Order 107. Urticacece. 305 



beneath, smooth and shining when old, nerves about 5 pairs, 

 fruit in pairs axillary sessile deep-red, size of a cherry, downy. 

 Wad. 



Planted in all the plains of India ; wild only in the Sub-Himalayan 

 forests and on the lower slopes of the Deccan hills (H.). There are 

 various vast and famous banyan trees in this Presidency, the first of 

 which is probably that at Kabirbhur in the Narbadda. Milton's de- 

 scription of this, " the fig-tree, not that sort for fruit renowned," is 

 well known, with his mistake of giving it leaves " broad as Amazonian 

 targe." 



Southey's description is not so well known, 



" It was a goodly sight to see 

 That venerable tree, 

 For o'er the lawn, irregularly spread, 

 Fifty straight columns propt its lofty head : 

 And many a long depending shoot, 

 Seeking to strike a root, 

 Straight like a plummet grew towards the ground. 



Some to the passing wind at times, with sway 

 Of gentle motion swung, 



Others cf younger growth unmov'd were hung, 

 Like stone drops from the cavern's fretted height : 



So like a temple did it seem that there 



A pious heart's first impulse would be prayer." 



Sir E. Arnold speaks of 



..." its ample shade 



Cloistered with columned dropping stems, and roofed 

 With vaults of glistering green." 



Eoxburgh says that where a palmyra tree is seen, as it often is, 

 apparently growing out of the trunk of a banyan, it is really the other 

 way on, the palm being the older, and the seeds of the banyan being 

 dropped in its fronds, and throwing its roots to the ground. "For 

 such unions the Hindoos entertain a religious veneration, saying it is 

 a holy marriage, instituted by Providence." (See as to this under 

 the Yine). 



3. F. retusa (Urostigma retusum, and nitidum, D.). A 

 handsome compact tree, leaves broad ovate or obovate, shining, 

 nerves 5 or 6 pairs ; male flowers numerous, scattered, fruit 

 axillary twin sessile, size of a pea. Ndndruk. 



Tolerably common, particularly about the Ghauts, Deccan penin- 

 sula 



E. has a species very near this, but differing in the leaves being 

 ovate, with narrow base and 3 to 5-nerved, found only in Canara. He 

 has named it after Mr. Talbot, F. Talboti. 



X 



