Borassus.] LXXVii. VAlMM. 543 



the common peduncle (spadix) being often 'branching, thick, and some- 

 times woody. The flowers are rarely bisexual, generally dioicous, monoi- 

 cous, or polygamous. Calyx and corolla, as a rule, consist of 3 segments 

 or leaves each, those of the fertile flowers are commonly persistent in fruit. 

 Stamens 6, rarely 3, 9, or numerous ; anthers 2-ceUed, opening longitudi- 

 nally. Ovary 3-ceUed, one ovule in each ceU; sometimes 3 distinct 

 1-ceUed carpels. Seed albuminous^ albumen cartilaginous, horny, or oily. 

 Embryo small, cylindric, when germinating the upper, end remains en- 

 closed in the seed, enlarging considerably at the expense of the albumen, 

 whUe the lower part lengthens out, throwing out lateral rootlets, and at 

 a greater or less distance from the seed, the plumula emerges &om the 

 slit, bearing one or two truncate sheaths, which surround the undivided 

 leaves of the seedling. — Eoyle 111. 394 ; Martins, Historia Naturalis Pal- 

 marum, folio, vol. i.-iii., 1823-1850. Griffith, The Palms of British 

 India in the Calcutta Journal of Natural History, vol. v., 1845, and 

 (with plates and additions) in folio in the Posthumous Papers : Calcutta, 

 1850. 



This Family, which comprises upwards of 680 species, is commonly 

 divided into the following six Tribes : — 



Borasdnece. — Leaves fan-shaped ; flowers unisexual, commonly dioicous ; 

 male flowers in the axils of whorled closely imbricate bracts, in thick 

 cylindric spikes ; albumen horny or cartilaginous — Borassus, Hy- 

 phmne, Lodoicea. 



CorypMnecB. — Leaves fan-shaped, base of petiole broad-based or sheath- 

 ing, sheath fibrous ; flowers bisexual or polygamous, in compound 

 panicles ; carpels 3, distinct or cohering ; albumen horny — Chamce- 

 rojas, Oorypha. 



Ph(mioii?,ecB. — Leaves pinnate, leaflets entire, petiole on a short reticulate 

 fibrous sheath ; flowers dioicous, in long spikes at the end of a com- 

 pressed, often woody pedimcle ; carpels 3 ; fruit fleshy, 1 -seeded, 

 enclosing a hard seed with bony albumen — Phoenix. _ 



Areeinem. — Leaves pinnate, leaflets entire or jagged ; petioles sheathing ; 

 flowers monoicous, inflorescence of long drooping spikes at the end 

 of a thick, almost fleshy peduncle ; seeds hard with horny albumen 

 —WaUicMa, Caryota, Areca, Ceroxylon, Arenga. 



Coeoinece.—LesLves pinnate, leaflets entire, petioles amplexicaul, with a 

 fibrous base J flowers monoicous, inflorescence of long drooping spikes 

 at the end of a thick sometimes branched peduncle ; albumen oily 

 or cartilaginous — Cocos, Elceis. 



LepidooaryineoB.— hemes pinnate, leaflets entire, petioles on long sheaths, 

 petioles and sheaths with prickles, scattered or in oblique lines or 

 rings ; flowers monoicous or dioicous, in compound panicles,_ with 

 sheathing bracts at the ramifications, common peduncle, petiole or 

 sheath often terminating in long thorny whip-like thongs ; ovary 

 3-celled; fruit covered with closely adpressed, imbricate, recurved 

 scales ; albumen homj— Calamus, Metroxylon, Sagus. 



