.ASSUf
cliic, bowing ametlts, most bcautiCiilIy imbricated with inr
merable scalcs.
Sadcs broad weilgc-forni, rctuse, aclliering b)" tlieir lateral margi
to the keel, or back of the next above, [when the amc
stands erect) forming a cavity for a fascicle of about ten or
twelve small, yellow, sessile, floweis; seldom moie than one
expands at a time, beginning with ihe uppermost , so that there
is a long succession of them.
Bmdcs numerous, \vetlge-form. concave, sui-roimdiiig [he bundle
of ¡lowers.
Paimilk-proper, hid within the scales of the anient, tliree-lcavcd;
Leii/lcts wedge-funn, concave.
Carol elevated from the calyx, on a small, club'd, triaugular, pedicel,
which is of sufficient length to riii.se the Hower above the
scales; Pclals three, oval, concave, points incurvate, spread-
FilameiLls ; short. JnlhcrAin
y differer
. should be daily c:
.her drank fresh
or is boiled into
ken of suffi-
•kably hard,
EORASSU.S FLABEI-LirOUMI
1- small bit of die extremity of the divided spadi>
oil', to remove the contracted, dry extremities c
IS cilitate tlie How of fresh juice. The Toddy i
.t drawn from the tree, or fermented for clistillati.
ir a coarsc kind of sapa, oi- rob, callcdJ;iggary.
e Th e wood of this puhn, near the circunifert
e dent age (one iiundrcd years or ihereabont), i
black, heavy, and durable, and is universally
pent-roofed houses, for ^vluch ]>urpose it is cen
in India. The centre is soft and spongy, conta
a coarse kind of farinaceous matter, intermixed with some soft,
white, woody fibres, and is cut out; as tlie black, exterioi-, iiard
part only is employed.
By the natives, the leaves are universally used for writing upon,
with an iron style, or bodkin. They are also employed for thatching
houses, for making small baskets, mats, kc. and are formed into
large fans, called vissaries.
i n l y the 15
ing little else th
'ood
Spill he compound as in the male.
Spndix is generally composed of onl y iwo branches.
Scales annular, imbricated, one-Hower'd, splitting in various places,
as the fruit increases in size, smooth; those nearest the base
and the apex sterile.
Perianth proper, or Corol eight or twelve leaved; leaflets unequal,
concave, firm, leathery, closely embracing the germ, permanent,
and, with the fruit, increasing in size.
FilamcnU six to nine, united into a ring which surrounds tlie base
of the germ.
AnHuii ovai, sterile.
Germ, globular.
S,yU none.
SUgma a scaly navel as in Ficus, with generally four small striai,
which run from them, each ending in a dark-brown colour'd
speck.
Dnipe subglobular, widi the apex Rattened, size of an infant's head,
smooth: skin leathery, dark-brown, shaded witli dark yellow;
inwardly replete with soft, yellow pulp, iiitermixcd wiili
lough, straw-colour'd hair.
jXuU f)om two to four, (generally three) inverse-broad-hearted, a
little compress'd, of a tough horny substance, covei'ed with
much of die before ment ioned hair, perforated in the notch of
the apex.
jVjicleus bears the general form of a nut, apex (not the base) three
l o b ' d : on each side groov'd from the base of the apex ; in
.substance somewhat cartilaginous, of a clear whitish colour ;
in the centrc there is a transverse slit, which, on drying, enlarges
into a cavity.
This, next to Caryota urens, grows to be the largest Palm on this
coast. It seems to thrive equally well in all soils, and situations;
but when the growth of high laud, at a distance from the sea, the
wood is much stronger, and every way better. It Ilowers during
the beginning of the hot season.
When the seeds arc young they are a pleasant, cooling jelly,
much eaten by the natives, and the addition of a litde sugar and
rose-water makes them extremely palatable ; the pulp of the ripe
fruit is also eaten by die natives.
The tree, during the first part of the hot season, yields a pretty
large quantity ol'Toddy (palm-wine), which is thus procured. Tlie
spadix, eidier male or female, is cut through just below where it
begins to be divided into branches, and the juice is received into
earthen pots suspended for that purpose; but it is necessary that a
ipath
Exjdduation of the Figiira in Plalc 71.
. Fotn-branches of the spadix with their respec
the whole reduced much below the natural
:. A portion of an ament, magnified.
:. The fascicle of unex2>anded Ilowers, with the seal.
open to show their situation, magnified.
. Two views of a flower.
Piateli.
Fig. 1. The spathes and spadix, smaller than nature.
2. A portion of the same cut transversely.
S. A Hower, natural size.
i . The same with the petals removed, slle^^•i^g the sterile stai
. The sterile stamens separated.
C. Sections of two gcrras-
A section of the ripe fruit.
S. One of the nuts with its hair and filament, which communicates
with the stigma.
9. The same deprived of its hair.
10. A perpendicular scction of the same, which exposes the
embrv r apex.
COCOS NUCIFERA.
Linn. spec, plant. 165 8.
Teng
Spathe 1
of the Tan
axillary, cylindric-oblong, tapering equally towards
each end, bursting longitudinally its whol e length ; texture
somewhat woody, inside perfecdy smooth, outside slightly
striated lengthwise, two or three feet long.
Spadix nearly erect, very branchy, winding.
Branches simple, winding much, bowing a little.
Male Flowers numerous, above the female, app
Calyx three-leaved: leaflet
Petals three, as in the Gen
Female Flowers generally oi
of each ramification o
ach side.
lated, very sessmall,
broad-hearlcd, firm, fleshy.
:ra plantarum.
though sometimes none, near the base
the spadix, and accompanied by a male
53 COCOS NUCireRA. 54
Calyx below, perhaps two-leaved, but it is difficult to say where
the corol begins.
Cord six-petal'd, if two are allowed for the calyx ; heart-shape, the
exterior three much the largest, ol' a firm leathery texture,
concave, and do not expand but in a trifling degree, except
force be used.
Xcclary: a thin orange-colotu ed ring surrounds the base of the germ.
Germ somewhat conical.
Style
Stigma small, immersed in the apex of the germ, slightly threelobed.
The Xul is well described and delineated by Gatrtner.
This tree delights in a moist, sandy soi
md its produce, are various and well kn<
• the sea. Its
Explaiiatim oj Ike Figures.
Fig. I. A female flower, not open.
2. Back and front view of a male flower, magnified.
S. The same of a female flower, natural siw.
•I. Section of the germ near the apex. Ditto.
5. Another near the middle. Ditto.
C- A third scction near the base. Ditto.
74. PHOENIX FARINIFEIIA.
Chitiy-cita of the Telingas.
Trunk, the little it has is only about one, or at most two feet high,
and so entirely enveloped in the leaves thai it is never seen ;
the %vhole appearing like a large round bu.sh.
Leaves feathered, as in Phcenix dactylifera (the Date tree); nearly
as large. Lcajlels longer, narrower, more pointed, of a much
deeper green.
Spathc axillary, one-valved, inside concave, fitting the trunk or base
of the leaf immediately within it: this concavity is bordered
b y two sharp edges, outside convex, there splitting longitudinally,
leathery, smooth, withering.
Spadix erect, very ramous: branches simple, spreading in every
direction; eight to twelve inches long.
Calyx small, üighüy three-tooth'd.
Petals three.
Filamenli six. very short, insc
Antkers oblong, erect.
a fleshy, globular receptacle.
FI-MALE FLOWERS On a different plant.
Calyx as above.
Peláis three, orbicular, equal, rigid, calyx-like, lasting.
Pistil as in Phosnix dactylifera.
Berry, when ripe, shining black, size of a large French bean; the
p u l p is sweet and mealy, but in small quantity. The natives
eat them as gathered from the bush, without any preparation.
Seed cartilaginous, shape of the berry, grooved longitudinally, as
in Phcenix dactylifera, pretty smooth, brown on the outside,
light-greyish white wi thin; on the middle of the back there
is a small elevation, under which is an oblong pit containing
This is a dwarf species of the Date tree, not taken notice of by
any a.ithor I have met with. It is a native of dry. barren ground.
and chiefly foimd on the-sandy lands at a small distance from the
sea. Flowers in J a n u a r y and February; fruit ri|)e in May.
The leaflets are wrought into mats; the common petioles ai-e split
into three or four, and used for making ordinary baskets of various
kinds; but they are not so proper for this pmposc as the Bamboo,
which i.s elastit. much more durable, and splits easily.
The small trunk, when divested of its leaves, and the .strong
brown fibrous web that surrounds the trunk at their insertions, is
generally about fifteen or eighteen inches long, and six in diameter,
at the thickest part; its exterior or woody part, consists of white
fibres matted together, which envelope a large quantity of a farinaecous
substance, used as food by the natives in times of scarcity;
but it is also interwoven with many white fibres; to separate which
from the farinaceous part, the trunk is split into six or eight picccs,
then dried, beaten in wooden mortars, and afterwards sifted: the
rest of the preparation consists in boiling the meal into a thick
gruel, or (as it is callcd in India) conjce. It seems to be much less
nutritive than the common sago, and is less palatable, being considerably
bitter when boiled; but probably l>y more care in the ¡)reparation,
or by varying the mode, it :nighibe improved. It certainly
deserves attention, as during the end of the last, and beginning of
the present year, 17 S I , it saved many lives; rice being excessively
dear, and at times not to be had, which obliged numbers of the
poor to have recourse to this meal. It may further be remarked,
that the tree fortunately is one of the most common on this part
of the coast, particularly near the sea.
ARECA CATIIECU.
Linn. spec, plant. IG59.
Po-ka-tshittoo of the Hindoos.
SpaUie double.
Spadix very branchy.
Male Flmuers very numerous, above the female, sessile, without
Calyx one-leaved, small, three corner'«!, three-parted, smooth.
Petals three, oblong, rigid, striated, smooth, many times longer than
,1,0 d p .
Filaments, geneially three, very short and broad ; two-parted, inserted
round the base of the columnar style.
Anlhers always six, arrow'd.
GENA, n o other than a short column, which splits into three short,
Female Flowers in the same sjjadix, one, two, or three at, or near the
base of each ramification of the spadix, sessile, without bractes.
Calyx six-leaved: the interior three largest, hearted, rigid, fleshy,
permanent.
Corol none.
Xcctary membranaceous, generally six-tooth'd, embracing closely
the base of the germ.
Gerr,i egg'd.
scarce any.
SUgvtas three, short, triangular, seemingly united into one, conical. .
sharp.
Lnope well described and delineated by Gartner.
Where it grows wild, I cannot say from my own observation,
but it is cultivated over every part of India, and is in flower most