268 POPULAR GEOGRAPHY OF PLANTS. 



ing plants not only exist, but thrive; not only stretching 

 their shoots from one tree to another, but descending to 

 the earth like tight-drawn cords, from which they again 

 ascend, so that ' ' it is in vain to search for the ends of these 

 twining stems/' 



Another remarkable feature of these forests is formed by 

 the parasitical flora, which here shows all its greatest won- 

 ders. Rooted on the boughs of the loftiest trees, the hand- 

 some race of Pothos plants send up their large, gleaming 

 white flowers amidst the rich green foliage ; and mingled 

 with plants of the Pine-apple family, called Tillandsias, and 

 others, "strange and large-blossomed Orchises of all kinds 

 of freakish shapes and every colour grow in the angles of 

 the branches, and fill up every crevice in the bark of the 

 tree." But amongst all the parasitical plants, none perhaps 

 possess so pleasing a character as the Ferns, which are " of 

 the most elegant forms, sometimes belonging to our well- 

 known genus Polypodium, but chiefly to the more tropical 

 genera HymenopJiyllum, Trickomanes, etc. (some of the last 

 named have a remarkably elegant feathery appearance) ; they 

 either climb the trunks of trees, like our Ivy, or grow in 

 tufts upon the branches, making a peculiar contrast with 

 the surrounding foliage/' and harmonizing beautifully with 



