THE PALMS OF BRITISH INDIA AND CEYLON. 49 



123. Diplothemium, Mart. Sp. 5, Brazil. 



124. Jubtea, Gay, Sp. 1, Chile, 31-35° S. Lat. 



j 25. * * Martinezia, Kth. Sp. 7, Tropical America. 



126. * * Acrocomia, Mart. Sp. 7, Tropical America. 



127. * ° Astrocaryum, Mey. Sp. 29, Tropical America ; Brazil, 



128. ° * Bactris, Jacq. Sp. 90, Tropical America. 



129. Desmoncus, Mart., Sp. about 25 Tropical America. 



Teibe V. PhyTELEPHANTIN/E. 



130. * * Phytelephas, R, & P. Sp. 3, Tropical America, between 9°N. Lat. 



and 8° S, Lat. 



131. * Nipa, Thunb. Sp. 1, Tropical Asia ; New Guinea ; Australia. 



DISTRIBUTION OF PALMS IN BRITISH INDIA. 



Roughly speaking about a hundred species have been described as 

 being indigenous to British India and Ceylon ; certainly a small 

 number if compared with many regions in tropical America. Nearly 

 all of them are comparatively unobtrusive, and if a traveller in India 

 meets palms forming a conspicuous feature in the landscape of the 

 plains, he may be sure that the trees are either Wild Date- 

 Palms (PhcenLc sylvestris) or Palmyra-Palms (Borassus flahellifer), 

 or, near the sea, Cocoa-nut Palms (Cocos nucifera). The most 

 majestic palm of India and easily distinguished by its stature, foliage 

 and inflorescence, is the Talipot (Corypha), but it is exceedingly rare 

 and confined to certain localities. 



A short survey of the botanical regions of India, as laid down by 

 Sir Joseph Hooker, will reveal some interesting facts regarding the 

 distribution of Palms. 



We begin with the Burmese region, which is richest in species, 

 not only regarding its whole vegetation, but also as to its palm flora. 

 According to Sir J. Hooker, the region is bounded on the north and 

 north-east by the flanking mountains to the south of the Assam 

 valley and China, on the east by China and Siam, on the west by 

 Bengal and the Indian Ocean, and on the south' by the State of 

 Khedah in the Malay Peninsula. W r e include here also the Andaman 

 and Nicobar Islands. Up to 70 species have been recorded from this 

 region, of which, according to our present knowledge of the neigh- 

 bouring countries 28 are endemic. 



We may divide this botanical region into four sub-regions, North- 

 ern, Western, Eastern, and Central, to which we shall add, in the 

 7 



