LIVISIONA, 237 



armed with spines along' the edges. They are suitable for 

 general decorative purposes, as well as for public exhi- 

 bition. If these plants are used for the sub-tropical gar- 

 den, they should be somewhat shaded by surrounding 

 trees. Idvistonas are all strong robust plants, with large 

 flabelliform leaves, and stout stems, varying in different 

 species from ten to a hundred feet in height ; they are- 

 widely distributed through the East Indies and the Indian 

 Archipelago, extending even to the Australian continent 

 The flower spikes are branched, and produced from 

 amongst the leaves, the footstalks being sheathed with 

 several abortive spathes ; the flowers are perfect. Fruits 

 clothed with a dry skin, one-seeded. 



Being strong rooting plants, they should be potted in a 

 compost consisting of two parts loam, and one peat, with a 

 little sand added ; they should, however, be liberally sup- 

 plied with water during summer, and although less is re- 

 quired in winter, they must then by no means be dried or 

 allowed to suffer. Increased by seeds. 



L. aUissima. — A noble plant, the stem as it acquires age 

 becoming stout, and of considerable height. In a younger 

 state the petioles are from two to six feet in length, the 

 upper part green, the base brown, enclosed in a , reddish 

 brown network of woody fibres, and armed on each edge 

 with stout and sharp recurved black spines. Its fan-lik& 

 plaited leaves are eighteen to twenty-four inches from 

 point of insertion to the margin, and divided into segments, 

 about one-third the way down, each segment bifid at th& 

 top ; colour bright shining green. Native of the Indian. 

 Archipelago. 



L. australis. — This is one of the most useful and orna- 

 mental greenhouse Palms in cultivation, perhaps better, 

 known to many of our readers by the siame Goryplia 



