Syagrus
(the old Greek name of a Palm, mentioned by Pliny). ORD. Palmae. A small genus of stove, unarmed Palms, now included, by Bentham and Hooker, under Cocos. Flower-spike enveloped in a double spathe. Shell of the fruit hard and bony, having a broad, smooth band or channel running from each of the three pores, and meeting at the top; seed oily, sometimes hollow, inclosed in a hard, bony shell, surrounded by a fibrous rind. Leaves terminal, pinnatisect. For culture, see Cocos.
S. amara (bitter). fl., inner leaflets of the males linear-oblong; females ovate-globose. fr. ovoid-oblong, blunt at both ends, 3in. long. l., segments linear, acuminate. Trunk 50ft. to 100ft. or more in height. Jamaica. In habit this species closely resembles Cocos nucifera.
S. botryophora (cluster-bearing). fl., spathe secund, as long as the spadix, sulcate; spadix 1 1/2ft. or more long. l. erecto-patent, 9ft. to 10ft. long; pinnae opposite or grouped, 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. long, linear, acuminate, obliquely adnate, slightly crisped. Trunk straight, 50ft. to 60ft. high, 6in. to 10in. thick. Bahia, 1836. SYN. Attalea grandis.
S. campestris (field-loving).* fl., spathe as long as the spadix; spadix 1 1/2ft. long, spreading when flowering, nodding in fruit. l. spreading, 2ft. to 6ft. or more long; pinnae 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. long, not more than 1/2in. broad; petioles broadly sheathing and very thick, clothed at the edges with woody, brown fibres, and armed with a few stout, dark reddish-brown spines on the naked portion. Trunk swollen at base. Brazil. An elegant and highly ornamental plant.
S. cocoides (Cocos-like).* fl. yellowish-white, rather large; outer spathe 1ft. long, obtuse, navicular, ferruginous-tomentose outside, within at first yellowish-white, at length fuscous; inner spathe, together with the compressed-terete peduncle, 1 1/2ft. long, nodding or pendulous, and 2ft. long when fruiting. l. all terminal, rather loose, erecto-patent, arcuate, tufted, 4ft. to 6ft. long, pinnate; pinnae linear, narrow, slightly curled, the adults 9in. to 12in. long, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, highly glabrous. Trunk 8ft. to 10ft. high, 2in. to 3in. thick. Brazil, 1823.
S. comosa (tufted). fl., spathe fusiform, sulcate; spadix 1ft. or more long, with five, six, or numerous flexuous branches. fr. fibry, oblong or ovate-oblong, glabrous. l. 3ft. to 4ft. long, spreading; pinnae erect, approximate, lanceolate, obliquely adnate. Trunk 10ft. or rarely more in height, annulate below. Brazil.
S. Mikaniana (Mikan's). fl., spadix 2ft. to 3ft. long. fr. about 2in. long. l. dense, slightly crisped, 8ft. to 10ft. long; pinnae linear-lanceolate, acuminate. Trunk 40ft. to 50ft. high, nearly 1ft. thick, irregularly annulate. Brazil, 1853.
S. Sancona (Sancona). fl., outer spathe smaller; inner one fusiform, 3ft. long, opening at back; spadix simply branched; inflorescence monoecious, axillary. fr. orange, ovoid, glabrous, smooth. l. 8ft. long, reticulate and sheathing at base, spreading; leaflets about 180 on each side, aggregate in threes, fours, or fives, linear, acute, glabrous, papyraceous, 2ft. long, 2in. broad. Trunk 60ft. to 80ft. high, 6in. thick. Brazil.