Palm tree (Hastings' Dictionary)

The palm is indigenous in tropical and subtropical climates. It is the tree par excellence ot Egypt and Nubia. It flourishes, however, in the maritime pea of Pal. and Syria, as far north as Beirft and Tripoli. Beyond this it exists, even as far as Smyrna. It grew formerly in abundance in the Jordan Valley, and would do so now if planted. Although a few trees grow in ea places on the lower mountains, they do not usually bear fruit at an altitude above 1000 ft.

The palm of Scripture is Phenix dactylifera, L., of the Order Palmex. It is an endogenous tree; the trunk, composed of interlacing fibres, is ve light, but exceedingly flexible and strong. palm tree sways to and fro in the wind with inexpressible gracefulness, but seldom breaks, even in the fiercest gales. Its trunk grows by additions from above, not increasing in thickness after it has once become fairly established.

Indeed, by the wearing off of the stumps of the leaves, it omes more slender ag it increases in PALM TREE height. This tall, slender, flexible trunk springs from an immense tuber, a little below the surface of the ground. From the lower surface of this tuber descend cord-like white roots, which spread laterally about as much as the diameter of the head of leaves, and downward for 6-8 ft. or more. These give off coarse fibres, which absorb the moisture from the soil.

From the upper aspect of the tuber, and the lower part of the trunk, sprin true branches. If not cut off, they will grow an Ῥτρῦπορ the effect of a clump of several trees. uch clumps are the usual form of growth in the desert, or in neglected places. But branches very seldom grow at any considerable height above the ground. The palm ‘branches’ (called technically nippy in Ly 23 [see Driver’s note in PB], ‘palms’ 198 the hand], from their shape [cf.

152 Is 914 19", _ Job 1532) do not refer to these, but to the fronds, _ which form a hemispherical or nearly spherical dome, which waves and tosses often at a height of 60-100 ft. The fronds themselves are 6-12 ft. or more in length, with a stiff midrib, and pinne half folded lengthwise, ending in a prickly tip. The lowermost of these fronds are deflexed, the middle horizontal, and the uppermost erect. From the terminal bud arise the spathes, which enclose the flowers.

The staminate flowers are on one tree and the pistillate on another. As soon as they have sh their pollen, the staminate flowers wither and drop off. But the clusters of dates on the fertile tree grow more beautiful as they curve more and more outward and downward on their long yellow or red stalks, and the ripening dates turn from green to yellow or red, and sometimes to a rich maroon colour or almost black.

The fruit is gathered by a man who climbs the tall slender trunk, cuts the great clusters, places them in a basket, and lowers them to the ground. The Scripture allusions to the palm tree are numerous. Its evergreen foliage and wealth of delicious fruit are compared with the righteous (Ps 92"), its tall, graceful stature and mien with the loveliest of women (Ca 7’).

Immediately after the latter allusion there is another to the mode of gathering the fruit: ‘I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof’ (v.°). The boughs here are the graceful stalks of the date clusters, often 4-6 ft. ong, loaded with their tempting fruit, under the dome of leaves. The upright port of the palm is noticed (Jer 10°).

The withering of this tree is mentioned with that of the vine, fig, pomegranate, apple, and other trees, as a sign of the desolation of the land (Jl 113). Sculptured and carved palm trees were used for architectural decoration (1 K 6%, Ezk 41" etc.) Fronds were used for booths (Lv 23"), They were also used in token of triumph (Jn 1218, Rev 7°). The palm gave its name to Pheenicia and to Pheenix in Crete. Jericho was the ‘city of palm trees’ (Dt 345, Jg 116 318. 2 Ch 28").

They existed in great numbers there in the time of Christ. A few wild ones exist now in the Jordan Valley. Perhaps the fronds used in Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem came from that region. Hazazon-tamar (Gn 147, 2 Ch 903) possibly means *the felling of the palm tree.’ Palms must have been abundant in En-gedi (Sir 24"), a fact con- firmed by Josephus and Pliny.

Baal-tamar (Jg 20") and Deborah’s palm tree (Jg 4°), in the hill- country of Benjamin, were probably isolated trees —perhaps, according to Stanley, the same tree. As above said, palms were never common in the upper hills. This would make a single tree in such a situation a landmark. There are still a few in the liills of Pal. and Lebanon. Tamar in the south of Juda (Ezk 47! 48%) must have been within the wilderness of the wanderings. Robinson (BRP? ‘i. 198, 202) places it at e/-Mih.

Tadmor (2 Ch 8*) VOL. I1l,—42 PALSY is a corruption of (or a mistake for) Tamar. It was noted for its palm trees. None now remain. Bethany is derived by some from ‘ya-m3=house of dates, while others derive it from myrm2=house of sorrow. ‘The improbability of dates being produced in quantities sufficient to give their name to a place, inclines us to think that the latter is the more correct etymology. Three women are named Tamar (Gn 38%, 2S 13' 14%). See TAMAR.

Dates are a staple article of food among the Bedawin of Sinai and elsewhere. A seedless palm tree flourishes in the Convent of Mar Siba. Fine xroves of palm trees are found in all the oases. The dates are dried separately, not compressed into cakes. For their weight, they contain a very large proportion of nutritious matter. A handful of them lasts an Arab a day or two. Date brandy is made in the Convent of St. Catherine in Sinai, and elsewhere. Date honey, called dibs, is also made.

‘hough there is no unmistakable allusion to the use of dates as food in the Bible, there can be no doubt that they were so employed. No mention is made of the use of palm wood in building. In modern times it is used only for gate- posts and rafters. The midribs of the fronds are used in making crates for fruit and coops for fowls. G. E. Post. PALMER-WORM (0)3 gazadm, κάμπη, eruca).

—In the article on Locust, 6, we have pointed out the uncertainty as to the identification of the creatures referred to in Jl] 1" 2%, Am 45. Bochart and his followers suppose them to be stages in the growth of the locust. The Oxf. Heb. Lex. agrees with him. The root 013=Arab. jazam, signifies ‘to cut off.’ This would apply to any destroying larva. We have further pointed out (Locust, 9) that the λᾶς (AV and RV ‘caterpillar’) is probably, as in RVm, a stage of the locust.

There are numerous larvee of moths and butterflies which infest plants in Pal. and Syria, but none which amount to a pest, or do any damage comparable to that inflicted by the successive stages of the locust. The Eng. palmer- worm is an old name for the caterpillar, which is so called either from its wandering about like a pilgrim, or (more probabl ) from its resemblance to the palm, provincial Eng. for the catkin of a willow. G. E. Post.