PHCENIX DACTYLXFERA.— THE DATE PALM. 
Class XXL MONCECIA.— Order VII. POLYANDRIA. 
Natural Order, PALM JL THE PALM TRIBE. 
Phcenix, a genus of palms, which has been so named from one of its species, the date-tree, having been 
called so by the Greeks ; this name is thought by some to be derived from Phcemicia, because dates were 
procured from thence. The genus is common in India and in the north of Africa, and one of the species 
grows in Arabia, the lower parts of Persia, and along the Euphrates to Syria. The genus is characterized 
by having flowers dioecious, sessile, in a branched-spadix, supported by a simple spathe ; calyx urceolate, 
3-toothed ; coral 3 petalled ; stamens 6 or 3 ; filaments very short, almost wanting; anthers linear ; (female) 
calyx urceolate, 3-toothed ; coral 3-petalled, with the petals convolute ; pistil with three ovaries distinct 
from each other, of which one only ripens ; stigmas hooked ; drupe one-seeded ; seeds marked on one side 
with a longitudinal furrow ; albumen reticulate ; embryo in the back of the seed ; palms with stems of a 
moderate height and ridged, or marked with the seams of the fallen leaves ; fronds or leaves pinnate ; pinnae 
or leaflets linear, with the spadix bursting among the leaves, surrounded with an almost woody two-edged 
sheath ; flowers yellowish-white ; fruit soft, edible, of a reddish yellow colour. 
Phcenix dadylifera, or the date-tree, is one of the best known and probably the earliest known of the 
palms, and though belonging to a family which abounds and flourishes most in tropical regions, itself attains 
perfection only in comparatively high- latitudes. It is no doubt the species to which the name Palma was 
originally applied, as we may infer from its being common in Syria, Arabia, the lower parts of Persia, as 
well as Egypt, and the north of Africa, whence it has been introduced into the south of Europe, and culti- 
vated in a few places, not only as a curiosity, but on account of its leaves, which are sold twice in the year, 
in spring for Palm Sunday, and in September for the Jewish Passover ; and also, from the name not being 
applicable to the other species known to the ancients, as it is considered that the bunches of dates were 
likened to the fingers of the hand, as appears from the present specific name, dadylifera, from the Greek 
dadylus, a finger. It is the palm-tree of Scripture, and was emblematic of Judaea, as we see in coins with 
the inscription of Judcea capta. It is found in oases in the desert, and round Palmyra, which is supposed to 
have been named from its presence. This appears indeed to be only a translation of the Oriental name, 
which is Tadmor, supposed to be a corruption of Tamar (from tamr, a date), a city built in the desert by 
Solomon. The date-tree is therefore a subject of classical as well as of scriptural interest, besides its fruit 
forming a large portion of the food of a great part of the Arab race, and alsb a considerable article of 
commerce. 
The date-palm being dioecious, that is, the stamens and pistils being not only in different flowers, but 
even on different plants, the crops entirely fail, or the fruit is worthless and unfit for food, if fertilization 
is in any way prevented. 
The extensive importance of the date-tree is, says Dr. Clarke, one of the most curious subjects to 
which a traveller can direct his attention. A considerable part of the inhabitants of Egypt, Arabia, and 
Persia subsist almost entirely on its fruit. They make a conserve of it with sugar, and even grind the hard 
stones in their hand-mills for their camels. In Barbary they form handsome beads for paternosters of 
these stones. From the leaves they make couches, baskets, bags, mats, brushes, and fly-traps ; the trunk 
is split and used in small buildings, also for fences to gardens, and the stalks of the leaves for making cages 
for their poultry. The threads of the web-like integument at the bases of the leaves are twisted into ropes, 
which are employed in rigging small vessels. The sap is obtained by cutting off the head of the palm and 
scooping out a hollow in the top of the stem, where, in ascending, it lodges itself. Three or four quarts 
of sap may be obtained daily from a single palm, for ten days or a fortnight, after which the quantity 
