48 



PAEA. 



Vhav. II. 



every variety of shape, entwining 

 snake-like round the tree trunks or 

 forming gigantic loops and coils 

 among the larger branches ; others, 

 again, were of zigzag shape, or in- 

 dented like the steps of a staircase, 

 sweeping from the ground to a giddy 

 height. 



It interested me much afterwards 

 to find that these climbing trees do 

 not form any particular family or 

 genus. There is no order of plants 

 whose especial habit is to climb, 

 but species of many and the most 

 diverse families the bulk of whose 

 members are not climbers, seem to 

 have been driven by circumstances 

 to adopt this habit. The orders Le- 

 guminosse, Guttiferae, Bignoniacese, 

 /" "M^^ jfO'f Moracese and others, furnish the 

 greater number. There is even a 

 climbing genus of palms (Desmon- 

 cus), the species of which are called, 

 in the Tupi language, Jacitara. 

 These have slender, thickly-spined, 

 Climbing Palm (Desinoncus). and flexuous stems, whicli twiue 



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