THE PALM FAMILY. 



267 



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. flavispina — is distinguish- 

 able hj the long spines 

 being yellow, with black 

 tips, height about six feet, 

 .brazil. 



B. integrif olia — has reed- 

 like stems, and a hand- 

 some crown of entire dark 

 green leaves, bifid at the 

 apex : the petioles densely 

 armed with flat, black 

 spiues. It grows in the 

 inundated torests on the 

 Bio Negro. 



B. Maraja — is tbe giant of 

 the family, attaining a 

 height of from forty to 

 lilty feet, the stem being 



densely armed with large 

 spines ; it is very similar 

 to the other species when 

 young, but bos a stouter 

 stem. Brazil. 



B. simphcifrons— is a dwarf 

 plant with simple bi-lobed 

 leaves ; is usually found 

 growing with G-eononia 

 baculifera near Para. 



B. tenuis— this is an elegant 

 small - growing species, 

 with a reeddike stem, 

 some ten feet high, and a 

 beautiful small head of 

 leaves ; stem and base of 

 petioles armed with flat, 

 black spines. Eio 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. dnlcis— stems stout, but 

 very slow-growing ; the 

 petioles are somewhat 

 downy, armed at the 

 edges with numerous 

 small spines, and sur- 

 rounded at tbe base with 

 a persistent net - work 

 of tousrh brown fibres; 

 blade of leaf nearly circu- 

 lar, much plaited, divided 

 into shallow segments at 

 margin, brilliant green on 

 both sides. S. America. 



B. filamentosa — this plant is 

 of somewhat recent intro- 



duction ; it was originally 

 called Prit chardia filamen- 

 tosa, but has now been 

 placed in this genus. A 

 rapid-grow' nor Palm; peti- 

 oles long, profusely armed 

 on the edges with yellow- 

 ish-brown spines ; leaves 

 fan-shaped, deep green ; 

 tbe edges of the segments 

 are ornamented with very 

 long white filaments, 

 which hang down, cover- 

 ing the plant in a thread- 

 like veil. Lower Cali- 

 fornia. 



Calamus. — A large family of very slender- 

 growing pinnate-leaved plants, deriving their name 

 from laiom, " 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 with which the petioles are armed ; these are 

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

 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 

 Xorthem 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 produce 

 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 

 Dcemonorops, the principal difference being that the 

 spathe enclosing the flower-spike is sufficiently 



there are, however, so 

 that for the sake of 



large to quite enclose it ; 

 many intermediate forms, 

 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 graceful 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. 



C. accidens — a very slender 

 and elegant plant, with 

 long, arching, pinnate 

 leaves, and narrow, closely- 

 set leaflets, armed with 

 long and slender black 

 spines. Indian islands. 



C. adspersus — the stem of 

 this species is reed-like ; 

 leaves pinnate ; petioles 

 furnished with slender 

 black spines along tbe 

 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 ha:r-like 

 bristles; petioles densely 

 armed with long, stout, 

 black spines. Its canes are 

 useless. Northern India. 



C. ciliaris — in a small state 

 this is one of the most 

 bandsome 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 of six feet high ; 

 the petioles well armed 

 with long, flat, black 

 spines ; the leaflets pen- 



dent, upwards of a foot 

 long. Indian Archipelago. 



C . flagehum — this is a 

 slender plant, and very 

 common in Sikkim, where 

 it is known by the name 

 of "Eeem," and is found 

 growing 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 ; leaves up- 

 wards of six feet in length ; 

 the leaflets pendent, about 

 a foot long, and an inch 

 broad ; 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 with 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 

 with spines. The plant is 

 known by the name of 

 " Lat." Its slender stems 

 are long, soft, and of no 

 commercialvalue. Sikkim. 



C. Lewisianus— a bold-grow- 

 ing plant with the "addi- 

 tional cliarm of a white 

 leaf -stalk, excepting the 

 sheathing base, which is 



