394 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



use made of it, is obtained abundantly by cutting the unopened spatlies 

 of Caryota wens, Cocos nucifera, Borassusjlabelliformis, Rhapis vinifera, 

 Sayuerus (Arenyd) saccharifer, Phoenix sylvestris, Mauritia mnifera, Elais 

 yuineensis, and others ; starch is obtained abundantly from the central 

 parenchyma of the trunk of Sayus Humphii, Metroxylon Iceve, Sayuerus 

 saccharifer, Phoenix farinif era, &c. Oil is obtained especially from the 

 African Oil-Palms (Elais yuineensis and E. melanococca) , the fruits being 

 crushed and the oil extracted from the perisperm by boiling in water ; 

 Cocoa-nut oil is obtained from the perisperm of the seed ; wax is excreted 

 on the lower surface of the leaves of Copernicia cerifera, on the trunk and 

 between the leaves of Ceroxylon andicola. Calamus Draco, Hyphcene, and 

 others have a resinous matter in their juices. The most important fruits 

 are those of the Date (Phoenix dactylifera) and the Cocoa-nut (Cocos 

 nucifera) ; the fruit of Hyphcene thebaica, the Egyptian Doum-palm, is 

 also eaten ; and the seeds of Arecha Catechu (Betel-nuts) are very largely 

 used, in the East Indies, for chewing with the leaves of the Betel Pepper. 

 The fruits of some of the Palms are acrid (Caryota, Sayuerus) ; the 

 acridity, however, is removed by soaking in lime-water, and they are 

 eaten preserved with sugar. The Indian Cabbage-palm, of which the 

 buds are eaten boiled like cabbages, is Areca okracea ; Euterpe montana is 

 used in the same way. Fibrous substance is derived from the husk of 

 the fruit of the Cocoa-nut (Coir), Astrocaryum vulyare, Attalea funif&ra, 

 and others; the bristle-like Piassaba fibres, used for brooms, are from 

 Leopoldina Piassaba. The wood of the Cocoa-nut Palms is hard, durable, 

 and handsome (Porcupine-wood) ; JSorassus Jlabelliformis yields what is 

 called Palmyra-wood. Nuts suitable for turning are afforded by the 

 seeds of Attalea funifera (Coquilla nuts) and Phytelephas macrocarpa 

 (Vegetable Ivory). The resin known as Dragon's blood is yielded by 

 Calamus Draco. 



Common canes are the stems of Calamus Scipionum, Zalcicca ruden- 

 tmn, &c. Partridge canes, used for walking-sticks, &c., are stems of an 

 unknown Palm. The petioles of Chamcerops humilis are used for walk- 

 ing-canes in Italy j and the fibre of the leaves of this plant is now coming 

 extensively into use as a substitute for horse-hair. The foregoing is only 

 a brief summary of some of the best-known uses of these plants ; similar 

 products and applications are connected with a great number of other 

 species besides those here mentioned. Several species are cultivated, for 

 the grandeur of their foliage, in our stoves ; and some, such as Jubcea 

 spectabilis and Chamcerops excelsa, are sufficiently hardy to be grown out 

 of doors in the south of England. 



PANDANACE^E (ScREW-PiNEs)are trees or shrubs of Palm-like habit, 

 but often dichotomously branched, with the leaves sheathing at the base, 

 imbricated in 3 spiral ranks ; flowers numerous, naked or scaly, male and 

 female or polygamous, arranged densely on a simple or generally branched 

 spadix furnished with numerous spathaceous bracts ; anthers stalked, 

 2-4-celled j ovaries mostly grouped, 1-celled, with solitary or numerous 

 ovules on parietal placentas ; fruits with a fibrous husk, 1-seeded, arranged 

 in groups, or many-celled beriies with many-seeded cells ; embryo minute, 

 imbedded at the side near the base of the fleshy perisperm. Illustrative 

 Genera : Suborder 1. PANDANEJS. Flowers naked ; leaves simple. Pan- 



