THE PALMS OF BRITISH INDIA ANB CEYLON, 677 



nionoecioiTS, and needs no artificial fertilisation. The fruits are 

 almost spherical with a short swelling at the summit ; they attained 

 maturity about the end of September and beginning of October. 

 Their size is that of a small apricot, and the colour rather pale 

 yellow ; they are composed of a stringy, not edible, husk, and a 

 large seed with a hard shell, and rather oily kernel, with a flavour 

 suggesting that of a Hazel-nut. In the seed-covering were notice- 

 able the three holes characteristic of the cocoa-nut tribe, and 

 through one of which the radicle emerges. When the seed is ripe 

 the husk splits and the seed escapes. Jubsea is one of the hardiest 

 palms known and in this respect is almost equal to the Chamasrops 

 of Southern Europe. It has also another advantage : it flourishes 

 in dry soil, if this is of a certain depth, and is able, unlike the Date 

 Palm, to dispense with watering, and therefore grows where the 

 Date does not thrive without expensive artificial irrigation. 



" The utility of Jubaea as a sugar-producer is well-established, 

 and the cultivation of it in its native habitats is an important 

 source of revenue. Unfortunately there is often long to wait, even 

 from twenty to thirty years, and, like other trees, it is planted for 

 posterity. As compensation, it lasts for a century, needing no 

 attention beyond the extraction of the sugary sap, cutting the 

 racemes before flowering, or harvesting the flowers if the sugar is 

 not extracted. It should be understood that if cultivation is 

 undei-taken, it can only be in Algeria and other places of the same 

 latitude and climate. In France the great Chilian Pahn is but a 

 curiosity or ornamental tree." 



Illustration. — Dr. Beccari was kind enough to send me the 

 photograph reprodiiced on Plate LXXXIX. On the left there is a 

 specimen of Juhoea spectabilis, in the middle of Erytliea armata 

 and on the right of Tr achy carpus TahiL The latter was described 

 in our first papers. The palms grow in the garden of the 

 Villa Beccari near Florence. 



0. Suh-tribe: BAOTRIDE^. 



Spadix much branched, or little, or not at all ; upper spathe com- 

 plete, persistent, spiny, bristly or velvetly hairy. Male and female 

 flowers united into clusters of 3 at the base of the branches or 

 spadix, whose upj)er parts are male. Calyx and corolla of the female 

 flowers in Martinezia and Acrocoviia of 3 leaves, imbricate, in the 

 others the leaves are united. Stigma sessile on the ovar}^. Endo- 

 carp with 3 pits situated obliquely, or symmetrically round at the 

 apex; radicle of the embryo obliquely ascending. Leaf-sheaths, 

 midrib, and often the leaflets, spinous. 



Matrinezia, Kth., Acrocomia, Mart., Astrocaryum, Me}^., Bactris, 

 Jacq., Besmoncus, Mart. 



