FLOOE.] 
SECOND BOTANICAL ROOM. 
63 
tribe, as does also Liuistorta, Sabal, and Copernicia, specimens of which 
will be found in the case. The <; Wax Palm " of Brazil is a species 
of the last of these genera (C. cerifera). The young leaves are 
-coated with wax in such quantity that it is collected and exported to 
Europe. Fine trunks of this and other palms are placed at the west 
end of the room. The most important member of this tribe is the 
Date palm, Phcenix dactylifera, the fruit of which is so important an 
article of food in Northern Africa and Eastern Asia. 
Cases '12 and 13 contain specimens of Calamine, a tribe easily 
distinguished by their scaly fruits. The genera with erect trunks 
and a tree-like habit, are represented in Case 12. Some of them 
attain a great height. Mauritia flexuosa rises 100 or 150 feet above 
the waters or swampy banks of the Amazon. The inflorescence of 
both sexes of M. aculeata are placed here, as well as several specimens 
of those of Raphia Ruffia, and R. vinifera. The Raphias grow in 
swampy places, and have short, stout trunks, with great masses of 
inflorescence, and gigantic leaves, 50 or more feet in length. But the 
most important of the tree-like Calamine are the true Sago palms 
{Metroxylon) . The inflorescence and fruit of M. Rumphii are placed 
on the back of the Case. The sago of commerce is obtained from the 
soft inner portion of the stems of this species, and of M. lave, 
which grows along with it, forming dense forests in the swampy plains 
ot the Moluccas. A single tree will furnish as much as 600 or 800 
pounds of sago. Case 13 contains the genera which form large 
dense spiny bushes in tropical jungles, and send out their long slender 
stems to climb over and amongst the branches of the forest trees, 
supporting themselves by strong hooked spines attached to their leaf 
stalks, or borne on whip-like tails formed by the prolongation of the 
midrib beyond the leaf. Such are Plectocomia elongata, the branching 
flower spikes of which are placed on the back of the Case, Eugeissonia 
tristis, and the different species of Zalacca and Calamus. Several 
species of Calamus, C. Ratang, C. Royleanus, &c, supply the Rattan 
canes, so extensively used for chair bottoms and light furniture, aud 
from another species {C. Scipionum) are made the walking-sticks 
known as Malacca canes. 
Case 14 is chiefly devoted to the tribe of AreciM. At the 
back are specimens of the wood and foliage of (Enocarpus Bacaba, 
from the Amazon regions, and of the inflorescence inclosed in its 
double canoe-like spathe ; several species of Areca are placed 
here, one of which, A. Catechu, has for its fruit the well-known Betle- 
nut. The hard albumen of the conical nut is cut into narrow pieces, 
and a portion is rolled up with a little lime in the leaves of the betle 
pepper (Chavica Betel). This pellet when chewed is hot and acid, 
and produces a somewhat intoxicating effect. Two other important 
palms are found in this Case, Caryota urens, a native of India, and 
Arenga saccharij 'era, from the Indian Archipelago. Both supply sugar, 
palm wine, sago, fibre for cordage, and many other useful articles, to 
the inhabitants of tropical Asia. A fine fruit of Phytelephas, the 
Vegetable Ivory, a somewhat aberrant genus of palms, is placed under 
