THE PALMS OF BRITISH IXDIA AXI> CEYLOX. 927 



Cleophova (Ifiwlrif'irDii", Loddiges in Cat. plant. Iiort. xiroprii in Hackney 

 prope Lond. 



Name. — Loddiges' Latania. 



Description. — Trunk 50 feet high. Petiole o-4i feet long, 

 tonientose, the margins entire in the mature, spin}^ in the yonng 

 plant ; blade o-o feet long, ver}^ glaucous ; the primaiy veins 

 beneath slightly tomentose, and tinged with red, especially in 

 3^oung plants ; segments 2 feet long, not quite 3 inches broad, 

 unequally acuminate, the edges spiny in young plants. 



Male spadix 5i feet long, with 8-12 branches ; spikes 1-08 

 inches long, i| — ^V inch broad, arising in clusters of o-9 from the 

 end ■ of the branches on a level ^^ith the mouth of the spathe. 

 Perianth |- inch long; segments] not fringed; stamens 16-20, or 

 more ; pistillode of 3-5 grooved filaments nearly as long as the 

 stamens. Female spadix 3^-1 feet long, with ■)-(!> branches, each 

 bearing 1 or 2 spikes. 



Fruit a drupe, obovoid orpyriform, trigonous, 2\ inches long, 1| 

 inch broad; pyrenes elongate-obovoid, faintly mucronate at the 

 apex, l|-2^ inches long, |-| inch broad, with a central ridge 

 along the convex face w^ith tree-like branching in the upper third, 

 the inner surface furnished with a central crest, usually for only 

 a part of its length. Seed with a dark l^rown testa. 



Habitat. — Mauritius, on Round Island, Flat Island, and Coin 

 de Mire ; introduced on the main land. 



Illustration.- — We reproduce onjplate XXXVII a photograph 

 of Latania, Loddifjedi, taken b}^ Mr. Macmillan in the Boy. Bot. 

 Gardens of Peradeniya. The stem is covered, almost from the 

 base, with the leases of fallen leaves. 



LATAXIA VERSCHAFFELTIE lemaire. 111. Hort, VI, t. 229.^- 

 L. aui-ea, Duncan, Cat. Hort. Maur. o2. 



Description. — Trunk 40 feet high ; petiole 5-8 feet long, 

 densely tomentose, with entire, orange margins, spiny in young 

 plants ; blade pale green, 4^-5 feet long ; segments 2i feet long, 



1 Cf. U. Dammer: Latania Verschaffeltii. Lem. Gard. Chron. f&v. 3,11)02, vol. 31, 

 p '.!7-;i8. 



