Descriptions of Malayan Plants. 



15 



longitudinal furrow down their middle. Below the scales, 

 the rind is of a spongy consistence, and the fruit contains a 

 single seed, of rather an irregular shape, and having the 

 umbilicus situated laterally a little above the base of the 

 fruit. The progress of the fruit to maturity is very slow, 

 and is said, according to the best information I can obtain, 

 to occupy about three years from the first appearing of the 

 spadices to the final ripening of the fruit. During the period 

 of inflorescence, the branches of the spadix are brown, and 

 apparently quite bare. Afterwards a number of small* green 

 knobs appear above the brown scales, which go on enlarg- 

 ing, till they at length acquire the size of a small apple. But 

 few fruit come to maturity on each branch. 



In habit and character this tree recedes considerably from 

 the true Palmce, Its propagation by radical shoots, exactly 

 in the same manner as the common cultivated Plantain, is 

 peculiar, and' is not observed in the true Palms. The ter- 

 minal inflorescence and death of the tree after fructification, 

 is another peculiarity. It is allied to Calamus by its re- 

 troversely imbricated fruit. 



This species of Sago is abundant in many parts of Sumatra 

 and at Malacca, and is employed in the preparation of Sago 

 for food. Considerable quantities are made at the Poggy 

 Islands lying off the west coast of Sumatra, where it in fact 

 forms the principal food of the inhabitants. The Sago of 

 Siak is remarkably fine, and is also, I believe, the produce 

 of this species. At the Moluccas the spinous sort is con- 

 sidered superior to this, but I am doubtful whether it exists 

 in Sumatra. For making the Sago, the tree must be cut 

 before fructification commences, as it then becomes hard 

 and dry. The process of making it has been so often 

 described, that it is needless to repeat it here. 



