PALM3. 
Fig. 137 
sides, there are the Scillese tribe, with smaller flowers, and seeds 
black, as in the onion and hyacinth ; the Convallaricem^ or Solo- 
mon's-seal tribe, containing the lily of the valley ; and the as 
paragus, the type of the tribe Asparagece. 
198. ThePa^msof the 
natural order Palmacem^ 
have mostly a liliaceous 
corolla with six stamens ; 
some are monoecious^ 
others dioecious j while 
a part have their sta- 
mens and pistils with- 
in the same corolla, and 
belong to the artificial 
class Hexandria. 
Fig. 137 represents a young 
palm-tree ( Ghamcerops humi- 
lis) ;* at a is the fibrous root ; 
h c, the oldest part of the stipe, 
showing, by the lines and dots, 
the place of insertion of the 
first leaves ; c b, the upper part 
of the stipe, still covered with 
the sheathing bases of the pe- 
tioles ; d, the crowning, terminal 
leaves — these are petioled, fan- 
shaped, and plaited when young ; 
the petioles are armed with 
prickles. Palms live to a great 
age ; they are the product of 
tropical regions, and alford the 
date, cocoanut, and other valu- 
able fruit. 
199. Miscellaneous Examples of Plants in the Sixth Class 
and First Order. — ^The Spiderwort {Tradescantid) has six sta- 
mens, three petals, three sepals ; (the whole may be termed a 
perianth in two verticils ;) capsule three-celled ; leaves ensiform.. 
It remains in blossom nearly the whole summer, and is well 
worth cultivation, both for its cheerful appearance and normal 
botanical characters. The Spiderworts exhibit the first remove 
from sedge-like plants to the true lilies ; that is, the glumaceous 
structure is gone, and the liliaceous peculiarity gained. Though 
we find, in company with so many elegant flowers, the onion 
and bulrush, we must recollect that the title to admission into 
this artificial class and order is six stamens and one pistil ; 
* Although we have described this plant under the class Hexandria, in conformity with the classifi 
cation of some writers, it is questionable whether it does not rather belong to Dicecia. In the Appen. 
dix, at Plate i., Fig. 1, is a representation of the Areca, which belongs to the Palm tribe ; and at PlaM 
iii.. Fig. 3, is a representation of the same palm-tree as seen at Fig. 137. 
198. Palms— bescribe Fig. 137.— 199. Spiderwons. 
