Trithrinax
(from treis, three, and thrinax, a fan; alluding to the division and form of the leaves). ORD. Palmae. A small genus (two or three species) of stove, unarmed Palms, natives of Brazil, and one Chilian. Flowers small, hermaphrodite; spathes many, the lower ones inserted on the peduncle, oblong, obliquely cut, the upper ones obliquely truncate; spadices spreading, on thick peduncles, with flexuous branches. Fruit baccate, one-seeded. Leaves terminal, orbicular-ovate, flabellately multifid, glabrous; sheaths fibrous and spiny, erect or deflexed. For culture, see Thrinax.
T. acanthocoma (spine-covered). fl., spadix branched. l. large, flabelliform, cut two-thirds of the way down into numerous linear, bifid segments. Caudex dwarf, clothed with the persistent, netted sheaths, armed with numerous, stout, reflexed spines. Rio Grande, 1879. (R. G. 959; G. C. n. s., ix. p. 661.) T. aculeata (prickly). A synonym of Acanthorhiza aculeata. T. brasiliensis (Brazilian). fl., spadix within the upper leaves, much branched. l. large, 3ft. or more long, flabelliform, nearly orbicular; sheaths at the base composed of fibres, which are at first parallel and longitudinal, then obliquely interlaced, and finally plaited together at right angles like the pandanus mats in which coffee is sent from the Antilles and Bourbon; at the summit these stripes unite, forming a series of very long, stout spines, abruptly curved downwards. Caudex slender, 6ft. to 10ft. high, 2in. to 3in. thick. Brazil, 1875. (I. H. 203.) T. mauritiaeformis (Mauritia-like). A synonym of Sabal mauritiaeformis.