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354 | Structural and Physiological Botany. | | 
hollow. The embryo lies in a hollow in the periphery of the endo-_ 
sperm (see Fig. 305, p. 148), and is covered by a thin layer of the 
latter like a lid. There are about three hundred species of palms, 
nearly all tropical. The only native European species is the dwarf- 
palm, Chamerops humilis (Fig. 469), which is found as far as 45° north 
latitude. The uses of palms are innumerable. ‘The inhabitants of - 
entire territories live on the fruits of some kinds, as the date-palm, 
Phenix dactylifera, in India, Arabia, Persia, and Egypt, and the cocoa- 
nut palm, Cocos nucifera, in all tropical countries. The stems of some 
species, as Sagus Rumphii, Corypha umbraculifera, and Borassus 
Jlabelliformis, contain a starch known in commerce as sago. The leaf- 
buds of Areca oleracea, Cocos nucifera, &c., are eaten as vegetables ; 
and the sap which flows from the punctured leaf-buds and stems is 
fermented, and yields palm-wine. Avenga saccharifera from the 
Moluccas, and Cocos nucifera, yield palm-sugar; Copfernica cerifera 
palm-wax ; and the oily endosperm of many palm-seeds, especially of 
the West African Zlaets guineensis, is used in the production of palm- 
oil. The endosperm of species of Phytelephas is known in commerce 
under the name ‘vegetable ivory.’ Palm-bast is obtained from many 
kinds ; that of the leaf-sheath of Attalea funtfera of Brazil bears the 
special name ‘piassava.’ The young pinnate leaves of many palms 
are manufactured into textile fabrics, hats (Carludovica palmata fur- — 
nishes the Panama-hats), and mats; and the stems are made int 
canes. [Principal genera :—Chamedorea, Aveca, Arenga, Oreodoxa, 
Ceroxylon, Caryota, Calamus, Sagus, Borassus, Copernicia, Rhapts, 
Chamerops, Sabal, Phenix, Cocos, Flaeis, fubea, Livestonia. 
Cohort VIII. ARALES, Ovary syncarpous ; flowers hermaphrodite 
or unisexual, arranged in a spadix or spike, with or without a spathe, 
or sunk in pits of a minute scale-like frond; perianth of distinct pieces, 
white or green, or of minute scales, or absent ; fruit a drupe or berry 
with one, few, or many small albuminous seeds. Herbs, often very 
large, rarely trees; leaves simple or pinnatifid, very rarely pinnately 
divided, sometimes netted-veined. 8 
Order 1, AROIDE&. Flowers hermaphrodite or diclinous, in cylin- 
dric or oblong spadices, enclosed in a green, white, or coloured spathe ; 
perianth absent, or of from four to eight scales ; stamens few or many, 
anthers sessile or on very short filaments, extrorse or opening by pores 3 
ovaries aggregated in from one to four loculi; styles distinct or absent; : 
ovules one or more, basal or parietal ; berry one- or more-seeded ; seeds _ ' 
minute ; endosperm fleshy or floury or absent. Herbs, stemless or with 
erect or scandent stems; leaves usually large, simple or pinnatifid, 
