THE PALM FAMILY. 



26T 



spines. Male and female flowers, separate, but 

 borne upon the same spike. Of these plants Spruce 

 says : " In the forests of the Amazon the Bactrides 

 are almost as numerous as the Geonomas, and along 

 ■with them form no inconsiderable portion of the 

 undergrowth." From some of the species of Bactris 

 walking-sticks, with closely - ringed stems, are ob- 

 tained, and are sold under the name of ** Tobago 

 canes." All the species are worthy of the amateur's 

 attention as young plants. In Bactris concinna we 

 have a species growing from ten to fourteen feet 

 high, with narrow segments, admirably adapted for 

 table decoration. Common on the Amazon and 

 Solimoes. 



B. fiavispiua — ^is distinguish- 

 able by the long spines 

 being" yellow, with black 

 tips, height about six feet, 

 brazil. 



B. integrifolia — has reed- 

 like stems, aad ■ a hEtnd- 

 some crown of entire dark 

 green leaves, bifid at the 

 apex ; the petioles densely 

 armed with flat, hlack 

 spiues. It grows in the 

 inundated forests on the 

 Eio Negro. 



B. Mai-aja — is the giant of 

 the family, attaining a 

 height of from forty to 

 fifty feet, the stem being 



densely armed with large 

 spines j it is very similar 

 to the other species when 

 young, but has a stouter 

 stem. Brazil. 



B. simphcifrons— is a dwarf 

 plant with simple bi-lobed 

 leaves ; is usually found 

 growing with Geonoma 

 baculif era near Fara. 



B. tenuis — this is au elegant 

 smaU - growing species, 

 with a reed-like stem, 

 some tea feet high, and a 

 beautiful small head of 

 leaves ; stem and base of 

 petioles armed with flat, 

 black spines. Bio Negro. 



Brahea. — A small genus of fan-leaved Palms of 



rather slow growth, but very handsome as a genus ; 

 they are principally distinguished by their herma- 

 phrodite flowers, and some other minor details. The 

 species all belong to the Western Hemisphere. 



B. diilcis— stems stout, but 



very slow-growing; the 



petioles are somewhat 



downy, armed at the 



edges with, numerous 



small spiues,' and sur- 

 rounded at the base with 



a persistent net - work 



of tough brown fibres ; 



blade of leaf nearly 



circular, much plaited, 



divided into shallow sef- 



ments at margin, bril- 

 liant green on both sides. 



S. America. 

 B. filamentosa — tbis plant is 



of somewhat recent intro- 



duction; it was called 

 Pritchardia filamentosa by- 

 the nui'seryman who dis- 

 tributed it, but its correct 

 name is "Waehingtonia fili- 

 fera. A rapid - growing 

 Palm ; petioles long, pro- 

 fusely armed on the edges 

 with yellowish - brown 

 spines ; leaves fan-shaped, 

 deepgreen,the edges of the 

 segments are ornamented 

 with very long white fila- 

 ments wbich hang down, 

 covering the plant in a 

 thread-like veil. Lower 

 California. 



Calamus. — A large family of very slender- 

 growing pinnate-leaved plants, deriving their name 

 from kaloirij " a reed "; some few species form elegant 

 erect trees, but the majority become scandent, and 

 climb the forest-trees by the aid of the hooked 

 spines Avith which the petioles are armed ; these are 

 the canes so familiar to us by the name of " Rattans," 

 and which are used in this country for making and 

 mending the bottoms of chairs. Canes to the value 

 of nearly £40,000 are annually imported into this 

 country ; the Malacca canes used for walking-sticks 



are the produce of C. Scipionum, whilst the bridges- 

 which are thrown over the rivers and valleys in 

 Northern India, are usually supported by ropes 

 made of the stems of C. montanus ; the best " dragon's 

 blood " of commerce, used for varnishes, for wood- 

 staining, and various other purposes, is the produc&- 

 of C. Draco. 



Calamus produce their flowers on long branching- 

 spikes ; their fruits are one-seeded, and are covered 

 with smooth scales, which are dry and hard, and 

 polished as if they had been varnished. Some species 

 have been removed from this genus and named 

 I>(emonorop9f the principal difference being that the 

 spathe enclosing the flower-spike is sufficiently 

 large to quite enclose it ; there are, however, sO' 

 many intermediate forms, that for the sake of 

 simplicity we here include all under the name of 

 Calamus. 



In a young state these plants are amongst the best 

 and most useful for table and room decoration, and 

 also form gxaceful objects in the stove, -either as 

 standards or climbing up pillars. Before they 

 become unsightly they may be thrown out to make- 

 room for others. Most of the species throw out 

 suckers freely, and therefore with ordinary care a- 

 good supply of young plants can be maintained. 



dent, upwards of a foot 

 long. Indian Archipelago. 



C. nagellum — this ' is a 

 slender plant, and very- 

 common in Sikkim, where 

 it is known by the name- 

 of ** Eeem," and is found 

 growii^ from the level of 

 the plains up to 3,500 feet 

 elevation, climbing to the- 

 tops of the highest trees. 

 Its canes are soft and 

 quite useless j leaves up- 

 wards of six feet in length ; 

 the leaflets pendent, about . 

 a foot long, and an inch 

 broad j petioles armed 

 with stout spines, which 

 are white, swollen at the- 

 base, the points black. 



C. Jenkinsianus — leaves- 

 about six feet high, and 

 arching; leaflets about a 

 foot long, and an inch 

 broad, deep green; petioles 

 armed vrith long, flat 

 spines. Its canes are use- 

 ful, but are mostly applied 

 to home uses, and not 

 much exported. Common, 

 in dense forest of the. 

 Terai, Sikkim. 



C. leptospadix— stem? 

 slender ; leaves closely set ; 

 petioles densely clothed 

 vrith spines. The plant is 

 known by the name of 

 " Lat." Its slender stems 

 are long, soft, and of no- 

 commercial value. Sikkim. 



C. Lewisianus— a bold-grow- 

 ing plant with the addi- 

 tional charm of a white 

 leaf -stalk, excepting the- 

 sheathing base, which is. 



C. accidens-— a very slender 

 and elegant pkuit, with 

 long, arching, pinnate 

 leaves, and narrow,closely- 

 set leaflets, armed with 

 long and slender black 

 spines. Indian Islands. 



C. adspei^us — the stem of 

 this species is reed-like ; 

 leaves pinnate ; petioles 

 furnished with slender 

 black spines along the 

 whole length ; leaflets 

 about six inches long. 

 Indian Islands. 



C. asperrimus — A bold- 

 growing plant, with broad 

 pinnate leaves about 

 twelve feet in length, and 

 beautifully arched; leaf- 

 lets one to two feet in 

 length, an inch broad, 

 clothed with hair-hke 

 bristles ; petioles densely 

 armed with long, stout, 

 black spines. Its canes are 

 useless. Northern India. 



G. ciliaris — in a small state 

 this is one of the most 

 handsome of its class. 

 Stems slender ; pinnate 

 leaflets very closely set, 

 clothed with light hairs, 

 the whole leaf having a 

 very feathery appearance, 

 Indian Islands. 



C. Draco— a very handsome 

 species, forming an ele- 

 gant table - plant while 

 young, but growing to a 

 majestic plant. Leaves 

 upwards ox six feet high ; 

 the petioles well armed 

 with long, flat, black 

 spines; the leaflets pen- 



