LEADING FAMILIES OF FLOWERING PLANTS 343 



inflorescences, eacli cluster provided with a very large bract 

 (spathe), shown above each cluster in Fig. 276. The fruit is 

 often a berry, as in the date, or a drupe, as in the coconut. 



313. Uses of palms. In tropical 

 countries use is made of palm wood 

 and the leaves in various kinds of 

 construction, and the fruit of some 

 kinds (royal palm) is used as food 

 for domestic animals. The stems 

 of the rattan palm are largely 

 employed in the manufacture of 

 baskets and light furniture. The 

 fiber of the coco palm is utilized 

 in making coarse matting and 

 heavy cordage. 



Palm oil, much used in soap 

 making, is obtained from the fruit 

 of the African oil palm. 



The coco palm (Figs. 275-276) 

 ib the most important tree of the 

 family. It grows very widely dis- 

 tributed along tropical coasts and 

 will flourish on beaches of coral 

 islands where no other valuable 

 tree can be made to grow. The 

 milk of the unripe nut is a refresh- 

 ing drink, and the nuts themselves 

 are largely used for food by the na- 

 tives of coconut-growing regions. 

 The meat (endosperm) of the nut 

 is the only considerable article of 

 export from many islands of the 

 South Pacific. It is sold under the 

 name of copra and is the source of 

 coconut oil. As is well known, 

 the nuts are largely sold in our 



FIG. 278. A monocotyledonous 

 plant, the spider lily, or spider- 

 wort ( Tradescantia virginica) 



One sixth natural size 



