1196 



■ the South Par 

 Few Palms ai 

 States as nati' 

 known Palmeti 

 leaved ! 



£01111 



tlie Ui 



limited in numbers, yet there is at least 

 one unique species in the gi'oup in the 

 form of Pseudophcemx Sargenti, a 

 mcmotypie Palm, that is only known to 

 exist in a wild state on certain of the 

 Florida Keys, and in quite limited num- 

 bers even there. 



Europe is even less favored as to na- 

 tive Palms, there being but one species 

 1624. known there in that condition, Chanue- 



Germination o( »"<'/'« kicmilis, also a fan-leaved species 

 Chrysalidocar- and comparatively hardy, being capable 

 pus lutesccns. of enduring moderate frosts. 



The Palm tree of the Bible is doubt- 

 less the Date Palm, Phmnix dactijlifera, which is found 

 in large numbers throughout Syria to this day; and in 

 fact the small grove of dates within easy reach of the 

 Syrian householder forms one of his most valuable 

 assets, for it provides food not only for his family, but 

 frequently for his horses or camels also. 



The act of producing flowers does not necessarily ter- 

 minate the life of a Palm, though in some instances 

 such an effect may be produced by this cause; but a 

 singular habit has been noted in regard to the flowering 

 of the Fishtail Palm, Caryota urens, which when it 

 reaches maturity begins to throw out a flower-spike 

 from the top of the stem, this being followed by succes- 

 sive spikes of flowers, and ultimate bunches of seeds 

 from the top of the plant downwards, the flower-spikes 

 appearing at the joints of the stem, and when this pro- 

 cess of flowering has proceeded down to the ground, or 

 until the vitality of the plant has been exhausted, death 

 ensues. 



There are also a number of species of Palms that de- 

 velop a soboliferous habit, throwing up a number of 

 shoots from the base of the plant, JRhapis flubtllifor- 

 mis, sometimes known .-js the Ground Kattan. being a 

 good example of this cla^*;. riTDoTiL' v,-}ii'-}i tliM widely 



grown and elegant CVic//-' .' ■- '•■' •■ N also 



found, together with th' 1 Phoe- 



nix and various other jr. 1 w .■ : r ins are 



unisexual, but there an- al-" in:iii\ ..liiii- m liml, both 

 male and female flowers an- produced on tl 

 spadix, in some instances the males being grouped to- 

 gether near the ends of the branches of the inflores- 

 cence and the females nearer to the main stem, while 

 in others a female is placed between two males, thus 

 arranging the flowers in threes. 



Cross-pollination of Palms by artificial means has 

 probably been seldom practiced, there being few culti- 

 vated collections in which the opportunity for such an 

 operation has presented itself; but it seems highly prob- 

 able that such cross-fertilization has been accidentally 

 effected among wild plants, for in large lots of seed- 

 lings intermediate forms are frequently seen, this pe- 

 ciiliaritv having been noted among Howea seedlings, 

 whciH- fciniis intermediate between H. Helnioreana and 

 //. J-'nisI, riiniii are found, and sometimes seedlings 

 that seem to combine the characteristics of H. Belmo- 

 reiina and those of its near relative ffedt/^ccpe Cantir- 

 biiryana. Similar -variations from a given type have 

 also been noted among the Phoenix, several so-called 

 species being most likely merely varieties. 



Many Palms are armed with stout thorns or prickles, 

 not only the stems but also the leaves and even the 

 fruits in some species being thus guarded, these prickles 

 being usually very hard and tough. In some cases, 

 notably Acanlhorhisa stanracantha, the prickles around 

 the stem are often branched, and are decidedly un- 

 pleasant to come in contact with. In the case of Des- 

 moncus, this being the western representative of the 

 Rattan Palms, the tip of the midrib of the leaf is con- 

 tinued in the form of a hooked spine, and helps to sup- 

 port the plant in its scandent career. The sharp spines 

 of certain Palms are used for poisoned arrows by some 



PALM 



of the South American tribes, these arrows being pro- 

 jected through a blow-pipe formed from a section of the 

 iii'llow ^tciii of another Palm. Among the species of 

 l'!i-ini> It ■- r.ftrn found that several of the leaflets 

 ' I - ! ' ■ ! :i-<- of the leaf are developed as spines, 

 I i il. ts becoming stiff and hard, and eapa- 



The 



.-ery 



can only be touch. -il ; 

 ent article, the um - 

 the stems and leaver 1. 1 ;i 

 cal countries being enoii.trb 

 One prominent instance 

 Palmyra Palm, of which a 

 8110 different uses. Other 

 Cocoanut Palm, the fruit: 



if many of the Palms 

 11 limits of the pres- 

 ily the fruits but afso 



< ;\ i - 1.1 till volumes. 

 . ■ ■ ■ litility is the 

 ' ' iiii-rated over 

 \ !i i-M - include the 

 (il arc imported by 

 ons every year, and 

 providing a valuable 

 food, either fresh or in a desiccated 

 condition, also produce that very 

 valuable fiber from which cordage, 

 matting and a great variety of 

 goods are manufactured. Also the 

 Phoenix family, which produces 

 the dates of commerce in appar- 

 ently endless supply, and the date 

 sugar of Bengal, this being con- 

 tributed by Phoenix syli-estris, 

 while the stems of Date Palms are 

 often used in house-building in the 

 East. Another very valuable Palm 

 product is found in Palm oil, this 

 being largelv derived from the 

 fruits <.f fjhiix Giihieinsis. the oil 



being expressed from the ripe fruits in much the same 

 manner that olive oil is manufactured. The rattan of 

 commerce is chiefly composed of the flexible stems of 

 various calami, the plentiful supply of this material be- 

 ing sufficiently attested by the great variety of articles 

 manufactured therefrom. Various Palms have been. 



