formed receptacles in 1905 at Vallon, near that city. 
From this the diagnosis now provided by Mr. de Candolle 
was prepared. One of the plants in the Calcutta Garden 
formed receptacles for the first time in 1903. 
Mr. de Candolie has already discussed very fully the 
history and the morphology of this plant. The peculiarity 
of its leaves has led those natives of India who have seen 
it to invest the tree with a sacred character, and to provide 
more than one circumstantial legend in explanation of its 
appearance. Various localities have been suggested by 
them as its original home; these localities have always 
been some well-known place of pilgrimage. Inquiries on 
the spot have, however, hitherto failed to produce evidence 
that the tree exists in any of them; its original habitat is 
therefore as yet unknown. | 
One Indian view is that the tree is a Bor or Banyan 
(Ficus bengalensis) miraculously modified by Rama. The 
tale has been told by Mr. de Candolle in the Archives des 
Sciences Physiques et Naturelles, ser. iv. vol. xii., for 
December, 1901. But apart from the peculiar form of the 
leaves, the differences as regards the tomentum, the 
stipules, the perianth, the stamens and the stigma are too 
great to admit of the identification with Ficus bengalensis. 
Expecting to find in this plant no more than a modified 
form of some already described species, Sir G. King, Mr. de 
Candolle and the writer, after a careful search in the 
herbaria of Kew, Geneva and Calcutta, have been unable 
to refer I’. Krishne to any species of Ficus with normal 
foliage. The native Indian view has, however, this to be 
said for it; I’. Krishnz, like I’. bengalensis, belongs to the 
section Urostigma, and is more nearly allied to F. bengalensis 
than to any other species in that section. What is perhaps 
as interesting as the accuracy of native intuition with 
regard to the natural affinities of the plant, is the fact that 
the Rama legend alluded to above, though first in the 
field, failed to satisfy every one, and a second legend, asso- 
ciating the tree, still as a Banyan or Bor, with Krishna, 
soon obtained a wider circulation than the other. This 
story has also been told by Mr. de Candolle in the Bulletin 
de V Herbier Boissier for 1902, p- 760. The first legend, it 
may be remarked, originated after the two original cuttings 
had become established in the nurseries of the Calcutta 
