352 BOTANICAL INFORMATION-. 



that of all other figs, is contained within the fruit, the sub- 

 stance of which consists of a great number of seeds of a dimi- 

 nutive size. These figs grow without any stalks, adhering 

 closely in alternate positions, all round the smaller branches. 

 They afford food for monkeys, and a variety of the feathered 

 race, but are not sweet to the taste, and are scarcely ever 

 eaten by man. The seeds are of such a nature, that they pass 

 through birds unhurt, perhaps become more fit for vegetation 

 than before, and by these means the trees are scattered over 

 all India and the Eastern islands, and often placed in curious 

 situations. 



" Some writers, in describing this tree, have confounded its 

 qualities with those of the Ficus religiosa, attributing to it 

 the property of dropping roots from the one, and clothing it 

 with the heart-shaped leaves of the other. An error still 

 more palpable has been committed, in asserting that it bears 

 no fruit." 



At p. 366, we further read as follows : — 

 " The Ficus religiosa is held in great veneration both in 

 Ceylon, and on the continent of India. In the Cingalese Ian* 

 guage it is called bogciha, or the tree of Buddha, and in Mala- 

 bar, Arisarum. It drops no fibrous roots from its spreading 

 boughs, but far surpasses the Banyan in elegance and grace- 

 fulness of form, grows to a very large size, has a smooth 

 bark, and is perhaps the most completely beautiful of all the 

 trees which adorn the wide garden of nature. The leaves 

 are particularly handsome, being exactly of the form of a 

 heart, and having a long pointed extremity, and a long foot- 

 stalk. When full grown, they measure npwards of six 

 inches in breadth at the broadest part, and eight in length, 

 including the tapering point, which measures two inches. 

 The fruit grows without stalks, in the same manner as that 

 of the F. Indica, adhering to the smaller branches; but it is 

 rather less in size, and does not attain, when ripe, so bright 

 a red. This religious Jig is accounted the most sacred of 

 trees in India, and it is held in such high estimation in the 

 country of Candy, that the form of its leaves is only allowed 



