Part 145. The palm family (Palmaceae). Examples: coconut (Figs. 34-36), date (Figs. 108, 109), sago palms (Figs. 116 I-III), rattans (Figs. 223 I, II), and vegetable ivory (Figs. 266 I, II).

The formulas of Phoenix, Cocos, Calamus, Metroxylon, Phytelephas, and Palmaceae on pages 422, 423.

Although in our examples the leaves are all pinnate and compound, many members of the family have simple palmate leaves, as for instance those from which the familiar palm-leaf fans are made.

The flowers of palms are borne on a fleshy rachis which is more or less branched and subtended by one or more large, thick bracts. Such a fleshy spike whether simple or branched is called a spadix,1 and the large bract subtending it a spathe.2

1 Spa'dix - Gr. spadix, a palm-branch.

2 Spathe - Gr. spathe, a broad flat blade or spatula. The exclamation marks used in the formulas after I and B indicate, as usual, the fleshy character, and the oblique line after B, its involucral nature.

Palms may be distinguished as woody plants, usually with columnar trunks; large, plume-like or fan-shaped leaves; flowers on a mostly branched spadix formed within a spathe.

Part 146. The Palm Order

Part 146. The palm order (Palmales or Principes) includes only the family of palms, which from their majestic appearance and high importance were well called by Linnaeus the Princes of the Vegetable Kingdom. From other orders the woody trunks, large and often compound leaves, mostly branched spadix, conspicuous spathe, and the superior ovary with one or more cells, and one or more ovules, will generally afford sufficient marks of distinction.

See formula of Palmales on pages 422, 423,.