Palmae. 15 
plentifully it is necessary to have recourse to artificial fertilization. 
The dates van considerably in shape and size from round to oblong, 
they are a yellowish-brown drupe with generally only one seed. 
Phot nix dactylifera L. has been cultivated in Asia, Africa, and 
Europe from time immemorial and it is as yet not known whetner 
the East Indian species Phot nix sylvestris Roxb. is a wild state of 
Phot nix dactylifera L. Both of these species occur in Honolulu, but 
as they are hybridised by insects such a variety of hybrids exist that 
it is absolutely impossible to distinguish one from the other. The 
other species are in a similar chaos with the exception of Phot nix 
spinosa Thon. and Phoenix reclinata Jacq. and some botanists do 
not make any distinction even between these two. The two latter 
species occur in Honolulu and the difference between them seems 
quite evident. Phoenix spinosa is apparently soboliferous, that is it 
sends out shoots from the old root-stock, the trunk is slender and 
taller than in Phoenix reclinata, which has a rather short trunk and a 
different crown of leaves. Both are natives of the Cape of Good 
Hope. 
Phoenix pusilla Gaertn., a rather handsome species, a native of 
Ceylon, has been planted in Kapiolani Park, in a group near the race 
track on the ocean side. It has a short gray trunk and stiff blue green 
leaves; the drupes are short and thick. In Honolulu there is a male 
specimen of Date Palm of low stature which the writer refers to 
Phot nix humilis. It occurs in Mrs. Jaeger's grounds on Beretania and 
Punahou streets. It is exceedingly handsome and deserves to be cul- 
tivated. There seems to be little difference between Phoenix 
farinifera Willd. and Ph. humilis Royle, both of which have short 
trunks and are soboliferous. 
Of Phoenix spinosa there are only two specimens in Honolulu 
so far as the writer is aware, and both occur on the grounds of 
a private residence on Wilder Avenue near Pensacola Street. The 
fruit is borne profusely and is smaller, perhaps, than any other 
date. Phoenix reclinata Jacq. is represented by quite a number of 
specimens, the largest of which can be found in the Queen's Hos- 
pital grounds to the left of the main entrance under old date trees. 
Others are scattered over town in public gardens and private 
premises. 
Phoenix canariensis Hort., the most commonly planted date tree in 
California is of ornamental value only ; strange to say there are only 
about three or four specimens in Honolulu. Two, the oldest speci- 
mens, can be found in Mrs. Jaeger's grounds and others in the 
premises of the late Governor Cleghorn at Waikiki. It is easily 
