550 The Andes and the Amazons. 



carjpa, E. et P., or " Polo-ponto," has a very short trunk or 

 none at all, and large, pinnate leaves with about one hun- 

 dred pairs of pinnae, which begin at the very base of the 

 leaf. The fruit is about the size of a man's head, and is 

 well packed with from twelve to twenty seeds. P. micro- 

 carjpa^ K. et P., or " Yarina," is smaller, and is found as 

 far east as the Napo. Both species differ from the one 

 growing near Guayaquil, which has a high trunk. 



Cakludovica ^aZm«!z;a, R. et P., or "Bombonaje," from 

 which straw hats are made, has no stem, the leaves on long 

 slender petioles springing from the ground. Tlie leaves 

 are about two feet long, fan-shaped and four-parted, each 

 segment being again ten-cleft ; so that when folded in ver- 

 nation, each segment on its own rib, there are eighty lay- 

 ers in a young leaf. It is this young, unexpanded leaf, 

 split into 160 or more strips, that is used in the manufac- 

 ture of " Panama hats." It is confined to the Andes. 



