100 Mr. R. B. Hinds on Geographic Botany. 



portions were reversed : in 100 species they were respectively 

 fifty -three and forty- seven. 



The general contour of the stems of trees, with the mode of 

 division of theii' ramifications, often present peculiarities. In tem- 

 perate regions there are many trees thus distinguished, as the 

 species of Quercus, Popuhis and Salix, to which may be added 

 Pinus and Cupresms, which are so eminently expressive in a land- 

 scape. Omitting the more tropical forms, as palms, huge her- 

 baceous Endogeme, and others which are equally unique, this 

 region contains trees of singular habits of growth. It would be 

 difficult to fix on the most marked. Some might select many of 

 the species of Ficus, and point out the complex appearance of 

 their main stems, the immense horizontal extension of their 

 branches, with the great proportionate lowness of the whole tree; 

 and what seems more curious than all, the immense number of 

 smaller stems in every stage of development, some just pro- 

 truding from the horizontal branches, others pendent midway 

 between the canopy and the soil, displaying on each thick rounded 

 extremity an enormous spongiole ; many too have reached the 

 soil, and having attained strength and size, act as columns to 

 support the whole structure. The tropical forest abounds with 

 these in every variety of growth and apparent distortion. Again, 

 there is the gigantic Bomhax ceiba : the trunk of this tree re- 

 sembles a cone greatly elongated, and stretching above the sum- 

 mits of all the other trees, whilst from its base spread huge 

 processes diverging on all sides, and taking a powerful hold of 

 the earth ; where these are lost in the trunk it is of great girth, 

 and continues upwards gradually diminishing in size, and some- 

 times enlarging for a space, tiU high in the air it sends forth its 

 branches, chiefly in a horizontal direction. The greater part of 

 the year these are destitute of leaves, and support a number of 

 pendent pods, filled with the silky threads surromiding the seeds. 

 Humboldt speaks of a forest of Cactus, not mere herbaceous 

 })lants, but tall trees with stems yielding wood suitable for do- 

 mestic purposes. Equally characteristic and far more beautiful is 

 a forest consisting of bamboos. There is one kind of palm which 

 must present a strange appearance to the botanist, accustomed 

 to regard the straight naked stems of this tribe : this is the 

 dourn palm {Cucifera thebaica) of Egypt and Abyssinia, whose 

 trunk is branched in a dichotomous manner. I should perhaps 

 hardly appreciate the novel feature this must present to the 

 traveller, had I not seen in Mexico a tall full-grown palmetto, 

 forked at about the middle of its length, and remember the mo- 

 mentary svu'prise I felt at the circumstance. Subsequently, in 

 New Ireland, I twice noticed this circumstance in a Cycas. 



Leaves are characteristic from several circumstances : — 



