EDIBLE FRUIT. 319 
gular buttresses of projecting wood. Ferns, orchids, and 
wax-flowers frequently take up their abode on the soft 
spongy bark. The roots of old trees appear above the 
ground somewhat like those of the bald cypress of 
North America (Zaxodium distichum, Rich.). Thousands 
of seedlings are continually springing up around the old 
plants, and nothing, save the dense shade of their pa- 
rents, and the close proximity in which they grow to 
each other, exercise a check upon their engrossing all 
the adjacent ground. If the fruit of the Ivi is com- 
pared with the chestnut, that of the Tavola (Zerminalia 
Catappa, Linn.) may be likened to the almond, both in 
shape and whiteness, though not in taste—the Tavola 
having none of the flavour imparted by the presence of 
the essential oil of almonds; hence the name of “ Fijian 
almonds,” given by the white settlers, must be received 
cum grano salis. 'The natives are extremely fond of 
the 'Tavola as a tree, and frequently plant it around 
their houses and public buildings. The branches, ar- 
ranged in whorls, somewhat like those of pines, though 
perhaps not quite so regular, have a horizontal ten- 
dency, upon which the natives improve by placing 
weights upon them. ‘The large obovate leaves are de- 
ciduous, and before falling off assume a variety of tints, 
—brown, red, yellow, and scarlet, such as one is wont 
to behold in a North American forest before the ap- 
proach of winter. The flowers are white and small; the 
wood hard and applicable to a variety of purposes. A 
close ally of the Tavola is the Tivi (Terminalia Moluc- 
cand, Lam.), a timber-tree, always growing on the sea- 
beach, and bearing seeds sometimes eaten by children. 
