170 THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



fig tribe, it throws down branches (as do many others of 

 this tribe) which take root in the earth and form fresh 

 stems, so that one of the banyan trees with its off-shoots will 

 cover a space of ground sufficient to shelter a regiment of 

 cavalry, and many of the fig tribe, especially the sycamore 



FIG. 24. THE BANYAN TEEE. 



(Ficus sycamorus), are planted for the sake of the shelter 

 they supply by their broad crowns of leaves ; another of the 

 fig trees (Ficus elastica) supplies a great part of the India- 

 rubber of commerce. 



De Candolle divides the class of exogens into four sub- 

 classes according to the arrangement of their flowers &c.; 

 they are as follows : 



1. THALAMiFLOB-E, the flowers of which are furnished with 



both calyx and corolla, the corolla having distinct petals, 

 and the stamens hypogynous, that is, growing imme- 

 diately from below the pistil. 



2. CALTCIFLOEJB, having flowers with both calyx and corolla, 



the corolla divided into distinct petals, but the stamens 

 always Perigynous, that is, growing upon the sides of 

 the calyx. 



3. COKOLLIFLORJS, having flowers with both corolla and 



calyx, the former having its petals united. 



