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Carludovica (Charles IV, and his Queen Louisa, of Spain). Cyclanthaceae. Palm-like, sometimes merely herbaceous plants, of tropical America.
The plants are stemless, or sometimes with a lax creeping St., and usually have stalked, sometimes sessile, flabellate lvs.: fls. monoecious, the two sexes being on the same spadix, which is inclosed in a 4-lvd. spathe; staminate fls. with many stamens and many lobed calyx, 4 of them surrounding a pistillate fl.—the latter have a 4-sided ovary, 4 barren stamens, and 4- lobed calyx: fr. a 4-sided, many-seeded berry. The carludovicas are usually regarded and treated as stove palms by gardeners. They are useful for decoration. The family Cyclanthaceae is exclusively tropical American, of about 45 species and 6 genera (Stelestylis, Carludovica, Sarcinanthus, Ludovia, Evodianthus, Cyclanthus); it is often united with the Pandanaceae or screw-pine family.
The genus is an important economic one, as C. palmata, and perhaps other species, are the source of Panama hats. In making these, the leaves are cut young, the stiff veins removed, after which the leaves are slit into shreds, but not separated at the stalk end. It is said that hats of superior quality are plaited from a single leaf, without any joinings. U. S. Dept. Agric., Fiber Investigations. Rept. 9:112 (1897).
Carludovica palmata is the species most frequently met with under cultivation. Under favorable conditions it grows to a height of about 8 feet. All of the kinds need stove treatment during the winter months; in summer they may be used for subtropical bedding with good results. They have a certain palm-like appearance, but the leaves are of a softer texture than any of the palms. They may be propagated by division, choosing the early spring for the operation. C. palmata seeds freely. The fruit, when ripe, has an ornamental appearance for a short time after bursting open. The seeds are very small, and should be carefully washed free from the pulp, and sown on the surface of a pan of finely chopped sphagnum moss. Germination takes place in two weeks from sowing if kept in a brisk, moist heat. The species are not particular as to soil but the drainage must be perfect, as the plants require an abundance of water when growing. (G. W. Oliver.)
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