ANGIOSPERIOS 



387 



the extremely slender stem reaches a great length, and climbs by means of 

 hooks developed upon the scattered leaves. 



The leaves are sharply plaited when young, and split more or less com- 

 pletely along the lines of these folds. Two types of leaves occur, the fan- 

 shaped (Sabal, Washingtonia, Chamserops, etc.) and the pinnate (Phoenix, 

 Cocos, Oreodoxa, etc.). Bipinnate leaves are found in Caryota. The leaves 

 may remain attached for a long time, and the trunk then is rough with the 

 adherent leaf-bases. In many Palms, however, like the Royal-palm (Oreodoxa 

 regia}, the leaves fall off, leaving a smooth scar encircling the trunk below the 

 sheath of the next younger leaf. 



The flowers of the Palms (Fig. 361) are simple in structure, and may be 

 hermaphrodite (Sabal) or diclinous (Phoenix) ; in the latter genus they are 

 dioecious, but most Palms are monoecious. A perianth of three to six leaves 

 is generally present, and there are from six to many stamens. The carpels are 



F 



FIG. 361. A-E, PJuenix Canariensis. A, staminate flowers (X2). B, two pistillate 

 flowers which have been fertilized ; two of the three carpels, cur, are abortive. 

 C, a similar flower, seen from in front, showing the single fertile carpel, and two 

 sterile ones. D, section of young fruit (X li). E, ripe fruit (X J). E-G, Livi- 

 stona Chinensis. F, part of inflorescence (X 1). Gi, single flower (X 2). Gn, 

 the pistil. 



always three, and may be separate or united. In the latter case, not infrequently 

 but a single one matures. 



The flowers are borne in large inflorescences, often extensively branched, and 

 of gigantic size. In a few instances, like the Talipot-palm (Gorypha Taliera), 

 the tree dies after it has developed the single enormous terminal inflorescence. 

 In other Palms the inflorescence arises as a lateral branch, and is surrounded 

 while young by large bracts, or spathes. 



The fruit is usually a berry, or stone-fruit, which may reach great size (Co- 

 cos). The edible fruits of many Palms, as well as the value of the Palms in 

 furnishing building materials, fibre, etc., make them among the most important 

 of all plants. Besides the fruit, other parts of the tree, the young shoots, the 

 fermented sap, and the pith (Sago-palm), are important articles of food. 



Distribution. Some of the Palms, e.g. Washingtonia filij'era, of Southern 

 California, are inhabitants of arid regions ; but it is in the moist forests of tho 

 Tropics that they reach their greatest development. Here they become stately 

 trees with leaves of gigantic size. Some species of Arenga and Caryota have 



