6G THE FLORA OF A SINGLE T«EE 



tresses. The maximum diameter across these buttresses 

 on the ground was 12 feet, and the circumference of the' 

 trunk above them was 11 feet. The tree was curiously 

 hollow at the base, the sides averaging only six inches in 

 thickness. The hollow gradually narrowed, but extended, 

 for about twenty feet. A common fig, Ficus watkinsiana 

 Bail., formed a complete lattice work of slender strands; 

 about the trunk. As is well known, this fig commence^' 

 growth in a fork and then sends down a network of aerial 

 roots until the ground is reached. On the days of our 

 collecting, the fig was still flourishing in contrast with the. 

 foliage of the " Bolly Gum," only a few leaves of which 

 were still green. 



The outstanding features of this plant community 

 were the large Bird's nest ferns, Asplenium nidus, in 

 company with the Elk-horn and Stag-horn ferns> 

 Platycerium bifurcatum and graiide, the Hare's-foot fern, 

 Davallia pyxidata, and the so-called Rock Lily, Dendrobium 

 sveciosum.. Masses of Loranthus celastroides were still 

 flowering, and on this a young plant of the hj^per-parasite, 

 Notothixos cornifolius, var. subaureus, the " Golden Mistle- 

 toe," was sending out new shoots. Entwined amongst 

 the foHage of the host tree were the two Apocynaceous 

 creepers : Chilocarpus australis and Parsonsia velutina, 

 the long follicles of the latter being much in evidence. 

 Another interlaced creeper proved to be Rhipogonum 

 eheyanum, ( Liliacecp). The leaves of the common Legnephora 

 Moorei were plentifully scattered around, but this creeper, 

 as well as the prevailing Lawyer vine, Calamus Muelleri, 

 could not be positively associated with the tree. ■ 



Somewhat to our surprise a thriving specimen of 

 Pithecolobium. grandiflorum was found growing in the 

 humus deposited in a fork cavity. This tree, of course, 

 would have soon died under natural conditions. Probably, 

 the seed was carried aloft by a bird. 



In all seven species of orchids were obtained. With 

 the exception of Cleisostoma tridentatum (which was seen 

 characteristically growing on slender branchletsK these 

 were all on the main trunk, or main branches. The list 

 shows nine ferns. 



