ON PALMS, CYCADS, AND BAMBOOS. 



839 



requires a good fibrous compost and a liberal supply of water. 

 N. Van-Houtteana (Oncosperma Van-Houtteana and Areca nobilis) 

 may always be recognised by its spiny petioles, which are rather 

 short and of a brick-red colour, bearing pinnate leaves gracefully 

 arched ; the pendent pinnae are of a bright green. In its native 

 country this Palm reaches a height of from 20ft. to 40ft. 



Oncosperma, a very distinct genus composed of stove species 

 bearing spiny stolons ; they are very closely allied to Acantho- 

 phmnix, but the latter has an erect and single stem. Oncospermas 

 are only represented in cultivation by two or three species, 

 which are, however, extremely decorative. The stems are 

 slender and spiny ; the leaves are terminal and equally 

 pinnatisect; the foot-stalks are sheathing and very spiny. These 

 plants require a light compost of two parts good peat and one 

 each of loam and sand, and enjoy copious supplies of water. 

 Propagated by seeds, and often by suckers. O. fasciculata is a 

 beautiful stove plant, with pinnate leaves of a deep green; the 

 pinnae are rather pendent and long, and the petioles are sheathing 

 and covered with slender dark spines. O. ftlamentosa {Areca 

 tigillaria) is a pretty 

 species in its young state, 

 but reaches in its native 

 country 40ft. to 50ft. in 

 height ; the leaves are 

 pinnate, and vary from 

 10ft. to 12ft. long; the 

 pinnae are very numerous, 

 narrow, and drooping. 



Oreodoxa. — Another 

 small but handsome genus 

 of Palms, represented in 

 cultivation by three or 

 four elegant unarmed 

 stove species with long 

 pinnate leaves; the 

 petioles are broadly clasp- 

 ing, and the stems are 

 slender and ringed ; the 

 flowers are white, small, 

 and monoecious, and the 

 fruits are ovoid or oblong- 

 ovoid. Oreodoxas may be 

 employed with success for 



greenhouse and sub-tropical gardening during the summer months 

 but care must be taken to protect them from rough winds, &c. 

 They thrive in a compost of loam, peat, and sand in equal parts, 

 O. granatensis is not very well known, but is extremely useful, 



Fig. 560. — Oreodoxa Sancona. 



