Mr. G. Clarke on the Coco de Mer. 409 
felt, of a fawn colour, which only yields its hold when the leaf 
unfolds itself. The male flowers are of a most remarkable struc- 
ture, and still more remarkable for their 
duration. 
The spathe is from 20 to 30 inches 
long, and the surface reticulated with 
perfect regularity; the blossoms appear 
at the angles, and these, by a most won- 
derful contrivance, continue to bud 
forth for eight or ten years! ‘Twenty 
blossoms are provided for each aper- 
ture. Here is a section (by fracture) 
which may convey some idea of this 
singular structure. The colour of the 
spathe is deep brown, that of the sta- 
mina bright yellow. 
These compartments have somewhat 
the appearance of diminutive fir-cones 
at first sight; but if taken out and ex- 
amined separately, they appear very 
different. 
In their perpendicular position they 
appear thus; and a section of them 
in the same direction shows a sheath 
for each flower, which pushes off its 
predecessor, as it verges to maturity. 
Only one catkin is put forth annually, 
and eight or ten are often observable 
on the same tree, and all flowering. = 
There is only one female tree on the island of Mahé that bears ; 
and that has only one drupe, which has been on it eight 
years, and does not yet give any indications of falling, 
though it appears just ripe. It was produced by suspending 
a male spadix on the leaves of the female tree, which stands 
alone; and it was some months before the effects of the im- 
pregnation were observable. To what age the plant might 
attain, if untouched, it is impossible to say; but there are 
many that the leaf-marks prove to be nearly 400 years old, 
and they exhibit no signs of decay. It appears that they 
thrive best, or rather grow most quickly, in arich moist soil ; 
but they are found in the driest spots, in the decayed granite 
and in quartzose sand. They begin to bear at from twenty- 
five to thirty years old. The outside of the stem is extremely 
hard and durable; the inside is very soft and spongy. The 
female blossoms resemble very much those of the common 
cocoa-nut, and appear to be susceptible of impregnation 
