THE PALMS OF BRITISH INDIA AND CEYLON. 983 



In April 1902 one of the palms produced 3 male spadices. 

 The same tree measured in November 1904 almost 13 feet, taken 

 from the ground to the top of the central leaves. 



Errata. — On page 703 of the previous Number it was stated 

 under the heading Habitat that Tr achy car pus martiana was found 

 in Kumaon ; this appears to be a mistake as this species does not 

 seem to occur in Kumaon. 



RHAPIS, L. f. in Ait, Hort, Kew., Ill, 473. 

 (From the Greek " Bliapis ": a rod.) 



Jacq. Hort, Schoenbr. t, 316.— Mart. Hist. Nat. Palm. Ill, 253, 

 t . 144.— Kunth, Enum. PL III, 251.— Walp. Ann. Ill, 471.— 

 Bot. Mag. t. 1371.— Miq. Fl. Ind. Bot. Ill, 61.— Benth. and Hook. 

 Gen. PI. Ill, II. 930, 99. 



Stem low, cane-like, casspitose, covered with the remains of the 

 petioles. Leaves alternate, terminal, small, with the segments 

 divided almost to the base ; margins of segments denticulate. 

 Spadix long-peduncled ; peduncle with 2-3 short, tubular spathes. 

 Flowers dioecious or polygamous on the slender branches of the 

 paniculately branched spadix, yellowish. Catyx cupular, 3-dentate. 

 Corolla in male flowers club-shaped, in female flowers shorter, 

 obovate. Stamens 6, rudimentary in the female flowers. Carpels 

 3, fleshy, ending in short styles. Beny small, 1 -seeded ; pericarp 

 fleshy ; endocarp soft ; seed compressed-globose ; embryo ventral. 



Species at least 9 1 . — Eastern Asia, from China to the Sunda 

 Islands. 



Cultivation in Europe. — Densely tufted green house palms. 

 The species are of a very easy culture. They thrive in a compost 

 of rich, strong loam to which is added a small portion of vegetable 

 mould and sand ; they require perfect drainage and plenty of water 

 throughout the summer. Propagation may be effected by suckers. 



RHAPIS FLABELLIFORMIS, Ait., Hort. Kew. eel. I., Ill, 473.— 

 Mart. Hist. Nat. Palm. III., 253, t. 144.— Kunth, En. PL III, 251.— Jacq. 

 Hort. Schcenbr. t. 316.— Bot. Mag. t. 1371.— Franch. etSavat. En. PL Jap. 

 II, 2.— Benth. Fl. Hongk. 340.— Bretschn. Hist. Europ. Bot. Disc. 126. 

 — R. kwanwortsik, H. WendL, Ind. Palm. 34. — Seem. Bot. Voy. Herald, 416. 



1 O. Beccari has lately described some new species of Rhapis. Cf. Webbia, vol. 3, 

 Firenze,1910. 



