former a denizen of the Old 

 World, and the latter of the New. The specific name 

 of the first originated in a notion of some of the old 

 botanists that it was the forbidden fruit of Eden. A 

 quaint writer remarks that it is not likely that a plant so 

 useful should have been the forbidden fruit. The Ba- 

 nana supplies the inhabitants of the tropical islands with 

 wholesome and abundant food, pleasant drink, valuable 



