224 



THE NATURE BOOK 



speckled appearance of the trunk and 

 limbs is then most noticeable, as it is at 

 this season that the bark flakes off, 

 leaving light yellow patches on the darker 

 ground, a kind of reversed leopard's 

 spotting. All through the winter its 

 globular clusters of fruit, grouped on 



'■h^m^'lr 



^.•1 



TRUNK AND SCALING BARK OF THE PLANK. 



I)liant stalks, dangle in crowds among 

 the twigs. 



In spring the buds are rather late in 

 opening, but when the foliage does 

 appear it is soon full and golden. At 

 the same time the globular groups of 

 flowers on slender hanging stalks, similar 

 in appearance and habit to the still 

 dangling fruits of the previous season, grow 

 out from among the expanding leaves. 



In Slimmer the rounded masses of 

 broad-spreading, semi-opaque leaves sug- 

 gest and afford am])le and welcome shade. 

 The ripened fruits of the former season 

 have now mostly vanished, and the pollen- 

 bearing flowers also, but the new fruit- 

 globes on their slender stalks are growing 

 apace, so the succession of these may be 

 maintained through autumn and winter 



to the new growths of another spring- 

 time. 



In a III HDD! the leaves change to yellow 



THE PLANE LEAF. 



and orange, or reddish brown. They fall 

 late, exposing fully the dangling fruit 

 clusters. 



The Iniiik is round, smooth, and well 



THE LEAF AND THE BUD OF THE PLANE. 



Showing how the base of the le.if-stalk forms a protective 

 sheath for the bud. 



sustained. In age it often becomes rough- 

 ened and heavily warted at the base. The 



