THE PALMS OF BRITISH INDIA AND CEYLON. 



677 



Description. — Soboliferous ; stem -|-10 feet high, 9 inches in 

 diameter, densely covered with the bases of the fallen petioles, more 

 or less spirally arranged ; root suckers developing when the primar) T 

 stem has been burnt or injured. Leaves 4-8 feet long; leaflets 

 pliable, 10-20 inches long, ^-\ inch broad, fasciculate, more or less 

 quadrifarious, the uppermost sometimes confluent, base not thick- 

 ened and not decurrent into the common petiole ; petioles 1 inch 

 broad at the base, with spines reaching 3 inches long. Spathe about 

 8 inches long, with fringed margin. Spadix scarcely exceeding* 

 the spathe. Fruiting spadix 3-4 feet long, the compressed peduncle 

 much elongate. Fruit ^ inch long, at first orange then black. 



Habitat. — Western Ghats, from the Konkan southwards, ascend- 

 ing to about 6,000 feet on the Nilghiris ; common on the Ghats of 

 N. Kanara. 



Flowers from December to February. 



Uses. — The fruit is edible. The leaflets are made into mats 

 commonly used for covering bales of red pepper in the Dharwar 

 district. 



C 



¥m. 



Transverse section of seed of — 



1 . JPhcenix sy Ivestris (Nat. size ) . 



2. Phoenix paludosa (2x ). 



3. Phoenix canariensis (Nat. size) 



4. Phoenix reclinata (2x). 



17 



Longitudinal section of seed of — 



5. Phoenix sylvestris (Nat. size). 



6. Phoenix paludosa [2x). 



7. Phoenix canariensis (Nat. size). 



8. Phoenix humttis (2 x ). 



9. Phoenix daclylifera <Nat. sizp). 



(After Beccari). 



