34 Gardening in Egypt. 



growing, as it does, all the year round in the grounds 

 of the Royal Gardens at Kew. It is a pretty dwarf 

 palm, easily cultivated, with spikey stems, and deeply- 

 cut leaves. This species often has a number of offsets 

 growing at the^ foot of the plant. 



Hyophorbe amaricaulis. A very ornamental variety, 

 much resembling an Areca, with a cylindrical reddish- 

 brown stem, and slightly-arched pinnate leaves. A 

 suitable palm either as a specimen for the open 

 ground or for pot culture. Propagated by seed. 



Hyphaene Thebaica The Doum Palm. This 

 species, which is characteristic of Upper Egypt, is 

 remarkable for having normally a branched trunk, 

 instead of a single one with a terminal crown of leaves. 

 It has a wide range in eastern tropical and sub- 

 tropical Africa, and occurs also in Arabia. Its brown, 

 fibrous fruits, which have the taste of ginger-bread, are 

 eaten by the natives, though to the European taste 

 they are anything but palatable. A small plant of 

 this species may be seen i'n Cairo, but it is not met 

 with further north. 



Kentia Fosteriana The Thatch-leaf Palm. This 

 plant is suitable either for pot culture, for the plant- 

 house, verandah, or as a garden palm, growing as it 

 does in the open ground all the year round in Alex- 

 andria. It is of a spreading habit, with glossy leaves 

 and slender stems. It is propagated from seeds. 



Other varieties, as K. Belmoreana^ K. Canter- 

 bury ana, and K. Australis, are also grown. 



Latania borbonica, syn. Livistona chinensis the 

 common Fan Palm. This species is well known in the 

 country, being largely grown, both as a pot-plant 

 and also as a specimen palm, in the open ground. It 

 is a very hardy species, growing in any kind of soil, 

 but the leaves should be tied up during the winter in 

 very exposed places. 



L. aurea and L. rubra are cultivated in pots, 

 for the plant house. 



