292 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XV. 



Ficus gibbosa, Bl. Datir. 



An epiphytic shrub in Karla. 



Ficus bengalensis, Linn. Wad : Banyan, 



A common roadside tree with ferial roots. One variety of this plant 

 seen with pendulous branchlets, large succulent leaves, and fruits one 

 inch in diameter, orange coloured, flecked with dark red. 



Ficus mysorensis, Heyne. Bhar ; Nahir. 



Epiphytic on Mango and Guriimb, of noble proportions and appear- 

 ance. The trunk of one at Karla is 23 feet in girth. Fruit, one inch 

 in diameter, quite smooth when ripe, bright orange, flecked with white. 



Ficus retusa, Linn. Ndndruh. 



Not an actual denizen of the woods, but the common roadside tree 

 of Lonavla. It produces adventitious roots in great abundance. 



Ficus religiosa, Linn. Pipal. 



A large, well-known, epiphytic tree. 



Ficus Tsiela, Roxb. Fipra. 



An epiphytic tree with very smooth, gray green bark. It produces 

 very few serial roots. 



Ficus asperrima, Roxb. Karvat. 



A small tree, not epiphytic. Leaves very rough, often 3-lobed. 

 Often bears its small fruits on bare branches. 



Ficus glomerata, Roxb, Umbar. 



A common tree, not epiphytic. Fruits large, red when ripe, in 

 hanging clusters on the stems and branches, edible but rather insipid. 



The epiphytic figs usually germinate on the forks of branches and 

 make but little growth, until some of their roots reach the ground 

 when they increase rapidly. Karla wood is especially rich in trees of 

 this kind. There may be seen examples of F. gibbosa growing on 

 F. glomerata, and towards the south end of the wood an extreme case is 

 presented, where a F, religiosa has completely enveloped an Anjan of 

 which now only a solitary branch protrudes ; a plant of F. Tsiela has 

 attained moderate dimensions on the Pipal. Which will conquer time 

 alone can show ; but F. Tsiela, being outside, scores so much in its own 

 favour. I cannot recollect ever having seen Figs grow on one another 

 elsewhere, but it is probably a common occurrence. 



An epiphytic fig, when young, seems to cling timidly to its host ; at a 

 later age it assumes a most murderous attitude. Ficus Tsiela is the 

 only fig here infested with Loranthi. It also often forms witches' 

 brooms which result from fungoid attacks. 



