UTILITY OY THE PAJLSI-TEEE. 
107 
®ke cJiaparro, which affords shade, is considered a highly 
valuable plant. The corypha spreads through the Llanos of 
Caracas from Mesa de Peja as far as Guayaval; farther . 
north and north-west, near Guanare and San Carlos, its 
Place is taken by another species of the same genus, with 
leaves alike palmate but larger. It is ealled the ‘royal 
palm of the plains’ (palma real de los Llanos).* Other 
pahn-trees rise south of Guayaval, especially the piritu with 
Pinnate leaves, t and the moriche (Mauritia flexuosa), cele- 
brated by Lather Gumilla under the name of arhol de la vida, 
nr tree of life. It is the sago-tree of America, furnishing 
Hour, wine, thread for weaving hammocks, baskets, nets, 
a nd clothing. Its fruit, of the form of the cones of the 
Pme, and covered with scales, perfectly resembles that of 
the Calamus rotang. It has somewhat the taste of the 
a PPle._ When arrived at its maturity it is yellow within and 
red without. The araguato monkeys eat it with avidity; 
a ud the nation of the Guaraounos, whose whole existence, it 
® la y be said, is closely linked with that of the moriche palm- 
tree > produce from it a fermented liquor, slightly acid, and 
Extremely refreshing. This palm-tree, with its large shining 
ea yes, folded like a fan, preserves a beautiful verdure at the 
Period of the greatest drought. The mere sight of it pro- 
buces an agreeable sensation of coobiess, and when loaded 
' Vl fh scaly fruit, it contrasts singularly with the mournful 
as pect of the palma de colija, the foliage of which is always 
i re y and covered with dust. The Llaneros believe that the 
ormer attracts the vapours in the air ;+ and that for this 
eason, water is constantly found at its foot, when dug for 
rn, a certain depth. The effect is confounded with the cause. 
^ 6 moriche grows best in moist places ; and it may rather 
e said that the water attracts the tree. The natives of the 
rrnoeo, by analogous reasoning, admit, that the great 
« 3? er ds contribute to preserve humidity in a province. 
you would look in vain for water-serpents,” said an old 
rea j ^„bis palm-tree of the plains must not be confounded with the •palma 
+ r> , racas an| i of Curiepe, with pinnate leaves. 
£ -fvhaps an Aiphanes. 
Setter *he bead of the moriche were better furnished with leaves than it 
<er . V ls > we might perhaps admit that the soil round the tree pre- 
' S lts humidity through the influence of the shade. 
