90 



THE KINGDOM OF UGANDA 



plants of a dim soul, of sentience, which might even include in its manifes- 

 tations a humorous delight in extravagance of form. 



Some of the forest trees of Uganda offer magnificent displays of flowers. 



76. ERYTHRINA TKEE IN BLOSSOM 



There is one, the Spathodea, with crimson-scarlet flowers larger than a 

 lireakfast-cup, and not very dissimilar in shape. These flowers grow in 

 Ininches like large bouquets, and when in full blossom one of these trees 

 aflame with red light is a magnificent spectacle. Other trees present at 

 certain seasons of the year a uniform mass of lilac-white flowerets, as though 

 they had been powdered from above with a lavender-coloured snow. The 

 indiarubber-trees and lianas have white flowers, large and small, with yellow 

 centres exhaling a delicious i-cent like jasmine, but the blossom of one of 

 these rubber-trees is vivid scarlet. The Lonchocarpus trees have flowers 

 in colour and shape like the Wistaria ; from the branches of the loft}' 

 eriodendrons depend, on thread-like stalks, huge dull crimson flowers 

 composed of innumerable stamens surrounded by thick carmine petals. 

 The Erythrina trees on the edge of the forest seldom bear leaves and 

 flowers at the same time. When in a leafless state, they break out into 

 a crimson-scarlet efflorescence of dazzling beauty. The Pterocarpus trees 

 have large flowers of sulphur-yellow. Many creepers have blossoms of 



