204 



Some account of the Vegetable Ivory Palm {Phytelephas macro- 

 carpa) ; by W. J. H. (Tab. VI. and VII.) 



It is not for the first time we hère make the observation that the vege- 

 table products, best known in commerce, in the arts, &c, are frequently 

 the least known botanically. A striking example in proof of this 

 statement may be found in the fact, that familiar as every one is wîth 

 the substance called Vegetable Ivory, Dr. Von Martius is obliged to 

 bring to a conclusion his " Opus magnincum " on the Palms, without 

 being able to figure, or even to describe from the life or from well- 

 dried spécimens, the species which yields this singular substance. The 

 very last genus noticed in the work just mentioned is Phytelephas ; and 

 the author concludes his account of it with the remark : " Descriptio ex 

 iconibus Gaudichaudianis et exemplari manco ; " and thèse figures of 

 Gaudichaud (Voyage de la Bonite) only exhibit the fructification, un- 

 accompanied by any history or explanation. 



We are far from expecting to fill up ail that is wanting to the 

 history of the Vegetable Ivory : our living plants are but young, 

 and our own spécimens, how snperior soever they may be to those 

 possessed by other botanical cabinets, are far indeed from being com- 

 plète; for it is well known how difncult it is to procure available 

 spécimens for illustration of thèse " Princes " of the vegetable kingdom. 

 The Royal Gardens, however, when sending out a collector to New 

 Granada in 1845, did not fail to direct his attention to the importation 

 of this plant ; so that living spécimens may now be seen in our stoves, 

 and well-preserved spécimens in various, but not in ail states, in one 

 of the cases of the Muséum. From thèse, and from other sources, our 

 brief history will be derived. 



The first notice of the existence of the Vegetable Ivory Palm was given 

 by ïtuiz and Pavon, in their Systema Vegetabilium Florae Peruvianse et 

 Chilensis, published at Madrid, in 1798. There, under the name of 

 Phytelephas macrocarpa, we find the folio wing account of its native 

 names and properties : — 



" It is called Pullipunta and Homero by the Indians of the hot and 

 low valleys of the Andes of Peru, about Chanchamoya, Vitor, Cuchero, 

 and San Antonio de Playa grande, its native locality, — Palma del Marsil, 

 and Marsil végétal by the Spaniards ; — while the fruit, on account of its 

 size and appearance, is called Cabeza de Negro. The Indians cover 

 their cottages with the leaves of this most beautiful Palm. The fruit 



