700 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTOR1 SOCIETY, Vol. XX. 



high, and in Italy it is much dwarfer, stem 5-6 inches in diameter 

 closely covered with triangular hard scales, 

 the bases of the old leaves. The new leaves 

 grow in a tuft at the top of the stem, and 

 have smooth flat stalks, with rigid spines 

 proceeding from the edge ; blade deeply 

 palmate, with from 12-15 narrow sword- 

 shaped divisions, which are slightly glaur 

 cous and downy. Spadix short compresed; 

 spathes 6-8 inches long, compressed, downy 

 at the edge. 



This palm is too well-known as to need a 

 detailed description. 



G. humilis is a very variable palm. We 

 mention only the following varieties : C. 

 humilis var. arbor escens, Mart (—0. arbor es- 

 cens Pers., C. elata and tomentosa, Hort.) of 

 N. Africa; var. bilaminata, Wendl., — con- 

 chtplicata, Kickx. ; glaucescens, Rgl.; gracilis, 

 Lodd. ; inermis, RgL; melanacantha, Rollis ; 

 robusta, Van Houtte, etc. 



Habitat. — This is the only palm indi- 

 genous to Europe. It is found as far up 

 as Nice in Italy, but thence southward 

 it has a great range, being met with in 

 all the countries bordering the Mediter- 

 ranean Sea. 



Uses. — The fibres furnished by the stem 

 mixed with camel's hair are used for Germination of seed of Oka- 



i . . ■ „ f, , , , , maerops humilis. 



making tent covers. Of the leaves they (After Martina.) 



make baskets, and cordage from all parts of the plant. The palm 

 also affords materials for paper-manufacture. The tree furnishes a 

 fibre resembling horse-hair, which is firm and elastic, and is used 

 in great quantities in the manufacture of carpets, under the 

 name of vegetable or African hair. The sails made from it are 

 better than those prepared from the Spanish broom {Genista 



