Carex, | CYPERACEAE. 281 
C. pseudo-cyperus, in its typical state, is plentiful in temperate and vool mountain- 
ous regions in most parts of the world; but the var. fascicularis exists only in New 
Zealand, Australia, and Tasmania. Kukenthal maintains, but as a “form”’ only, 
Boott’s var. minor, ascribing to it Boeckeler’s name of “ novae-seelandiae.” It only 
differs in its smaller size, fewer spikelets, and smaller utricles. 
Family XIV. PALMAE. 
Woody plants, usually with an erect stem bearing a terminal crown of 
large pinnate or fan-shaped leaves, rarely climbing or decumbent. Flowers 
regular, hermaphrodite or unisexual, small, numerous, arranged in spikes 
or panicles called spadices, which are enclosed when young within a large 
and broad deciduous bract called a spathe. Perianth inferior, corlaceous, 
persistent, of 6 segments in 2 series; the outer imbricate, often united into 
a 3-toothed or -lobed cup; the inner usually valvate. Stamens generally 
6 or 3, rarely more, inserted at the base of the perianth; filaments free 
or connate, subulate or filiform; anthers versatile. Ovary superior, |- or 
3-celled, or of 3 distinct carpels; style very short or wanting; stigmas 3, 
sessile; ovules solitary (rarely 2) in each cell. Fruit a drupe or berry ; 
exocarp thick, spongy, fleshy, or fibrous; endocarp membranous or crust- 
aceous or bony. Seed with copious horny cartilaginous or oily albumen ; 
embryo small, in a cavity near the surface of the albumen. 
A majestic order, comprising nearly 130 genera and about 1100 species, almost 
wholly confined to tropical or warm extratropical regions, a few only found in northern 
or southern temperate latitudes. Few families are more generally useful, or applied 
to a greater variety of purposes. The timber, the foliage, the fruit, the starchy pith, 
and the fermentable sap are all employed. The coconut, date, sago-palm, cabbage- 
palm, betel-palm, African oil-palm, &c., are some of the best known species, ‘The 
single genus found in New Zealand also occurs in Norfolk Island. 
RHOPALOSTYLIS Wendl. and Drude. )* “= 
Stems tall, erect, unarmed, marked with annular scars. Leaves forming 
a terminal crown, pinnate; petiole long, furnished at the base with a long 
and broad sheathing part. Leaflets long, narrow, acuminate, slightly fal- 
cate at the apex, 3-costulate; secondary nerves several, distant; margins 
thin. Inflorescence at the base of the leaves, consisting of a much and 
densely branched spadix enclosed within two boat-shaped spathes of nearly 
equal size. Flowers monoecious, in glomerules of 3, a female in the centre, 
with a male on each side of it. Male flowers: Sepals subulate-lanceolate. 
Petals rather larger, obliquely ovate, acuminate, valvate. Stamens 6, 
free; filaments almost filiform, inflected at the tip; anthers linear-oblong, 
dorsifixed. Female flowers smaller and broader than the male, globose- 
ovoid ; sepals broadly imbricate; petals convolute-imbricate at the base, 
valvate at the tips; ovary ovoid. Fruit small, elliptical or ovoid-oblong 
or almost globose, symmetrical; exocarp fleshy and succulent; endocarp 
fibrous within. Seed erect; albumen smooth, homogeneous. Embryo 
basal. 
A genus consisting of three species, one of which is confined to New Zealand proper, 
another to the Kermadec Islands, while the third is restricted to Norfolk Island. 
Stem slender, 15-30 ft. high. Seed ovoid-elliptical Ay .. 1. R. sapida. 
Stem stout, 30-60 ft. high. Seed globose , fa .. 2. R. Cheesemanii. 
