NOTES ON THE CHEMJSTRV OF THE InARAS. 233 



clriftiiii;- sand. It occurs most plentifully in what was once the 

 wide estuary of the Kuisip River. Since this estuary was formed 

 the amount of water brought down by the river has decreased 

 until at present there is very rarely sufficient to flow over the 

 surface of the sand which has been blown into it from the south. 

 A considerable amount, however, finds its way to the sea under- 

 neath the sand. The ! Naras fields occupy practically the whole 

 of the estuar_\- with the exception of about three miles at the 

 coast. The south bank of the estuary coincides roughly with 

 the southern boundary of the British territory of Waltish Bay. 



Nature of the Plant and Fruit. 



The ! Naras (^Icaiithdsicyos liorrida ) is a cucm-])itace()us 

 plant, belonging to the same family as the cucumber, pumpkin, 

 and the various melons. Unlike the other members of the 

 famil}-, which ])ossess highly developed leaves, this plant has no 

 leave-- at all, unless the tin}- scale-like growth, which ai:)pears on 

 the young plant, but soon (lro])s oil, can be called by that name. 

 This i> a provision made b\' Nature to allow the plant to remain 

 unhampered by the weight of the sand which is constantly blown 

 upon it. The plant forms an almost impenetrable hedge of 

 interlacing twigs, carrying ])airs of straight thorns at very short 

 intervals — -less than an inch in the case of the smaller twigs. 

 The roots, Avhich are usuall}- of enormous length, since they 

 reach from the vine on top of a sand-dune to the water below 

 it, reseml)le bundles of capillary tubes arranged roughly in lines 

 radiating from the centre, with a layer of i^rotecring bark out- 

 side. These tul)es, which are large enough to admit a small ])in. 

 form the cliannels throngli which water and air are supr)Iied to tl^e 

 whole plant. The brandies and thorns contain chlorophvll. 

 and tlius perform the functions of leaver in absorbing carbon 

 dioxide from the air. 



The frtiit. which is light green in colour when ripe, is a 

 small melon about 6 inches in diameter, covered with small 

 protuberances. It consists of an outer rind and six segments 

 (similar to those of an orange) e(intainin<r numerous seeds, 

 resembling those of a musk-melon, but considerably larger and 

 more rounded. 



The conditions under which the ])lant groAvs are most ex- 

 ceptional. It is certainh" unusual to find a green ])lant, and a 

 useful one to boot, flourishing on the top of a dune of loose 

 desert sand in a desert climate. As these dunes are of con- 

 siderable height, and water is found only below their base, the 

 roots of the plant must reach down to a very great depth. It 

 is not surprising that it was presumed that the plant could be 

 cultivated in any desert region, but to understand the facts of 

 the ca>e it is necessary to go back to the earlier stages of the 

 growtli of an. individual plant. It is absurd to imagine that a 

 voung Naras seedling can be jilanted on the to]) of a large dry 



