CLASSIFICATION OF ANGIOSPERMS. 475 



and is probably one of the most useful palms to the natives, fur- 

 nishing, as it does, food, clothing, utensils of all kinds, building 

 materials, etc. The Sago-palms (Metroxylon Rumphii and M. 

 Iccve) yield SAGO, which is prepared by washing out the starch 

 from the cut stems and subsequently heating it. A tree 15 years 

 old yields from three to four hundred kilograms of sago starch. 

 The Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) yields the DATES of the 



FlG. 259. A number of Areca-nut palms (Areca Catechu) growing in Ceylon. The 

 stems are slender, attaining a height of 25 meters or more, with a diameter of 3 to 4 dm. 

 and bearing a cluster of leaves at the summit. The palm is also known as the Betel-nut 

 palm, and is extensively cultivated throughout tropical India. Reproduced by permission 

 of The Philadelphia Commercial Museum. 



market, and it is interesting to note that since very early times 

 the fruits produced by the growers in the Orient have been the 

 result of artificial or hand-pollination. 



V. ORDER ARALES OR SPATHIFLOR/E. 



This order includes two families which are markedly different 

 in their habits: (i) The Aracese, which are rather large herbs 

 with an inflorescence known as a spadix and consisting of a fleshy 



