36 Gardening in Egypt. 



pinnatifid-leaved palm. It is often met with in the small 

 public gardens of Cairo, but large specimens are rare. 



S. princeps. A smaller species, with long, upright 

 leaf-stalks. It is, perhaps, commoner than the above- 

 named variety, but not so bold in character. Some 

 nice plants may be seen in the gardens of Shepherd's 

 Hotel, at Cairo. 



Seaforthia elegans. A native of New South Wales ; 

 grows well in the gardens on the Mahmoudieh Canal. 

 It has a smooth, ringed stem and heavy drooping 

 pinnate leaves, which often hang in an irregular untidy 

 form. It is, perhaps, seen at its best as a tall specimen. 



Thrinax parviflora. A very handsome pot palm 

 for the greenhouse, having fan-shaped leaves divided 

 into a star-like form. 



T. elegans, T. argentea, T. elegantissiina> T. gracillinia^ 

 and T. glauca are suitable palms for the conservatory. 



Washingtonia filifera The Californian Fan-Palm. 

 A very handsome, hardy species. It is distinguished 

 from the Latania by the long thread-like filiments 

 which hang from its large fan-shaped leaves. It 

 forms a noble plant in very poor soil, and if the 

 leaves are tied up in the winter to prevent them 

 being broken by the wind, it will be found to be a 

 suitable palm for gardens on the coast. It can be 

 raised from seeds, or young plants purchased from the 

 local nurserymen. 



PANDANE/E. 



Pandanus odoratissimus The Screw Pine. A very 

 handsome plant, suitable for a large garden. It has 

 terminal heads of long sedge-like leaves arranged in 

 a screw-like manner, from which it derives its name, 

 and the large aerial roots which hang down from the 

 branches gives it a curious effect. The plant, which 

 is of two sex, flowers in March and April with huge 

 panicles of creamy-white flowers, which impart a 

 strong fragrance like pine-apple. The fruit is in the 

 form of a large cone. It is commonly met with in 



