86, PALMiE. 



311 



erose-toothed. Spatlies 3-5, incomplete, tubular. Spadiccs from the 

 axils of green leaves, peduncled with many pendulous, slender branches. 

 Flowers monoicous. Male 11. Sepals 3, imbricate in bud. Corolla 

 3-partite, valvate. Stamens numerous, connate at the base ; anthers 

 linear, basifixed. Female fl. Sepals as in the male. Petals imbri- 

 cate in bud. Ovary 3-celled ; stigma 3-lobed, ovules erect. Fruit 

 globose, 1-2-seeded. Seeds smooth, plano-convex, dark-brown, shining ; 

 albumen horny, ruminate ; embryo dorsal. 



C. urens, Linn. Fl. Zeyl. 187 ; Fl. Br. I. 6. 422 ; Dalz & Gibs. Bomb. 

 Fl. 278 ; Brandis For. Fl. 550. Mhdr Palm ; Hill Palm or Sago Palm ; 

 Birly mhdr, Vern. ; Baini, K. ; birli, M. ; Shiwajata, Saukar jata, Guz. 



Throughout the hotter parts of India from the Sikkim Himalaya and 

 Assam southwards to Ceylon. Common in evergreen forests throughout 

 the Konkan and North Kanara. Fl. Fr. throughout the year. The stems 

 are cylindrical 60 ft. high by 1 ft. 6 in. m diameter, smooth, grey, shining, 

 covered with long, shallow cracks with corky edges. Green cell-layer 

 developed, immediately over the soft tissue. The leaves and sheathing pe- 

 tioles yield an excellent black fibre, kittul fibre, used for fishing lines, ropes , 

 brushes, baskets, etc. The trees are tapped for toddy, which when boiled 

 yields sugar (jaggery). Wood rin outer part of stem very hard with tho 

 abundant vascular black bundles ; strong and durable. Used for agri- 

 cultural implements, water conduits, &c. 



6. PHCENIX, Linn. 



Shrubby or tall palms. Stems covered with the bases of the 

 petioles, or rarely annulate. Leaves pinnate, pinnge entire, lowest 

 transformed into long spines, petiole with a fibrous amplexicaul 

 sheath. Spathe complete, coriaceoas. Spadices branched, erect or 

 drooping. Flowers dioicous, small, sessile, coriaceous. Male fl. 

 Calyx cupular, 3-toothed. Petals 3, valvate. Stamens 6 or 3, 

 rarely 9. Female fi. Calyx of the male, accrescent. Petals 3, 

 imbricate ; staminodes 6, or a 6-toothed cup. Ovaries 3 ; stigmas 

 sessile. Drupe 1 -seeded. Seeds with a longitudinal furrow, albumen, 

 horny, not ruminate, embryo dorsal. 



A moderate- sized tree. Leaves with alteraate and 



opposite pinna). Fruit yellow ... ... 1. P. tylvestrit. 



Small trees, stems slender or 0. Fruit black. 



Stems short or 0. Pinnae fascicled. Spadix 



peduncle very short ... .. ... 2.F,acaulis, 



Stems 8-10 ft. PiuniB fascicled. Spadix-pedun- 



cle loag ... ... ... ... 3. P,humilis. 



P. sylvestris, Roxb. Fl. Ind. III. 787 ; Fl. Br. L 6. 425 ; Mz. & 

 Gibs. Bomb. PL 278; Brandis For. Fl. 554. Wild Date or Date Sugar 

 Palm. Khajur^ Vern. ; IchiljK. ; Boiohand, sendriy sMndif M. ; Kharahj Guj. 



Indigenous in many parts of India, Bengal, Western Peninsula, Gujarat, 

 Coromandel Coast, also caltivated and solE-aowa. lu Sind and the south- 

 west Punjab, P. dactylifera, takes its place. 



