227 
LXVITI.—_MADAGASCAR PIASSAVA. 
(Dictyosperma fibrosum, Wright.) 
[K. B., 1894, pp. 358-359. ] 
For r nearly twenty years a fibre ered Prente Brazilian Piassava 
rnae in Kew Bulletin, 1889, pp. 237-242) has been obtained 
from the island of Madagascar. it rae moderately long, of a iaie 
brown colour, and seidautty obtained from the stem of a palm 
ordinary Piassava. The quantity produced was never very large, od 
in the early stages of the enterprise the fibre was shipped in a very 
to the discovery of West African Pias or “ bass fibre d from 
Raphia gaged (described in i KaD Bulletin, 1891, pp. 155), the prices 
obtained for Madagascar Piassava have apparently fallen almost as low 
as the cost of production, hence little of it has appeared lately in the 
London market. For the first Scie of Madagascar Piassava, now in 
ii . Puddy & C 
of Mincing Lane. This was noseia in 1890. At that time the plant 
yielding it was not known. The more common palms of Madagascar 
such as species of Hyphæne, Dypsis, Raphia and Bismarckia, were 
believed not to yield this fibre. Hence it was inferred that there 
existed in the island a palm not yet described. This eventually proved 
to the cas ough ff. 
East India Avenue, E.C., Kew obtained in 1890 specimens of the 
complete plant known locally as Vonitra, with stem and oka showing 
exactly the manner in which the fibre was produced, Each = hada 
m fr 
Mauritius isi Bo séba bat are o aisti distinguished both from this and 
other species. Many o of the plants raised at Kew have been distributed 
to botanical establishments in the Ename A Very soon the species will 
robably be well represented under cultiyati 
f Asa ie. bieti the following eee ern of this palm has been 
prepared from such material as is now available. No flowers have yet 
been received. 
_ Dictyosperma fibrosum, O. H. Wright; arbor, caule erecto fibris ex 
pinnat is, 
E PY vis 4 
8895 
