Pomona College Journal of Economic Botany 



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Oreodoxa oleracea Mart. Hist. nat. Palm. Ill p. 166 t. 156. f. 1, 2, et tab. 

 163; Becc. Reliq. Scheff. in Ann. Jard. bot. Buit. II 150 t. 12; Drude, in 

 Mart. Fl. Bras. Ill, II, 474. 



This species is peculiar to the smaller Antilles and is quite distinct from 0. 

 regia and its near ally, 0. charibaea, not only by its quite cylindrical, never 

 bulging stem, and by the curved, rather elongate fruit, but also by the quite 

 different male flowers. 



The stamens in the male flowers of 0. oleracea spring beyond the corolla a 

 long time before the anther cells are apt to open, and emit the pollen grains; 

 perhaps they never remain entirely enclosed in the corolla, even when very young. 

 On account of this circumstance tlie branclilets of O. oleracea, when covered with 

 male flowers, as are those distributed by Glaziou under n. 8055, have an aspect 

 quite different from those of 0. regia and 0. charibaea. 



Figure 114. Oreodoxa oleracea. a, male flower before anthesis; b, male flower dur- 

 ing anthesis; c, longitudinal section of a fruit. 



The female flowers are globular, apiculate, similar to those of 0. regia; the 

 lobes of the staminal urceolum have rather distinct rudimentary anthers. 



The fruit is oblong, sliglitly curved and concave on the side of the stigmas, 

 it is 14-15 mm. long and 9 mm. broad; at complete maturity the mesocarp leaves 

 the endocarp free, which forms a thin and fragile sliell or putamcn to the seed, 

 and has an even, dull surface, upon which, however, the internal fibrous vascular 

 net of the mesocarp remains adherent. The putamen has the general form of 



