347 



THE PALMS OF BRITISH INDIA AND CEYLON, 

 INDIGENOUS AND INTRODUCED. 



BY 



E. Blatter, S. J. 



Part II. 



( With Plates II, III, IV & V.) 



(Continued from page 6 % of this Volume.) 



I.— CORYPHIKZE. 



Spadix loosely branched, often a prolix panicle. Flowers diclinous, 

 polygamous or hermaphrodite, single or in long rows flowering 

 from above ; carpels 3 (Thrinax 1), free or loosely united, always 

 separating after fertilisation and developing into 1 — 3 smooth 

 berries. Fan or feather leaves ; leaflets induplicate. 



1. Phoenice^e. 



Spadix surrounded by a large complete spathe, remaining 

 closed up to the time of pollination. Flowers dicecious, dimorphic. 

 Ovary of 3 free carpels, one only ripening. Seed ventrally 

 grooved; embryo usually dorsal. Leaves imparipinnate ; leaflets 

 with induplicate sides. 



Distribution. — The whole of Africa (except the palmless regions, 

 the South-African floral region and the East-African islands) ; 

 Arabia ; Western Asia in the region of the Euphrates and Tigris, 

 through India to the Sunda Islands and Cochin-China. 



The only genns is : 



PHOENIX, L. GEN. NAT. 1224, 



(From the Greek " Phoinix, " which was originally the name 

 for " purple colour ; " later on the name was given to the Date 

 Palm on account of the colour of the dates, which is somewhat 

 between yellow and purple red.) 



Mart. Hist. Nat. Palm. III. 257, 320, t. 120, 124, 136, 164.— Gaerfcn. 

 1'ruct. I. t. 9.— Lam. 111. t. 893.— Roxb. Corom. PI. I. t. 74 ; III. t. 

 12 



