166 IN THE GUIANA FOREST. 



it naturally follows that the forest giant puts on 

 defensive armour. Perhaps the best examples of 

 this are found in the palms. As endogens they 

 have certain advantages which are denied to mem- 

 bers of the other great division of the vegetable 

 kingdom. Having no branches they rise straight 

 upwards without difficulty, and their pointed leaf- 

 buds pierce through the thickest canopy. Then, 

 every exposed part of the crown is particularly 

 stiff and hard, so that it has hardly a weak point. 

 Not content with this, many species have put on 

 spiked armour, which effectually prevents any weak 

 seedling from growing in their neighbourhood, and 

 tears them to pieces if already there. Such an 

 array of needles as is borne by some of the species 

 of Bactris, is simply appalling. Stem, midrib of 

 leaf, and even the leaves themselves, are so beset 

 with them, that not even man can penetrate such 

 thickets as they form. Not content with a single 

 stem, like most other palms, they throw up one 

 circle beyond another, cover a considerable area, 

 and conquer everything that stands in the way. 



Palms are also well protected against stranglers 

 and blood-suckers. A fig will make use of the tall 

 column and throw its aerial roots down it to the 

 earth, but rarely does it gain anything like a posi- 

 tion. The crown of the palm overshadows its 



