284 OENAMBNTAL FOLIAGE PLANTS. 



sheathing, and densely armed with formidable black spines 

 between three and four inches in length ; the blade is 

 perfectly unarmed, deep green, spotted with dull orange. 

 It is known in some continental gardens by the name 

 of Astrocaryum aureo piotwm. Native of the Seychelles 

 Islands. 



Phoenix. 



This genus of Palms is very interesting and extremely 

 useful, P. daotylifera being the plant from whence the 

 Dates of our shops are obtained, and though used but to 

 a small extent by us, these form an all-important crop to 

 I the tribes who cultivate the Date Palm. The plants com- 

 prising this genus vary much in habit, for whilst some are 

 almost destitute of stem, others attain considerable height, 

 their crown of long pinnate leaves being supported upon 

 stout trunks. The flower spikes are produced from 

 amongst the leaves, and not below them, male and female 

 flowers being produced on separate plants. The fruits are 

 ovate, fleshy, and one-seeded. The seeds of PJixnix can be 

 easily distinguished from all other Palms, by the deep 

 groove extending down the back. To grow these plants 

 quickly, use loam and peat in equal parts for pottiug them 

 in, and give an abundance of heat and moisture, but if the 

 plants have attained to a size sufficiently large for the 

 accommodation at command, pot them in loam and sand, 

 and keep them in a greenhouse. Nearly all the species 

 are well adapted for the decoration of apartments, or for 

 the sub-tropical garden in summer, and in the young state 

 they form elegant objects upon the dinner table. Seeds 

 afford the best and readiest means of increasing them, 

 but suckers are also frequently to be obtained before the 

 base of the stem is formed. 



