544 



PART III. — THE CLASSinCATIOX OP^ PLAJfTS. 



obtained from the parenchyma of the trunk. The stems of species of Calamus, 

 in the East Indies, supply Malacca-cane. 



Fam. 4. Ceroxylince : ovary syncarpous, uni- or tri-locular : fruit a berry 

 (sometimes 3 berries by separation of the carpels after fertilisation) or a drupe, 

 1-3 seeded : leaves pinnate. 



Areca Catechu (Fig. 352 J) is the Betel-Palm of tropical Asia. Cocos nucifera 

 (the Coco-nut Palm) has, as is well known, many uses). The fruit itself is a 

 gigantic drupaceous fruit ; the mesocarp is traversed by an immense number of 

 vascular bundles, which are used to make ropes, etc. Inside the excessively 

 hard innermost layer of the pericarp, the endocarp, lies a single large seed. 

 When the fruit is mature, the endosperm forms a layer only a few millimetres 

 in thickness, which lines the hard shell ; the rest of the space (the remaining 

 cavity of the embryo-sac) is filled with fluid, known as coco-nut milk. The 

 embryo, which is small, is imbedded in the firm tissue of the endosperm, under 



Fig. 352. — A Part of the macrospoi-angiate inflorescence of Phcenix reclinata (nat. size) : 

 B single macrosporantjiate flower: C two carpels: D floral diagram. J Fruit of Areca 

 Catechu: one half of the fibrous pericarp has been removed. 



the spot where there is a hole (corresponding in position to the style of the 

 single fertile loculus of the ovary) in the endocarp. Elais guineensis is the 

 Oil Palm of West Africa ; the mesocarp of the plum-like fruit yields the oil. 



Fam. 5. Phijtelephantince : flowers dioecious (Phytelephas) or monoecious 

 (Nipa) ; in the former genus, the ? flowers have numerous staminodes ; in the 

 latter the two kinds of flowers are respectively confined to distinct branches of 

 the same spadix, the staminate branches being lateral and amentoid, whilst the 

 carpellary flowers form a cluster at the apex of the main axis: stamens 

 numerous and free (Phytelephas), or three connate (Nipa) : perianth sometimes 

 absent ( 9 flowers of Nipa) : ovary syncarpous, tri-carpellary, one-seeded (Nipa), 

 or of 4-9 carpels (Phytelephas) with as many seeds. 



These are low-growing-Palms, Nipa belonging to the East Indies, and 

 Phytelephas to tropical America : the hard endosperm of Phytelephas is known 

 as vegetable ivory. 



