ISLAND OF CEYLON. 245 



growing together, fo that the \^holc has the appearance of 

 Ibme Litbodendron : the leaves of a pleafant green, and placed 

 fo clofely, as to form the thickefi fliade : the fruit fmall and 

 round, of a faint talle, but are quickly devoured by the birds* 



This tree has been venerated in India from the earlieft times. 

 The god Ram, charmed with its grotefque appearance, diredted 

 that worfiiip fliould be paid to it. The fuperftition has been 

 retained to this day. It is called the P^fO;:/ /r^^', and tree of 

 couficils : the firil: from the i<-lols j>laced under its- fliade ; the 

 feconrl, becaufe meetings were hel<l vinder its cool bianches. la 

 fome places it is believed to be the haunt of fpectres, as the 

 antient fpreading oaks of IVales have been of fairies: Inothers 

 are erecfted, beneath the fliade, pillars of ftones, or pofts, ele^ 

 gantly carved, and ornamented with the moft beautiful porceL 

 lane, to fupply the ufe of mirrors. Near. Tanjore\% one of*; 

 moft prodigious fize.. 



Cryp tog ami a. 



r SHALL" avoid fpeaking of the Cryptogamous, except to in^ 

 flance two or three particular fpecies, as this clafs is generally 

 too uninterefting to merit attention. 



ClrcinaUs^ — i. tab. 21, 22, Raii Hiji. PL ii. 136a. FL ZeyL Cycas. 

 N" 393, K^mpf. Amit7i. Acad. p. 897, is a curious genus, related 

 to the palmj. Writers^ differ about the height. Ray, from the 

 Hort. Mtilab. gives it that of forty feet *'. Rmnphius, i. p. 86. 

 tab. xxii. xxiii. makes the utmoil height but twenty-four, and 

 moft ufually twelve. The male plant flings outfrom the fum- 



* Illft, PL ii. 1360, 



in it 



