241 



teen species, making his primary division of the genus on the 

 number of the segments of the leaf and their relative length to 

 the undivided part, a character which fails altogether in life, the 

 leaves of young plants of species of this genus being often quite 

 different from those borne by old trees, as may be readily seen 

 in the Bahamas and in Jamaica. C. argentea (Lodd.) Sarg., the 

 oldest species included in the genus, is restricted by Beccari to 

 the island of Santo Domingo, and, according to him, little is 

 known of it at the present time. In my studies I have been 

 unable to satisfy myself as to the origin of the plant listed by 

 Loddiges as Tlirinax argentea, and I am not clear from Professor 

 Beccari's discussion of the subject that it really came from that 

 island. The Index Kewensis attributes it to Panama. On the 

 other hand, the plant described by Professor Sargent from Florida 

 as C. jiiainda in 1899, and which, from my observation, has a 

 wide range in the West Indies, throughout the Bahamas to 

 the island of Culebra and to Jamaica, is more likely to be the 

 true T. argentea. I am also unable to separate specifically from 

 this species, the C. Garberi (Chapm.) Sarg., of southern Florida, 

 as it seems to differ only in being smaller. In the collections 

 made by Mr. Nash in the pine forests of the mountains of Hayti 

 there is a species of CoccotJirinax which appears to be wholly 

 distinct from anything recorded by Professor Beccari. 



15. Crysopliila ««;^rt (H.B.K.) Blume, from southern Mexico, 

 is regarded as dubious. 



The volume will stimulate the study of American palms. A 

 considerable number of the species are as yet known only from 

 single collections of herbarium specimens and further collections 

 will be needed, together with field observations and the study of 

 living plants in conservatories, to establish them as valid. Mean- 

 while we thank Professor Beccari for his important contribution. 



N. L, Britton. 



