670 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXII. 



sepals, very broad, shortly apiculate ; ovary gibbous-ovate, with 

 triangular stigmas; staminodes 6. 



Fruit ovoid-elliptic, at both ends slightly attenuate, straight (not 

 sigmoidal), about J inch long, ^-7/24 inch broad ; remains of 

 stigmas basilar ; fibres of mesocarp applanate, iiniseriate, spirally 

 sinuose and anastomosing. Seed obovate, acute at the base ; 

 embryo about the middle of the back. 



Habitat. — There is scarcely a doubt that the palm comes originally 

 from Madagascar (Beccari). 



In Indian gardens the palm is generally known Tinder the names 

 of Dyiosis or Areca tnadagascariensis . 



Illustration. — On plate LVIII we reproduce a photograph of 

 Chrysajlidocar'pus madagascariensis taken by Mr. Phipson. The 

 crown of leaves is much denser than in the foregoing species, 

 owing to the greater number of leaves and leaflets. In addition 

 to this, the appearance of this palm is changed considerably by the 

 fact that the tips of the leaflets are hanging o^er. 



HYOPHOBBE, Gaertn. Fruct, II. 186, t. 120. 



(From the Greek "Hys," swine, and "phorbe," food) 



Wendl. Illustr. Hort. 13, t. 462, 463.— Bak. Fl. Maurit. 382.— 

 Benth. and Hook. Gen. PI. Ill, II, 912, 62. 



Stem of considerable height, often very thick ; petiole subterete 

 on the back, grooved or flat on the face with a large, complete, 

 basal sheath ; leaves pinnate with slightly reduplicate subopposite 

 pinnse. 



Monoecius. Flowers superposed in linear, spirally-an-anged, 3-7- 

 flow^ered clusters on the branches of a compound spadix, the females 

 1 or 2 at the base of the cluster. Spathes many, distichous, imbri- 

 cated. Inner segments of the perianth valvate, twice as long as 

 the outer. Male flowers: Stamens 6, included ; filaments connate at 

 the base ; pistillode a triquetrous or conical column, shorter than the 

 stamens. Female flowers : Staminodes forming a cup with 6 

 teeth. 



Fruit a purplish drupe ; scar of the stigma subbasal ; mesocarp 

 succulent and fibrous ; endocarp chartaceous. Seed solitary, 

 ascending ; albumen homogeneous ; raphe branching, but not 

 anastomosing ; embryo subapical or median. 



Species 3. — Mascarene Islands. 



Cultivation in Europe. — Ornamental, middle-sized stove palms. 

 They grow well in a compost of loam, peat and leaf soil in equal 

 parts with a liberal addition of sand. When they are fully grown 

 about two-thirds of the compost should consist of loam. Propagation 

 is effected b}^ seeds, which are sown in a compost similar to the one 

 just mentioned and placed in a moist gentle heat. 



