THE PALMS OF BRITISH INDIA AND CEYLON, 



705 



Fig. 8. 



1. Female flower of Trachycarpus excelsa 



2. Petal and stamen of the same. 



Ovaries of the same. 



All magnified. 



(After Hooker.) 



Habitat. — Upper Burma, Yunan ; China, Japan. 



Uses. — The brown fibre surrounding the trunk is veiy strong : 

 the Chinese employ it for many domestic purposes. It is made 

 into ropes and cables for the junks and wrought into bed bottoms, 

 used by all classes of the population. Labourers and coolies in 

 Northern China make hats from the leaves. Also their " so-e," or 

 garment of leaves, which they wear in wet weather, is manufactured 

 from the leaves of this palm. 



Cultivation in India : — It needs protection from strong sun- 

 shine when grown in the plains. 



(To be continued.) 



