XXV. NIPACE^E. 821 



Cultivated in biblical times, and its origin is unknown, although it may be reasonably supposed to 

 be indigenous to Arabia. But even in ancient times it was cultivated in South Persia, Egypt, nnd 

 North Africa, whence it was much later introduced into the south of Europe. Its fruits only acquire all 

 their qualities under the torrid and dry sky of desert regions. The best come to us from the oases of the 

 Central Sahara ; those of second quality from the northernmost oases of Algeria and Tunis. Dates little 

 inferior to these last are still gathered in the environs of the town of Elche, in Spain, between 38 

 and 39 north latitude ; but this is the extreme north limit of Date culture, considered as a fruit tree. 

 Above this point the pulp remains more or less acid, and the Date is only an ornamental tree. On the 

 coast of Liguria it is cultivated for the sake of the leave?, which are used by Roman Catholics in the cere- 

 monies of Palm Sunday, as well as at the Jewish Passover. It is common on the shores of Provence, 

 between Toulon and Nice ; it appears to be about as hardy as the Orange, for it dies wherever the 

 latter is killed by the cold. 



XXIV. PHYTELEPHASIE^E, Brongniart. 



Palm-like stemless or caulescent PLANTS. LEAVES very long, pinnate, crowded 

 at the top of the [very short inclined] stem; leaflets decurved at the base. FLOWERS 

 monoecious or polygamo-dicecious ; spathe monophyllous (Phytelephas) or diphyllons 

 (Wettinia)} spadices simple, clavate or cyliiidric, densely covered with flowers. 

 PERIANTH-LEAFLETS 2-seriate, unequal, aestivation imbricate or valvate. STAMENS oo , 

 inserted at the base of the perianth ; anthers linear or oblong, apiculate by the con- 

 nective, 2-celled, opening longitudinally. OVARY of 4 1-ovuled cells (Phytelephas), or 

 1-celled and 1-ovuled (Wettinia) ; style terminal, divided into 5-6 stigmatic branches 

 (Phytelephas), or basilar, lateral and 3-fid (Weitinia); ovule basilar, ascending, anatro- 

 pous. DRUPES aggregated, angular, muricate, 4-celled; endocarp crustaceous, simu- 

 lating a rounded cone (Phytelephas), or berry, coriaceous, 1-celled, 1-seeded (Wettinia). 

 SEEDS with coriaceous or membranous testa; albumen copious, ivory-like ; radicle 



near the hilum. 



GENERA. 



Phytelephas. Wettinia. 



Phytelephasiece are near Pandanece and Cyclantliece. Wettinia, by its one-celled ovary and anatropous 

 ovule, forms the passage to Palms. 



This little group belongs to Peru [Ecuador and New Grenada], The ivory-like albumen of Phy- 

 telephas is edible when young ; it hardens so much when ripe that it is used as a substitute for elephants' 

 tusks, whence its common name of Vegetable Ivory. 



XXV. NIPACE^E, BrongniarL 



A Palm-like PLANT. TRUNK unarmed, thick, short, spongy within. LEAVES 

 terminal, large, pinnatisect; pinnules narrow^ erect, stiff, plaited. SPADIX monoe- 

 cious, terminal, sheathed in a polyphyllous spathe, persistent, at first erect, after- 

 wards drooping. FLOWERS $ minute, yellowish, each with a bract, and united into 

 lateral cylindric catkins ; the % agglomerated into a terminal capitulum. FLOWERS 

 $ : SEPALS 3. PETALS 3, valvate in aestivation. STAMENS 3, with coherent filaments; 



