THE PALMS OF BRITISH INDIA AND CEYLON. 345 



a short distance from the middle into 8 triangular segments. 

 Stamens 6, united in a ring. Filament short, setaceous from a 

 \&vj dilated base. Anthers oblong, versatile. Pollen lanceolar with 

 one fold. Ovary obconical, yellow, with a depressed, red spotted 

 apex ; carpels cohering by means of a short, trisulcate filiform 

 style. Stigma simple. Ovule solitary, erect, anatropous. Drupe 

 |-1 inch in diameter, reniform globose, slightl}^ attenuate at the 

 base, of a leaden blue colour, marked on one side with a depressed 

 whitish line. Seed erect, presenting on the side correspond- 

 ing with the above line on the fruit, a broad raphe-like line. 

 Albumen horny, opposite the centre of the above line deeply 

 excavated ; cavity filled with a spongy substance. Embryo 

 opposite the excavation or situated in the centre of the dorsal 

 face. 



Habitat. — Upper Assam : Gubrow Purbut ; common throughout 

 Assam, but most plentiful in the Nowgong district ; Naga Hills. 

 Sikkim, lower hills and outer valleys. 



Uses. — -" This palm is an indispensable accompaniment of every 

 native gentleman's house, but in some parts it is rare, and the 

 trees are then of great value. The leaves are in universal use 

 throughout Assam for covering the tops of doolees (palan queens), 

 and the roofs of boats, also for making the peculiar hats, or rather 

 umbrella-hats (jhapees) of the Assamese. For all these purposes 

 the leaves are admirably adapted from their lightness, toughness, 

 and durability." (Jenkins). 



Cultivation in Europe. — This palm is a beautiful greenhouse 

 plant. 



LIVISTONA 8PECI0SA, Kurz in Journ. As. Soc. Beng. xliii, II, 

 (1874), 196, 204, t. 13, 14 ; For. Fl. II, 526; Hook. Fl. Brit. Ind. VI, 435 ; 

 Brandis, Ind. Trees 656. 



Names. — Taung tan, Taw tan (Burm.) 



Description. — Trunk 50-70 feet ; all parts glabrous ; leaves 

 palmately flabellate, about 6-7 feet across each wa}^, plaited ; the 

 petiole at the base up to an inch broad, armed with strong, sharp, 

 falcately curved, flattish, blackish spines, the lower spines up to ^ 

 inch long and longer by 3-4 lines broad at the base ; sheaths dividing 



