329 



THE PALMS OF BRITISH INDIA AND CEYLON, 

 INDIGENOUS AND INTRODUCED 



BY 



E. Blatter, S.J. 



Part XV. 



(With Plcdes LXXXI-LXXXIII.) 



(Continued from. iKuje 71 of this Volume.) 



AREGA, L. Gen. Nat. 1225. 



Gaertn. Fruct. I., t. 7, fig. 2.— Mart. Hist. Nat. Palm. Ill, 1169, 311, t, 

 102, 149.— Kimth Enum. PI. III. 183, 637 (excl. sp.)— Bl. Rumph. II 64 

 t. 99, 100, fig. 1, 101, 102, A, B, C, 108 ; III, t. 160, 163, D.— Griff. Palms 

 Brit. Ind. 146, t. 230 (section Pinanga)— Miq. Fl. Ind. Bat. Ill, 8 (ArecjB 

 sect. 1). — Scheff. Ann. Jard. Bot. Buitenz, I. 112, 132, 144, t. 1-8. — Drude 

 Bot. Zeitg. 1877, t. 6, fig. 16, 17— Becc. Males. I. 17. (excl. subg. 3) 

 97.— Rgl. Gartenfl. 1879, 199.— Benth. & Hook. Gen. PI. Ill, II, 833, 

 1.— Hook. Fl. Brit. Ind. VI, 405. 



Stem erect, smooth, green in the tipper portion, annulate. 

 Leaves pinnate ; base of petiole expanding into a smooth, green^ 

 amplexicanl sheath ; leaflets thin, often confluent, with several 

 midribs, attached to the rhachis in a vertical line. 



Spadix androgynous, below the leaves, branch ed,bearing numerous 

 close-set spikes : spathes several. Male flowers many, minute,, 

 occupying the upper portion of the spikes ; sepals small ; petals much 

 longer, obliquely lanceolate, valvate ; stamens 3 or 6 ; filaments 

 short 5 anthers basifixed, erect. Female flowers much larger, few 

 at the base of the spikes ; perianth accrescent ; sepals and petals 

 orbicular, imbricate, the petals with acute valvate tips ; ovary 

 1 -celled; stigmas 3, sessile; ovule 1, basal, erect. 



Fruit ovoid or oblong, supported by the persistent perianth ;. 

 mesocarp fibrous. Seed with a truncate base ; endosperm deeply 

 ruminate ; embryo basilar. 



Species about 16. — Tropical Asia and Australia. 



Cultivation in Europe, — Very ornamental and graceful stove 

 palms. They grow very well in a compost of loam, peat, and leaf 

 soil, in equal parts, with a liberal addition of sand. When fully 

 developed the}^ prefer a compost with about two-thirds of loam and 

 some rotten cow-mantire. The seeds germinate in a compost 

 similar to the one first mentioned ; they must be placed in a moist 

 gentle heat. These palms are very effective, in a young state for 

 the decoration of drawing rooms and dinner tables. 

 17 



