ch. iv.] Tropical Flowers. 55 



tree, and its smaller dependents, lets in the sun, and so 

 the epiphytes do not suffer much for a time ; and one 

 may thus observe them in all their beauty. 



Here, right in the collar of the tree, is a plant of the 

 grammatophyllum orchid, big enough to fill a Pickford's 

 van, and just now opening its golden-brown spotted 

 flowers on stout spikes two yards long. There, on 

 that topmost branch, is a mass of the moth orchid, or 

 phalamopsis, bearing a hundred snowy flowers at least ; 

 and in such healthy vigour is it, that lovers of orchids 

 at home — supposing it could be flashed direct to 

 "Stevens's" in its present state — would outbid each 

 other for such a glorious prize, until the hammer would 

 fall at a price near on a hundred guineas, as it has 

 done before for exceptional specimens of these lovely 

 flowers. 



There, gleaming in the sunlight, like a scarlet jewel, 

 beneath those great leathery aroid leaves, is a cluster of 

 tubular seschynanthus flowers ; and here is another wee 

 orchid, a tiny pink-blossomed cirrhopetalum, whose 

 flowers and leaves scarcely rise above the bright carpet 

 of velvety moss among which it grows. But what is that 

 attractive gleam of gold and green swaying to and fro in 

 the sunshine ? Ah ! that is a beauty of another kind ! 

 And a native, to whom it is pointed out, ejaculates, 

 " Chalaka ! ular Tuan ! " — a wicked snake, sir ; and 

 we are content to move on, and leave him alone in his 

 glory. We tramp on for an hour longer, without even 

 the glimpse of a flower being visible, except here and 

 there a few fragments on the ground, the remnant spoUa 

 of the flower world which exists on the roof of this 

 grand cathedral of trees. 



Half an hour further, and the increasing numbers of 

 ferns and selaginella mosses suggest the presence of water 



