OKGANS OF NUTEITIOX. 

 Fig. 234. 



123 



Fig. 234. Tlie Banyan Tree (Ficus indica'). 



Aerial Boots. — The simplest forms of such I'oots are seen in the 

 Ixj (Jig. 203) and some other climbers. In these plants they 

 are simply intended for mechanical support, and not to obtain 

 nourishment for them : this they obtain by their ordinary roots 

 fixed in the soil. In other 

 plants, however, the aerial 

 roots which are given otf 

 by the stems or branches 

 descend to the ground, and 

 fixing themselves there, not 

 only act as mechanical sup- 

 ports, but also assist the 

 true root in obtaining nou- 

 rishment. Such roots are 

 well seen in the Screw-pine 

 (Pandatius odoratissiiaus) 

 {fig. 178,2.) in the Banyan 

 or Indian Fig-tree {Ficus 

 indica) {fig. 234), in the 

 Mangrove tree {Rhizo- 

 phora Mangle) (fig. 23.5), 

 &c. In the latter tree 

 these aerial roots fre- 

 quently form the entire 

 support of the stem in ^'^- '-^- ^^^ ^'XS)^"' iRUizophcyra 



