AGRICULTURAL BULLETIN 



OF THE 



STRAITS 



AND 



FEDERATED MALAY STATES. 



No. 7.] JULY, 1904. [Vol. III. 



THE PALM COLLECTION OF THE BOTANIC 

 GARDENS, SINGAPORE. 



Palms whether considered for their economic value or decorative 

 appearance are among the most interesting and beautiful plants for 

 the Tropics and are everywhere popular so that a few brief notes 

 on the Singapore collection may be of general interest. A list of 

 this collection is attached which includes 90 genera and 236 species 

 and shows what kinds can be procured at the Botanic Gardens, 

 Singapore. 



Distribution. — -Of the distribution of palms throughout the world 

 the largest number are found in the New World, from the southern 

 United States to Chili, the head quarters of this region being the 

 West Indies, Guiana and Brazil. This region contains a good num- 

 ber of the Arecinea?, many of the Coryphee, and nearly all the 

 Cocoineae. 



The Malayan region comes next, and the Polynesian Islands con- 

 tain a good many. Africa is very poor in palms containing only 

 the dates, Phoenix, Raphias and Hyphzmes, the well known oil- 

 palm Elais Guinecnsis, and a few little known genera, but there are 

 more in the Mascarene Islands, and the small groups of Borassinc.v 

 is almost confined to Africa and its Islands. India, Ceylon, and 

 Australia are poor in palms. 



_ Malay Palms. — Of the Malay region the Peninsula is particularly 

 rich in palms of great variety both in size and form, from the small 

 Licuala triphylla, sometimes hardly more than a foot high, to the 

 tall Oranias, Oncospennas, Livistonas and Caryjtas, often 60 feet 

 high, and the long climbing rattans {Calamus, Plectocomia, and Kor- 

 thalsia) often 150 feet and more in length; the unique red stemmed 

 palm, Cyrtostachys Lakka, the noble Daun Payong, Teysmannia 

 altifrons, the superb-leaved Teruno, Iguanura spectadilis, and the 

 handsome, although shy, Kerintin, Ptychoraphis Singaporensis. 



The Collection. — As will be seen from the list, the Singapore 

 garden collection of palms is an extensive one and specimens from 

 most countries are represented. The most conspicuous are the 



