As regards the geographical distribution 
of the Date-palin it is a representative of the ' 
subtropical countries of Western Asia and 
the Southern littoral of the Mediteranean. i 
It is confined to the more dry zones, where 
vehement rains do not exist Therefore the 
I) ate grows plentifully in Northern Africa, | 
Arabia, Southern Persia, Belooehistan, and 
the North Eastern corner of British India 
(Punjaub, Lahore, Moultan.) But here is 
the Eastern limit of its distribution. To the 
South it can be found as far as Bombay, 
but here the fruits do not ripen. — In Persia 
it is only the Southern provinces, which pro- 
duce dates, namely the littoral of the Persian 
Gulf and Kirin an. The most Northern spot 
in Persia, where the Date is cultivated, is 
the oasis Tables in the great Salt-desert 
(about 34° latitude.) But at Isphahan, which 
has a more Southern position, I have not 
seen Date-palms. There is however in 
Mazanderan, (Ashref) near the shore of the 
Caspian sea a splendid Date-palm, which j 
was planted by a Persian Shah, some centu- 
ries ago. — Bagdad (33° latitude) produces 
good Dates. 
Mr. Sampson (1. c. p. 172) mentions a 
species of Chinese Phoenix (or Date pa lip) 
in the following terms: “A species of Phoe- 
nix grows wild in Hongkong arid generally 
near the sandy shores and slopes of the hills 
along the sea" coast; it is often nearly stem- 
less, but when suffered to grow to full devel- 
opment, has a cylindrical caudex of from 
two to six feet in height ; this is referred 
doubtfully in the Flora Hongkongensis to 
Ph. acaulis, Roxb., but Dr. Ilance (See- 
mann’s Journal of Botany, Vol. VII p. 15,) 
shews it to be Ph. farinifera Roxb.” Mr. 
Sampson adds, that he is not aware that 
this plant has at all attracted the attention 
of the Chinese. But in Dr. Ilance’s adver- 
saria in stirpes Asiae orient, p. 48, I find 
a description of this palm: “Species Hong- 
kongensis generis Phoenicis, quae videtur 
diversa ab omnibus, quas descripsit Griffith. 
Propinqua autem videtur Ph. sylvestri, 
Roxb. Crescit gregarie in petrosis aridiori- 
busque collium lateribus.” Dr. Hance adds, 
that the fructiferous spadices of this palm 
are sold in Macao under the name of “ Areca 
demato” (i. e. Areca sylvestris,) and that 
the Chinese eat the farinaceous fruits, which 
however are very adstringent. Phoenix far- 
inifera is common all over India and grows 
almost together with Phoenix sylvestris (the 
wild Date.) The stem of Ph. farinifera 
yields in India a meal, a substitute for the 
true Sago. It is used especially in time of 
famine (Ritter, Asien IV« p. 862.) Lamark 
mentions Ph. farinifera as growing also in 1 
Cochin China. 
1 B*y £ V S3 
4. 'jjffii Tsung-lii Chamaerops, 
and ^4: P i u-k L ui, Fan Palms. 
P. XXXV, 78. Ch. W. XXXV. 
Shi-ming . — Explanation of names. A pop- 
ular manner of writing the above name is 
ffg Tsung-lii. Both names are deriv- 
ed from tjsjp Tsung-lii (horse-hair,) 
on account of the fibres, like horse-hair, 
which surround the bark. Another name 
of the tree is /jifj- J'jf. Ping -la. 
Description of the tree . — The authors quot- 
ed in the Pen-ts‘ao about the Tsnng-iU (Ti- 
the most part writers of the 10th m, ’ i 
century) and Li-shi-chon Ir’nn-e if 
following description of it: 
The Tsung-lii is a tiff.- in 
height, about the sum-.* thick: >. ss it. 
perfectly straight and branch! ss. 
leaves, which grow all from m t" of the 
tree, spread out from thence lib a fan, in 
every direction. They resenibl in sba o 
carriage wheel and do not fall in the winti r. 
At first, when the leaves begin to unfold 
they resemble the * The leaf- 
stalks are three-cornered. An author of the 
8th century says, that in Ling-nan (Southern 
China, see above.) there are several trees, 
the leaves of which resemble the Tsung-lii, 
namely the Ye-tsu (Cocos nucifera,) C the 
Pin- lang (oetel-nut,) the Kuang-lang (Oa- 
ryota spec, see below,) the To-lo (Borassus, 
see below,) the Vf, ijv Tsung-ye and the 
§£ m-saf t 
* The a M Po-ki r 1. tes to an Atnomacea, 
according to Tatariuow fCatal. m -d. unj Indeed the 
drawing of the Po-ki in the 0,!. W. VIII 12 seems to 
represent a species of Alpinia. 
f I am not able to state what trees are meant by 
Tung-ve and Hn-san.— of tin Tang-ye /winter leaf,) 
the following short account is giv-.-n in the Nan-fang- 
ts'ao Sic,, /4th century.) The i'ung-ye, called also 
.—g-gA -*-*-* HH*" 
J|g. Kiang-ye (G inger leaf; or /gjj gj Pao- 
tsu is used in Southern countries. The climate there 
is very hot and everything spoils quickly. This can 
be prevented by wrapping them in the leaves of the 
Tung-ye. Tilings cau be preserved in this manner for 
a .long time. 
The Sii-san , called also ^ jj|^f Ku- 
san is described in a few words in the Pen-ts'ao at the 
end of the article Kuang-lang /XXXI p. 24 ) There 
it is said, that from this tree canes are made.. This 
is perhaps Rliapis floj/ellifonnis, a palm native of 
Southern China, with fan shaped leaves. Lindley 
/Treasury of Botany) ,-t.. „•« about this palm, that it. is 
said to yield the walking canes known as Ground^Rat- 
tans. Mr. Sampson, however, says /l. c. p. 172) that 
