34:3 
This group can only be confounded with the superior-fruited genera of 
Hsemodoraceae, the mode of recognising which has already been pointed out, 
or with certain Spadicosse. The latter, are, however, generally known by 
having little more than scales in the room of petals and sepals, if they have 
any floral envelopes at all. As to Retosse, with whose characters, so far as 
fructification is concerned, these very nearly agree, their peculiar foliation and 
habit offer a sufficient means of distinction. 
Alliance I. PALM ALES. 
Essential Character. — Arborescent plants, with sub-cylindrical stems growing by 
the constant developement of a central terminal bud ; very rarely dichotomous. Embryo in 
no certain position with regard to the hilum (vague) . 
This, which is the most highly developed part of the Endogenous division 
of vegetation, although it consists for the most part of trees having little ap- 
parent relation to other alliances, nevertheless, may be considered connected 
very nearly with Liliales through both the simple -stemmed and branching Dra- 
caenas, with Pandales among Spadicosae by their arborescent habit and termi- 
nal spathaceous inflorescence, and even with Grasses by Calamus or the Cane 
Palm, which cannot be considered far removed from the Beesha Bamboo. 
Order CCXLVI. PALMACE^. The Palm Tribe. 
Palm.-e, Juss. Gen. (1789) ; R. Brown Prodr. 266. (1810) ; Von Martins Palm. Bras. 
(1824 to 1836) ; Id. Programrna (1824) ; Bartl. Ord. Nat. 63. (1830). 
Essential Character. — Flowers hermaphrodite, or frequently polygamous. Perianth 
6-parted, in two series, persistent ; the 3 outer segments often smaller, the inner some- 
times deeply connate. Stamens inserted into the base of the perianth, usually definite in 
number, opposite the segments of the perianth, to which they are equal in number, seldom 
3; sometimes, in a few polygamous genera, indefinite in number. Ovary 1, 3 -celled, or 
deeply 3- lobed, the lobes or cells 1 -seeded, with an erect ovule, rarely 1-seeded. Fruit 
baccate or drupaceous, with fibrous flesh. Albumen cartilaginous, and either ruminate, or 
furnished with a central or ventral cavity ; embryo lodged in a particular cavity of the 
albumen, usually at a distance from the hilum, dorsal and indicated by a little nipple, taper 
or pulley- shaped ; plumule included, scarcely visible ; the cotyledonous extremity becoming 
thickened in germination, and either filling up a pre-existing cavity, or one formed by the 
liquefaction of the albumen in the centre. — Trunk arborescent, simple, occasionally shrubby 
and branched, rough with the dilated half-sheathing bases of the leaves or their scars. 
Leaves clustered, terminal, very large, pinnate or flabelliform, plaited in vernation. Spadix 
terminal, often branched, enclosed in a 1- or many-valved spatha. Flowers small, with 
bractlets. occasionally very large. R. Brown {1810) . 
Affinities. Tlie race of plants to which the name of Palms has been 
assigned is, no doubt, the most interesting in the vegetable kingdom, if we 
consider the majestic aspect of their towering stems, crowned by a still 
more gigantic foliage ; the character of grandeur which they impress upon 
the landscape of the countries they inhabit ; their immense value to man- 
kind, as aflbrding food, and raiment, and numerous objects of economical 
importance ; or, finally, the prodigious developement of those organs by which 
their race is to be propagated. A single spathe of the Date contains about 
1 2.000 male flowers ; Alfonsia amygdalina has been computed to have 
207.000 in a spathe, or 600,000 upon a single individual ; while every bunch 
of the Seje Palm of the Oronoco bears 8000 fruit. They are very uniform in 
