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Brahea (Tycho Brahe, the Danish astronomer). Palmaceae, tribe Corypheae. Medium-sized, usually spineless palms except on the leaf-stalks, with ringed trunks, the upper part of which is usually clothed with the persistent leaf-bases.
Leaves usually numerous, nearly round and somewhat peltate, the many lfts. plicate and deeply 2- parted, sometimes slightly spiny on the margin, more often filamentous; petioles flattened, dentate or rarely spiny along the margins, very fibrous at the sheathing base: spathes usually linear, firm, almost woody, frequently perfectly glabrous; spadix much branched, sometimes twice or thrice paniculate and bearing among the dense white wool 1 or many sessile fls. in each cluster; fls. hermaphrodite, sometimes with inconspicuous bracts, 3 nearly round sepals, 3 valvate petals and 6 stamens: fr. small, ovoid, sometimes pubescent. Beccari admits only 4 species, all Mexican except B. salvadorensis. From its nearest horticultural relative, Sabal, Brahea is distinguished by the purely technical character of having 3 free carpels.
In a moderately warm house, the cultivated braheas will thrive very well. A mixture of sand, rich loam and well-rotted horse- or cow-manure is best. They require plenty of water. They are not very common in the trade but two species are grown outdoors in southern California. Propagation is by seeds, which are rare.
B. edulis, Wendl., sometimes offered in Amer., is Erythea edulis, Wats. — B. filamentosa, Hort. Washingtonia filifera. Wendl. — B. filifera, Hort.-W. fiiifera. — B. glauca, Hort. - Erythea armata, Wats. — B. robusta, Hort.-Washingtonia. — B, Roezlii, Erythea armata, Wats.
The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.
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