258 Transactions. — Botany. 



sides,) the feni-tree was wholly enclosed ; and this was all the 

 more plainly to be seen, from the fact of the trunk of the Panax 

 being bare of epiphytal vegetation, so that its light-coloured and 

 clean bark showed in strong relief against that of the darker 

 fern-tree in the few narrow interstices on the one side where it 

 still slightly appeared. Another great curiosity was the entire 

 unbroken appearance of the Panax on the one side of the fern- 

 tree, which was completely covered by it ; there was no trace 

 discernible of any cicatrices or joinings in its bark, which was 

 even. The tree, or pair so strangely conjoined, stood in a small 

 glade or open space among the trees of the forest that were 

 densely thick around, which circumstance, together with the 

 dark-green foliage of the very large leaves and sprays of the 

 Panax, above and around the delicate pure white fronds of the 

 fern (viewed from beneath them and looking up), with the blue 

 sky here and there in the background seen through their 

 branches, caused the two trees to be seen to a great advantage. 

 The tout ensemble was both unusual and charming, and served to 

 bring to mind portions of Ovid's metamorphoses of trees. 



Another pleasing thought arose from the consideration of 

 this tree [Panax), in its so clasping and sending out and down 

 its root-like branches, (wliich it never does when growing in the 

 earth in its native woods,) thus showing its real natural affinity 

 in latent habit to those other genera of that same natural order 

 in which it is placed, {e.ij., lledera, Gunnera, etc.,) which so 

 largely and constantly grow and adhere by their climbing root- 

 lets ; and yet the ivy ( tiedera helix) sometimes grows as a 

 standard. 



I visited that spot on several occasions during two j'ears, 

 and always with feelings of admiration ; and was so much sur- 

 prised and pleased with my " find," that on two of those visits, 

 having taken my portfolio with me, I attempted to take a draw- 

 ing of it ; (in one of those times, however, being caught in 

 heavy rain !) but, owing to the loss of drawing and writing 

 power in my thumb, I made a poor job of it. Still, such as it 

 is, and unfinished, I bring it before you, as by it you may be 

 the better able to know somewhat of the relative sizes and 

 appearances of the two curiously-entwined and coalesced plants. 



I took accurate measurements of this botanical phenomenon, 

 and the following is the result : — 



1. Height of caudex of Cyathea from the ground to the 



springing of its living fronds, 7ft. Gin. 



2. Height of t'anax, about 181t. 



3. Girth of both, taken together at base, 6ft. 



4. At 5ft. Sin. from the ground the Panax tree forked 



into two stout, erect main branches. 



5. Girth of both plants under the forking of the Panax, 



6ft. 3in. 



