390 BOTANY. 



age of their own. I have seen the gigantic Banian 

 Tree growing in the botanick garden at Calcutta, and 

 have been amazed at the perfect forest formed by its 

 spreading branches ; but in that splendid example, I 

 particularly noticed, that none of the vicarious trunks 

 which gave support to its horizontal branches, produced 

 a single branch or leaf, but were merely serving as props 

 to the parent tree ; while the necessity for this provi- 

 sion was shown, by the gardener having applied the arti- 

 ficial support of bamboos to many of the branches which 

 were not sufficiently supplied with natural props. 



Either as a specific distinction, or from some pe- 

 culiarity in their growth, some Banian Trees extend 

 their branches in horizontal direction, and perfect 

 their vicarious trunks at a very early period ; while 

 others, with less horizontal spread, attain a more lofty 

 stature, and, however aged, have never more than a 

 fringe of roots, pendent from their lower boughs and 

 ready to be perfected by necessity. 



Pitcairn Island. Society Isles; native names ore, 

 ord, aoa. Timor. 



F. prolixa. This is a low tree, bearing in the axillae 

 of its leaves numerous clusters of small globular fruit, 

 of a bright-red colour. The milk that exudes from the 

 ripe fruit is collected by the Society Island natives, and 

 mixed with an infusion of the leaves of the ton, (Cordia 

 Sebestena,} when the combined liquids, although co- 

 lourless in themselves, produce that beautiful crimson 

 dye which is used to stain bark-cloth. The fibres of 

 the bark of the tree are used for making a kind of 

 small cordage, which is highly valued for the manufac- 

 ture of native fishing-lines and nets. 



Society Islands ; native name mate. 



