ABSORPTION OF WATER BY EPIPHYTES. 



American Gampelia Zanonia, belonging to the Commelynaceae, represented on the 

 right side of the same figure, and also several tree-ferns, display this velvety 



Fig. 51.— Aerial Roots with root-hairs; on the left Philodendron /.indent, on the right Campelia Zanonia. 



coating on their aerial roots. The roots of the tree-ferns are short, but spring in 

 thousands from the thick stem, and are so closely packed that the whole surface is 

 clothed as it were by a woven mantle of rootlets. After some time these aerial 

 roots turn deep brown, whilst the hairs collapse and die, and both are converted 



