GOOSEBERRIES GROWING ON TREES 



Most of them in fact have entered into an alliance with 

 fungi, and use these fungi to get their food material from 

 the dead leaves. 



Such fungi are always abundant in good, well-grown 

 forests (see p. 86). These Orchids and Monotropa have 

 their roots and underground stems covered and wrapped 

 round by the fungus threads, which extend from them in 

 every direction, breaking up and decomposing the dead 

 leaves. 



The colour of Monotropa is a pale waxen yellow, that of 

 the others is usually a ghostly pale, opalescent, steel-blue or 

 coral-like hue, which makes them very distinct in the dim, 

 mysterious shades of the forest. 



These plants are undoubtedly of use, for they break up 

 and decompose the leaf-mould. 



Another very interesting group are not well represented 

 in this country. Sometimes one may see on an old tree a 

 Gooseberry bush in full foliage quite high up the trunk in 

 the fork of the branches. In sheltered woody ravines. Poly- 

 pody ferns are often established on old moss-clad branches, 

 where their green fronds hang over to catch as much as they 

 can of the sunlight. But Orchids, Bromeliads, and Ferns 

 which grow upon the branches of great trees are one of the 

 most conspicuous and beautiful features of tropical woods. 

 It is for these tree-orchids that the orchid-hunter braves the 

 head-hunters of Borneo or traverses the precipices and 

 rugged forests of Guatemala and Brazil. It is often neces- 

 sary to cut down a tall tree in order to get the orchids in its 

 higher branches. Often, however, this is unsuccessful, for the 

 tree is so held up by creepers and other giants of the forest 

 that it never reaches the ground ! 



Then, after being stripped from the branches, in some 



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