398 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY 



well-known Traveller's-palm, RAVENALA MADAGASCA- 

 RIENSIS, Soun. It has a tall cylindrical stem, like that 

 of a palm, and very large Plantain-like leaves spread- 

 ing widely to right and left in two ranks, which give 

 it an unique appearance. Rain water runs off the 

 blades and collects between the leaf bases, and has 

 been used when none other could be got, whence the 

 vulgar name 'Traveller's-palm'. 



CANNED 



Closely allied to the MUSE^E is another small family, 

 represented by the universally cultivated CANNA. 



The flowers are arranged in pairs at intervals of 

 an inch or more along the angular axis of a spike, 

 and one of the pair comes out before the other. 



The ovary is inferior, the sepals and petals being 

 above it. At the base of each pair there are three 

 bracts, one, the largest clasping the base of the older 

 flower but subtending also the younger one to a 

 small extent, the other two clasping the ovary of 

 the younger flower. The explanation of this is that 

 each pair constitutes a small two-flowered cyme, the 

 largest bract being the bract of the first formed flower, 

 the second bract the bracteole of this flower (and the 

 bract of the younger) and the third (smallest) bract the 

 bracteole of the younger flower. 



Above the ovary are three dull coloured sepals, 

 which persist on the flowers when the rest fall off. 

 Then follow alternating with the sepals, three larger 

 coloured, but when compared with the rest of the 

 flower inconspicuous, petals, and above these the four 



