SAGO. 175 



its beauty. We have lately seen a most 

 superb plant of this species in the Botanic 

 Gardens at Chelsea, and a very fine one at 

 the Royal Exotic Gardens at Kew; where 

 the Cycus circinalis, broad-leaved Cycus, has 

 fruited, under the inspection of Mr. Aiton. 

 This species is also a native of the East In- 

 dies, the Friendly Islands, and the New He- 

 brides. It was introduced about the year 

 1763, by John Blackburn, Esq. The fruit is 

 an ovate, flat, red drupe, an inch and half in 

 length.* Mr. Aiton is of opinion that this 

 species would produce an edible pith, simi- 

 lar to the Cycus revoluta, although it is not 

 the true sago palm. 



It is hardly possible to form an idea of a 

 plant more graceful in its foliage, or more 

 beautiful when in fruit, than this species of 

 the palm. The foliation, which slightly re- 

 sembles that of the fern, is placed on the 

 stem in the manner of the feathers in a 

 shuttlecock, thus forming a gigantic basket 

 of the most graceful form, at the bottom 

 of which the salmon-coloured fruit seems 

 thrown promiscuously, with a substance both 

 in shape and texture resembling the cock's- 



* Thunberg. 



