GROUP IV. — PHANEROGAMIA : ANGIOSPERM^ : MONOCOTYLEDONES. 543 



than one of the carpels (whether the gynaeceum be apocarpous or 

 sjncarpous) developes into the fruit : the fruit is generally bac- 

 cate or drupaceous, one-seeded : the seed is large, and the contained 

 endosperm is horny. 



Their mode of growth is somewhat various. Most palms bear 

 their leaves closely arranged in a crown at the top of a tall or of 

 a quite short stem, which is clothed for some distance below its 

 apex with the remains of the older withered leaves. But in some 

 genera, e.g. Calamus, the stems creep or climb and the leaves are 

 inserted at some distance from each other. The blade of the 

 leaf commonly splits in the course of its growth, assuming a com- 

 pound palmate or pinnate form (see p. 54). The inflorescence 

 is invested by bracts : there is usually a large bract (spathe) which 

 envelopes the whole inflorescence when young, 

 and other, inner, bracts which either partially 

 invest it or (when branched) its branches. 



Palms chiefly inhabit the tropics, particu- 

 larly the Moluccas, Brazil, and the region of 

 the Orinoco, and the different genera belong 

 exclusively (at least originally) either to the 

 Old or to the New World. 



Fam. 1. CoryphincE : the gynaeceum consists of three 

 free, or but slightly coherent, carpels : fruits 1-3, bac- 

 cate : the leaf-segments are concave above. Phcenix 

 dactylifera (the Date Palm) a native of Asia and Africa, 

 has pinnatifid leaves. Of the tliree ovaries, one only 

 developes to form the fruit which is known as the Date ; 

 the stone of the Date consists of a very thin testa en- 

 closing the large mass of hard endosperm in which the 

 embryo is imbedded. Chamarops humilis is a frequently 

 cultivated ornamental plant, with fan-like leaves, which 

 belongs to the Mediterranean region. 



Fam. 2. Borassince : ovary syncarpous, trilocular at its base : fruit 1-3 

 seeded, smooth, drupaceous, with hard endocarp : leaves fan-shaped, the seg- 

 ments concave above. To this family belong Hyphane thebaica, the Donm 

 Palm of Egypt ; and Borasms jiabelUformia, the Palmyra of India and Africa. 



Fam. 1. Lepidocaryina : ovary syncarpous, trilocular : fruit covered with 

 scales, enclosing a single seed : leaf-segments convex above. 



Mauritia is an American genus. Raphia, an African genus, but occurring 

 in America, is one of the few instances in which a genus of Palms is repre- 

 sented in both the New and the Old Worlds : from its leaves " llaphia-bast " 

 is obtained ; It. vinifcra is the Bamboo Palm from which Palm-wine is made in 

 Africa. Metroxylon (Eu-Sagus) Ilumphii and lave, growing in the Moluccas, 

 are the plants from which Sago is obtained ; it consists of the starch-grains 

 V. S. B. N N 



Fig. 351.— Part of tlio 

 panicle of macrosporan- 

 giato flowers of Chamse- 

 dorea : s the thick axis ; a 

 the external ; and p the 

 internal whorl of the 

 l)erianth ; / ovary (x 3). 



