550 LXXVII. PALMiE, [WalUchia. 



spreading spikes, forming an erect panicle. Fruit crowded in erect spikes, 

 ovoid-oblong, brown and purple, supported at the base by the persistent 

 coriaceous perianth ; pulp scanty, with a mucilaginous acrid juice ; seeds 

 2, plano-convex. 



Hills east of Chittagong, Kasia hiUs, ascending to 4000 ft. Assam, Sikkim, 

 up the Teesta valley to Chakung, at 4400 ft., growing side by side with the 

 birch, willow, alder, and walnut (probably this species, Hook. Him. Joum. ii. 

 18). B^amaon, in shady and moist valleys, ascending to 3500, and at times to 

 4000 ft., forming extensive thickets in the valleys of the Kali and Sarju. 

 Bamauri Pass, below Naini Tal, and in the Patli Dun, which seems to be its 

 north-west limit. Fl. May, July. In Kamaon the leaves are used as thatch, 

 and are said to be imperishable. W. caryotoides, Eoxb. Cor. PI. t. 295 — Syn. 

 Harina caryotoides, Ham. ; Griff. Palms, p. 174, differs by cuneate pinnae, and 

 narrower ovate-lanceolate sheaths of the male inflorescence. Roxburgh's plate 

 gives the calyx of the male flower subglobose, but the description makes it 

 cyKndric. Chittagong, where, according to Eoxb., it is called Ghilpatta or Bel- 

 patta. Dense evergreen forest in the Rangoon district of Pegu (Pounglin, 

 Bonee, Zanungben). Tab. 2.37, in Griffith's Palms, marked H. caryotoides, is 

 evidently intended for H. oblongifolia. 



Nearly allied is Garyota wrens, Linn. ; Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 624 ; Mart. Hist. Nat. 

 Palm. 1. 107 ; Griff. Palms, p. 169 — theifcTAar P(dm of Western India. A splendid 

 tree with a smooth annulate stem, large bipinnate leaves 18-20 ft. long, 10-12 

 ft. broad, petioles sheathing, nearly amplexicaul, panicles wedge-shaped, the 

 lateral nerves terminating, as in WalUchia, in numerous short subulate teeth. 

 Flowers monoicous, the male and female flowers on the same inflorescence, one 

 female between two larger male flowers. Inflorescence long, hanging, 10 ft. 

 long and more, consisting of a thick cyhndric peduncle (spadjx), surrounded at 

 its base by numerous imbricate sheaths, and bearing at its end numerous slender 

 simple pendulous spikes. Calyx and corolla coriaceous, anthers numerous, on 

 short monadelphous filaments. No rudiment of ovary. Fruit with a thin acrid 

 pulp, producing a burning sensation on the tongue, whence the name, 2-seeded, 

 or 1-seeded by abortion ; seeds comraessed, oblong, J in. long, albumen homy, 

 ruminate, with black simple lines. Embryo at the back of the seed. Evergreen 

 forests of the Western Ghats, extending north to the Sattara district. a£o in 

 Ceylon and eastern Bengal, ascending to nearly 5000 ft. in Sikkim (Hook. Him. 

 Journ. L 143), Burma {Mimhoheti). The centre of the stem is generally soft, the 

 cells being filled with a Sago-Kke farina (starch), which is made into bread, and 

 eaten as gruel. The outer part is heavy and hard, with numerous firm, black 

 vascular bundles, which are closely packed, but not confluent near the circum- 

 ference, it is strong and durable, and is much used for building and agricultural 

 implements. The fibres of the sheathing petioles, and of the peduncle (spadix), 

 are made into rope and fishing-lines, which are said to be indestructible. But 

 the main value of this Pabn consists in the abundance of sweet sap which is 

 obtained (as in Cocos and Borassus) from the cut spadix, and which is either 

 fermented or boiled down into syrup and sugar. 



AlUed to Ca/ryota wens is Arenga saccharifera, LabiU. ; Griff. Calc. Journ. v. 

 472 ; Pabns, t. 235 A.— Syn. Saguerus Bumphii, Eoxb. FL Ind. iii. 626—30-40 

 ft. high, with long leaves, 15-25 ft. long, 10 ft. broad, petioles sheathing, with a 

 network of black horsehair-like fibres, which STuround the stem, and are used 

 for cordage ; pinnse fasciculate, linear, dentate, and jagged at the apex with 

 numerous longitudinal nerves, white underneath. Fruit 2 in. long, fleshy, 

 yeUow when ripe, 3-seeded, pulp very acrid. The heart of the stem contains 



