CHAPTER VII 
THE FERN ALLIANCE 
In the last chapter we scarcely perhaps did justice to 
the extraordinary beauty of mosses when one has the 
good fortune to find them in a home that is really 
congenial. 
There are such places in many warm but not quite 
tropical climates. In the Perie bush, near King William’s 
Town in South Africa, when stumbling down beside some 
little burn or rivulet, every great boulder or small preci- 
pice or stone is covered by the most exquisite cushion 
of soft green, feathery branching moss fronds and liver- 
worts. 
Planted in it, as effectively as any gardener could 
have managed, were quantities of Streptocarpus, Most 
were in full flower; the gracefully curved stalk rose 
from the huge wrinkled leaf that hung down over the 
mosses. Above the little stream arched branches were 
crossing at every angle, and each of these was also 
entirely covered by the intricate greenery of mosses. 
Upon the branches were orchids and other parasites, 
but especially an abundance of ferns. 
Indeed the place was almost a fern glade, with a moss 
background everywhere. 
In other parts of tropical Africa, but also it is said in 
New Zealand and elsewhere, there exist warm, moist 
ravines, sheltered amongst the hills in which, in every 
direction, the eye sees nothing but luxuriant, finely 
divided fern-leaves springing from rough tree-fern stems 
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