MANUAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 513 



I. S UB-ORDER. ATELESPATHEOUS-PALMS 



(Atelespathese). 

 Spathes numerous and incomplete. 



1. FAMILY. Sago-Palms (Lepidocaryacese). Trees; 



leaves pinnate or fan-shaped ; inflorescence 

 in amentiform racemes ; perianth 6-divided ; 

 stamens six, rarely 0, hypogynous or peri- 

 gynous ; pistil usually of three carpels, 

 becoming connate, usually 3-locular; ovules 

 generally solitary, erect ; fruit baccate, lori- 

 cate, scales horny, spirally or verticillately 

 arranged, imbricated. To this family belong 

 the Keed-Palms (Calamus), affording Rat- 

 tans, and the Sagus farinifera, supplying 

 Sago. (Calamince, Griff.) 



2. FAMILY. Palmyra-Palms (Borassacese). Trees; 



leaves pinnate or flabelliform ; inflorescence 

 in amentiform racemes; stamens hypogynous ; 

 pistil usually of three connate carpels, which 

 are 3-locular ; ovules solitary, ascending or 

 horizontal ; fruit drupaceous and undivided, 

 lobed and 3-seeded, or baccate and, by abor- 

 tion, 1 -seeded. Among the species are the 

 Doum-palm of Upper Egypt (Hyphcene coria- 

 cea), the Fan-palm, Borassus flabelliformis, 

 yielding a copious vinous sap, and Lodoicea 

 Seychellarum, or the double Coco-nut tree. 



3. FAMILY. Date-Palms (Coryphacese). Trees ; 



leaves clustered, terminal; inflorescence 

 not in amentiform racemes ; stamens hypo- 

 gynous or perigynous, 6-9-1 2 ; pistil of three 



