24 TROPIC DAYS 



the least signs of relationship. Similar confusion arises 

 in the case of plants of the same species producing 

 foliage of varied form. One of the figs (Ficus oppositd) 

 displays such remarkable inconsistency that until 

 reassured by many examples it is difficult to credit an 

 undoubted fact. The typical leaf is oblong elliptical, 

 while individual plants produce lanceolate leaves with 

 two short lateral lobes, with many intermediate forms. 

 As the plant develops, the abnormal forms tend to 

 disappear; though mature plants occasionally retain 

 them. There seems to exist correlation between foliage 

 and fruit, for branches exhibiting leaves with never so 

 slight a variation from the type are, according to local 

 observation, invariably barren. The leaves, which, 

 when young, are densely hairy on the underside, on 

 maturity become so rough and coarse that they are used 

 by the blacks as a substitute for sandpaper in the 

 smoothing of weapons. The fruit is small, dark purple 

 when ripe, sweet, but rough to the palate. 



During the fulness of the wet season, a diminutive 

 orchid, the roots, tuber, leaf, and flower of which may 

 be easily covered by the glass of a lady's watch, springs 

 upon exposed shoulders of the hills. So far it has not 

 been recorded for any other part of Australia, or, indeed, 

 the world. Science has bestowed upon it the title of 

 Corysanthes fimbriata, for it is all too retiring of dis- 

 position to demand of man a familiar name. Probably 

 it may be quite common in similar localities, but its 

 size, its brief periodicity, and inconspicuousness, con- 

 tribute to make it, at present, one of the rarities of 

 botany. Beneath a kidney-shaped leaf a tiny, solitary, 

 hooded, purple flower shelters with becoming modesty, 

 the art of concealment being so delicately employed 

 that it seems to preserve its virginal purity. There is 

 proof, however, that the flower does possess some 



