.380 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXI. 



long bearing 25 and more branchlets of 4 inches in length and 

 sTibdivided into shorter branchlets ; the branchlets of the 

 fruiting spadix are slightly stonter. Flowers inserted spirally 

 and Mdthout great regularity on the branchlets, provided with 

 a bract and a bracteole, both exceedingly small and apicu- 

 late, in a well developed bud measuring ^ inch, oblong, more 

 or less obtusely apiculate at the apex, when quite open /g-i 

 inch long ; calyx cyathiform-campanulate, divided down to 

 the middle into 3 broadly triangular or deltoid and slightly acute 

 lobes j petals 1^ times or twice as long as the calyx ; petals united 

 at the base into a short tube, ovate-ellipsoid, concave-cymbiform, 

 slightly acute, not denticulate on the margins ; stamens all equal, 

 subulate ; anthers small, very broadly cordate-sagittate, almost as 

 broad as long. Ovary narrowly trigonous-pyramidal ^^-^ inch 

 long, 3-sulcate ; stigma papillose, truncate-capitellate. Fruit 

 supported by the perianth, perfectly spherical, showing the per- 

 manent style, when fully ripe ^-§ inch in diameter, black, shining ; 

 pericarp thin, pellicular ; mesocarp very slightly fleshy, " brown- 

 violescent, slightly bitter. Seed globular, a little depressed, with 

 shining surface, about ^ inch in diameter ; hilum eccentric ; 

 embryo situated towards the middle of one side or a little below 

 it, penetrating horizontally into the albumen for about \ of the 

 .seed. Sometimes 2 seeds are developed and then the fruit is 

 ■didymous ; sometimes again one ovule is perfect and the other 

 incompletely developed ; in this case the fruit is more or less 

 distinctly gibbous at the base. 



Habitat. — In the south-eastern part of the United States : from • 

 North Carolina southwards to Florida and westwards to Arkansas, 

 Louisiana and Texas. 



Grows in low and humid forests and inundated places, prefers 

 sandy soil ; occurs also on the seashore. 



Note. — Sahal Adansoni is a very variable plant showing great 

 adaptability to the various conditions of climate and soil. In this 

 respect it resembles the Indian Phoeniix Jmmilis. 



The polymorphism of the Swamp Palmetto can be observed 

 especially in the vegetative parts and in the greater ort smaller 

 number of subdivisions of the partial inflorescences (branches) 



