§2^ 



FOREST TUEES. 



garden soils, the Bagani succeeds well and becomes 

 a fine decorative tree in 4 — 5 years. But it affects 

 the moist regions of the hills where the annual raiur 

 fall ranges from 100 to 200 inches, and in the maidan 

 part of the province systematic irrigation is needed 

 to produce the best results. In its natural haunts, 

 the tree is self-productive. 



595 Phoenix sylvestris, Roxb. Kan. Ichal, Ichalu mara. 



'Fig.— Bot. PL Lal-Bagh Collection. 



References.— D^■cL of Econ. Prod, of Ind. ; 

 Brand. For. Fl. 554. Ft. of Brit. Ind. 



This indigenous tree is locally known as the 

 " Mysore toddy-palm, " but universally as the " wild 

 date, " and " date-sugar palm. " In full grown 

 specimens, the solitary trunk is 30 — 40 feet, sur- 

 mounted by a dense crown — in one or two tiers — of 

 arched, pinnate, glabrous leaves, 10 — 15 feet in 

 length. The stout bases of the petioles (leafstalks) 

 being persistent and occasionally spinous, the trunk 

 presents rather a formidable appearance. The 

 toddy palm is not stoloniferous, but self-sown 

 seedlings are so near to each other at times that 

 they appear to proceed from a common root-stock. 

 Flowers dioecious. Spadices erect and interfoliar, 

 curved outwards and downwards in fruit. Male 

 spadix 2 — 3 ft., female spadix longer, stouter, and 

 usually changing to a reddish tint. In both sexes, 

 the straw-coloured flowers are at first enveloped in 

 a stout basilar spathe. The male flowers are the 

 most conspicuous, during the short time they last. 

 Fruit orange-yellow, or ultimately with a slightly 

 reddish tinge, 1|- in. terete, in ample clusters ; eaten 

 occasionally by children and beggars. Groves of 

 this useful palm are distributed at intervals through- 

 out the maidan, or flat portion of the province, 

 where they occupy extensive areas of the best dry 



