94 
A. F. R. Hoernle — Epigraphical Note on Palm-leaf, etc. [No. 2 
The former grows wild in Ceylon and on the Malabar coast, up to 
about tlie 13tb Lat. ; thence it freely grows cultivated up the west coast 
as far as the Concan (16th Lat.), and much less so as far as Bombay 
(19th Lat.); it also grows (but very uncommonly) cultivated up the 
whole of the East coast into Lower Bengal. It does not grow anywhere 
in the central part, or the high-lands of Southern India. 
The Borassus fl. does not grow wild anywhere in India, but only 
cultivated, near villages. It grows throughout India, excepting only 
the Panjab, Upper Sindh, and the northern-most portions of Rajpu- 
tana and of the North-West Provinces. In fact, its northern limit is 
(about) the 27th or 28th Lat. 
The difference between these two palms is that whereas CorypTia 
umhr. is indigenous to (Southern) India, Borassus fl. is an introduced 
tree, having been brought in from Africa, where it grows wild and is 
called Deleh. The above statements sum up the botanical information 
of the present day, which has been verified afresh for the purpose of 
the present paper by Ur. Prain, Superintendent of the Royal Botanic 
Gardens in Sibpur, near Calcutta.^ For his assistance, most kindly 
and readily given, in all mqutters touching the botany of these palms, 
I wish here to express my sincere thanks. 
The leaves of the two palms can be easily distinguished from one 
another. Those of the Corypha umhr. are thinner and broader than those 
of the Borassus fl. ; they also possess clearly marked cross-veins, in the 
form of rills, while the Borassus leaves rather present a pitted or pock- 
marked appearance. The width of the Borassus leaf never exceeds If, 
and very rarely exceeds 1| inches. Among all the cases that I have 
actually measured I have found the latter width only exceeded in three 
cases. These are No. 40 in Table II which measures If inches, and 
Nos. 20 and 42 in Table II, which measure inches ; all three being 
Southern Indian manuscripts. The majority of the Borassus manu- 
scripts are something less than If inches wide. A width of less than 
one inch is very rare ; I have only met with it in two Southern Indian 
manuscripts, viz., Nos. 18 and 37 in Table II, which measure only of 
an inch. 
The usual width of the Corypha leaf varies between If and 3 
inches. Among the inscribed leaves examined by myself, I have not 
reason to believe that C. Taliera and G. umbraculifera are identical. I understand 
that Dr. Prain is preparing a monograph on the subject of these palms. 
2 I should add, however, that, as I understand, more recent enquiries, made by 
Dr. Prain seem to render it doubtful whether even the Corypha umhr. grows wild 
ariy where in India or Ceylon. A very puz&ling question then arises as to the real 
original home of that palm. 
