THE PALMS OF BEiriSH INDIA AND CEYLON. 



525' 



Spathes 8-10 inches long, white, narrow-oblong, acuminate, flat 

 at the back, 3-4 inches across. Spadix axillary, but, owing to the 

 falling away of the leaf as soon as the spathe is ready to open and 

 the flowers are fully formed, only flowering when infra-axillary, 

 horizontally patent from the stem, 1-3 feet long, sparingly branch- 

 ed; branches stout, devaricating, white in flower, green in fruit. 

 Flowers crowded, white, nearly ^ inch when expanded. Outer 

 perianth-segment broadly ovate in the female, narrower in the male,, 

 inner oblong, acute. 



Drupe nearly globose, -^-f inch in diameter, scarlet, shining. 



Habitat. — Kermadec Islands : Sunday Island, abundant from 

 sea-level to the tops of the hills (1,500 feet). Originally discovered 

 in Norfolk Island. 



Cultivation in Europe. — This and the foregoing species are orna- 

 mental stove-palms. They thrive well in a compost of loam and peat, 

 in equal proportions, to which a little silver sand may be added. 

 Plenty of pot room, and a liberal supply of water, both at the roots 

 and overhead, are essential. The seeds germinate quickly in a light 

 sandy soil, when placed on a hotbed. These palms are liable to be 

 attacked by Bed Spider or Thrips ; in that case the plants must be 

 sponged with soapy water. 



Dammer &&ys, that B. baueri and E. sapida are hardy drawing- 

 room palms which are best kept cool in winter. R. haueri some- 

 times stands several degrees of frost on the Eiviera. In its original 

 home R. sapida is, for some time of the 5'"ear, exposed to frost and 

 snow without taking harm. Salomon has observed that in winter 

 this palm thrives much better at 42-46° F. than in a higher or lower 

 temperature. Care should be taken, however, not to place the 

 palm too far away from the light. In summer the plant will do 

 Avell in the open garden. 



To distinguish B. haueri from R. sapida the following points of 

 difference should be noted : — 



R. haueri. 

 height and 



longer 



Greater 

 leaves. 



Leaflets of the regularly pin- 

 nate leaves more horizontal and, 

 compared with their length, 

 broader than those of R. sap>ida. 



cal. 



Flowers white. 



Fruits scarlet and more spheri- 



R. sapida. 



Leaflets more erect and com- 

 paratively narrower. 



Leaves more reflexed at the 

 top than in R. haueri. 



Flowers purplish-lilac. 



Fruits bright red, elliptic- 

 oblonff. 



