110 



TREES OF NORTH AMERICA 



gradually enlarged at the base into thick broad concave bright chestnut-brown 

 sheaths composed of a network of thin strong fibres. Spadix interfoliar, stalked, 

 elongated, paniculate, with pendulous flower-bearing ultimate divisions and numerous 

 long spathes. Flowers perfect, jointed on thick disk-like pedicels; calyx tubular, 

 scarious, thickened at the base, gradually enlarged and slightly lobed at the apex, 

 the lobes imbricated in the bud; corolla funnel-formed, with a fleshy tube inclosed 

 in the calyx and about half as long as the lanceolate lobes, thickened and glandular 

 on the inner surface at the base, imbricated in the bud; stamens inserted on the 

 tube of the corolla, with free filaments thickened near the middle and linear-oblong 

 anthers; ovary 3-lobed, 3-celled, with slender elongated flexuose styles stigmatic at 

 the apex; ovules lateral, erect. Fruit a small ellipsoidal short-stalked black berry 

 with thin dry flesh. Seed free, erect, oblong-ovate, concave above, with a flat base 

 depressed in the centre, a minute sublateral hilum, a broad conspicuous rachis, a 

 minute lateral micropyle, and a thin pale chestnut-brown inner coat closely investing 

 the simple horny albumen; embryo minute, lateral, with the radicle turned toward 

 the base of the fruit. 



Two species of Washingtonia are known: one inhabits the interior dry region of 

 southern California and the adjacent parts of Lower California, and the second the 

 mountain canons of western Sonora and southern Lower California. 



The genus is named for George Washington. 



1. Washingtonia filamentosa, O. Kuntze. Desert Palm. Fan Palm. 

 Leaves 5-6 long and 4-5 wide, light green, slightly tomentose on the folds, 

 their petioles 4-6 long and about 2' broad at the apex, with sheaths 16'-18' long 

 and 12'-14' wide, and ligules 4' long and cut irregularly into long narrow lobes. 



Flowers: spadix 10-12 long, 3 or 4 being produced each year from the axils 

 of upper leaves, the outer spathe inclosing the bud, narrow, elongated, and gla- 

 brous, those of the secondary branches coriaceous, yellow tinged with brown, and 

 laciniate at the apex. Flowers slightly fragrant, opening late in May or early in 

 June. Fruit produced in great profusion, ripening in September, ^' long; seeds 

 \' long, \' thick. 



A tree, occasionally 75 high, with a trunk sometimes 50-60 tall and 2-3 in 

 diameter, covered with a thick light red-brown scaly rind and clothed with a thick 



