THE PALM-STEM. 5 



ON PALM-STEMS. 

 Form of the Palm-stem. 



The organization of the Stem of Palms undoubtedly 

 exhibits common characters throughout all species : it is 

 simple (except in Hyphcene), almost cylindrical, generally 

 upright, encircled by the scars of the leaves which sur- 

 round the stem, but without true nodes; fixed to the 

 earth by slender fibrous roots ; having at the apex a tuft 

 of leaves, in the axils of which stand the spadices. The 

 internal structure is, generally speaking, as follows : the 

 groundwork of the whole stem is an uniform, lax paren- 

 chyma, in which lie, scattered irregularly, slender vascular 

 bundles, running apparently parallel with the axis of the 

 stem; those lying nearest to the circumference of the 

 stem are mostly thicker, of a more woody consistence, 

 and placed closer together than those situated in the 

 interior ; from this circumstance, the stem often possesses 

 very considerable solidity toward the periphery. 



For the convenience of anatomical description, I divide Palm-stems into 

 some subdivisions, which, however, do not correspond to the systematic 

 subdivisions based on the modifications of the structure of the flowers and 

 fruit. 



1. The Cane-Vko, (Geonoma-like) palm-stem, Caudex arundinaceus, is thin, 

 slender, upright, with the nodes tolerably near together, the internodes 

 obconical, the epidermis smooth, shining, and not decaying from the action 

 of the atmosphere. These stems are moderately strong, the parenchyma is 

 simple and close, the fibres lying in the middle of the stem softer, those at 

 the circumference often pretty hard, the liber-like layer weak. At first sight, 

 these stems bear much resemblance to the stems of Grasses, especially of 

 bamboo, to which the yellow colour acquired on drying, and the obconical 

 form of the internodes, which give the stem an articulated aspect, much con- 

 tribute ; they are, however, easily distinguished from, the culms and subter- 

 raneous stems of Grasses, by the absence of a central cavity, and by the 

 circumstance that the vascular bundles do not form any reticuiarly branched 

 interlacement at the nodes. This stem occurs in most species of Geonoma, 

 many species of Bactris, in Hyospathe, Chamtedorhea ; similar forms, but 



