PALMED 393 



The inflorescence is a branched spadix, in some 

 terminal in others lateral, the flowers usually quite 

 regular, their parts in threes three leathery sepals, 

 three petals, six stamens and a three-celled ovary ; but 

 in practically all cases the fruit contains but one cell, 

 the other two being pushed to one side and not de- 

 veloping further, and encloses one seed. It may be 

 a one-seeded berry as in the common Date (pericarp 

 fleshy) and testa thin (p. 254) and Betel-nut (peri- 

 carp fibrous), or a drupe as in the Coco-nut and 

 Palmyra (pericarp fibrous, endocarp stony). On ger- 

 mination the short radicle emerges first and is pushed 

 down into the ground by the hollow stalk of the 

 cotyledon which encloses the stem bud. The endos- 

 perm is hard (horny) and in many contains also oil. 

 The digestion of this hard endosperm by the enlarged 

 tip of the cotyledon may be very easily seen, if a 

 germinating Date seed, Palmyra or Coco-nut is cut 

 open, by the change in the colour and hardness pro- 

 duced (fig. 13, p. 59 & p. 60). 



Palms are among the most useful of all plants. 

 Their leaves are used in the tropics for a variety of pur- 

 pose roofs and umbrellas, books, mats, etc. From the 

 base of the leaf is obtained a strong brown fibre used 

 for making coarse brushes, and a thinner fibre from the 

 fruit wall. The dried kernel (endocarp) of the Coco- 

 nut is an important article of commerce being shipped 

 to Europe, as ' copra,' for the oil it contains, and the 

 hard inner wall of the fruit of another palm is used for 

 making buttons. A sugary liquid which ferments is 

 got from many palms such as the Palmyra, and Sago 

 (almost pure starch) from the pith of some others. 



