N 0< 53.— 1902.] TREES AND FLOWERING PLANTS. 



239 



263.— Oncosperma fasciculatum. 



Katu-kitul, S. «j§eS«£tf . 



Trim. Cey. Flor., vol. IV., p. 323. 



A tall graceful palm, with rather large feathery head, 

 readily distinguished by its formidable coating of long thin 

 black brittle spines. Fruits nearly black. 



Common at elevations above 1,000 feet, usually in sandy 

 or shallow rock-covering soils. 



Wood little used, but suitable, when divested of thorns, 

 for tent-building. Not durable. 



26L—Caryota urens (Toddy Palm). 



Kitul, S. 2S*sc3 ; Tippili-maram, T. ^u/lSsSujitld. 

 Trim. Cey. Flor., vol. IV., p. 324. 



A large handsome palm, with very graceful fountain-like 

 head. 



The stem is usually thicker high up, giving it a distinct 

 waist. 



Very common in all parts of the country up to 3,500 feet, 

 but less so in the dry zone. 



The wood is dark brown, nearly black, arranged in close 

 masses of circular bundles with intermediate spaces of 

 lighter brown, giving it a mottled tint. Weight, about 70 lb. 

 per cubic foot, hard, durable. Very handsome as a furniture 

 wood. Much used for furniture spikes. The Toddy palm 

 supplies the well-known native sugar known as " Jaggery," 

 in addition to the intoxicating ferment called rd, and also 

 a bristle fibre, used in the manufacture of brushes and 

 brooms. 



265. — Phosnix zeylanica. 



Ihdi, S. 



Trim. Cey. Flor., vol. IV., p. 326. 



A rather short palm, with very rough and much-scarred 

 stem, usually about twelve to fifteen feet high ; often called 

 the Wild Date. 



