200 



HUTCHIXSON : S POPULAR BOTANY 



trees grew up perpendicularly all in a row " ; and thirty years later, when 

 the gentleman who furnishes these particulars visited the spot, they were 

 still vigorous and flourishing. It is matter of common knowledge also, 

 that the foliar organs of many plants possess the power of putting forth 

 roots a subject to which we shall refer more particularly when we come 

 to speak of leaves. 



Every one must have observed, too, one way in which the Bramble 

 propagates itself. The long arching shoot grows until its tip reaches the 

 ground, into which it pushes, and then instead of leaves puts out a cluster of 

 white roots. When these are well developed one of the buds grows into a 

 stout stem, which shoots straight up into the air. In this way are formed 

 those impenetrable thickets of Bramble that stud our commons and the 



outskirts of woods. 



It might be thought 

 by those who are fa- 

 miliar with pictures of 

 West Indian Mangrove 

 swamps that the singu- 

 lar curved roots of those 

 trees, standing high 

 out of the water, are 

 adventitious ; but the 

 case is otherwise. They 

 are true normal roots, 

 resulting, curiously 

 enough, from the ger- 

 mination of the seed 

 while the fruit is still 

 attached to the parent 

 branches. "In the 

 economy of Nature," 

 sa3 7 s Dr. William Hamil- 

 ton, " the Mangrove 

 performs a most impor- 

 tant part, wresting 

 annually fresh portions 

 of land from the 

 dominion of the ocean, 

 and adding to the do- 

 main of man. This is 

 effected in a twofold 

 manner : by the pro- 

 gressive advance of 

 their roots, and by the 



FIG. 252. MANGROVE (Bhizophora mangle). 



The trunk stands out of the swamp, supported by its curved, leg-like roots, i 

 condition due to the seed developing roots before it drops from the tree. 



