FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
175 
ly on the north side of the little island 
where the climate is quite foggy and 
humid. This is very likely a good palm 
for Florida. I have given as full an ac¬ 
count as is possible here, in order to in¬ 
duce all plant lovers to try this fine palm. 
No time and money should be spared to 
introduce it in large quantities. Its 
beauty, distinctness and utility deserve 
that every lover of the palms concen¬ 
trate his attention on this noble Erythea, 
which attains, when fully grown, about 
30 feet in height. 
Th eDiplothemiums form a small genus 
of about four dwarf palms, reminding 
somewhat of the species of the Cocos aus¬ 
tralis type. They are all inhabitants of 
Southern Brazil. Though of indescrib¬ 
able elegance and easily accommodated, 
they are- extremely rare in our gardens. 
Mostly stemless or developing only short 
ringed trunks, they can be easily protect¬ 
ed in severe weather. They all revel in 
sunshine, needing about the same treat¬ 
ment as the hardy species of Cocos. The 
late Mr. Edmund H. Hart was very fond 
of these palms and had fine specimens of 
about three species in cultivation. Of 
the four known species, two inhabit the 
coast regions of Brazil, the other two, the 
dry campos. These latter thrive well on 
high pine land, while the former need 
more water and richer soil. 
Diplothemium cdmpestre, Mart, is a 
common palm in the region of Blumenau, 
South Brazil, and is the best known spe¬ 
cies of the genus in Florida. In Mr. 
Hart’s garden at Federal Point, there is 
a fine large specimen which has proved 
entirely hardy and has never suffered 
from cold. It is almost stemless and 
consists of a number of short-stems 
flowering and fruiting regularly. 
Diplotkermum littorale, Mart., is also 
a species of the campos, like the former 
and would very likely prove equally 
hardy. 
Diplothemium maritumum, Mart, is a 
low-growing, fine, plume-leaved palm of 
the coast regions of Brazil, but I am not 
aware whether or not this has ever been 
introduced. 
Diplothemium caudescens, Mart., Cer- 
oxylon), is the most striking of all the 
species of this genus, being a common 
plant of the burning coast regions of 
Southern Brazil. The fruit hangs in 
yellow bunches just below the silvery 
undersurfaces of the leaves and the na¬ 
tives can easily refresh themselves with 
its sweet pulp, as the trunks never attain 
any great height. There was a fine 
young specimen before the freeze in the 
garden now known as “Bishopstead” in 
Orlando. When I saw it in November, 
1894, it was a picture of health and beau¬ 
ty—in fact, I have scarcely ever seen a 
more impressive and elegant palm. The 
arching pinnate leaves were about 8 to 10 
feet long and 2 feet broad and looked 
very massive and perfect. The upper- 
side showed a most distinct, deep glossy 
olive-green and the underside, a very con¬ 
spicuous silvery-white. The entire plant 
was about 10 to 12 feet high, but the 
trunk was only short and quite thick. 
There were other palms in this fine gar¬ 
den, but in point of beauty this was sec¬ 
ond to none. It was shaded by a large 
specimen of Bambusa spinosa, and near 
by was a large and dense specimen of 
Arabia papyri f era, the Japanese rice 
paper plant,, in full bloom. When I 
