TBS MANGBOVa 



371 



LXXII. THE MANGROVE 



FiQ. 390. 



464. The mangrove grows on the low shores 

 of tropical lands. It extends as far north as 

 the twenty- ninth parallel in Flor- 

 ida, and occurs at the mouth of 

 the Mississippi and on the coast 

 of Texas. It is a spreading bush, 

 reaching a height of 15 to 25 feet 

 upon the shores, but becoming a 

 tall tree in interior places. It is 

 an important agent in the extension 

 of land into the sea. The means 

 by which this result is accomplished ^he beginning of 



are two. germination in the 



465. The fruit is "''""™"" 



small and capsule -like, but does not 



fall from the tree at maturity. A 



fruit is shown natural size in Fig. 



390. The seed is germinating, send- 



TJ The hypo- ^^S its cauliclc out through the apex 



. otyieniarg- of the fruit. In Fig. 391 the 



|l '°^" germination is further progressed. 



* 466. In Fig. 392, germination is nearly 



completed. The seed has endosperm. The 



cotyledons do not unfold in germination, but a 



woody tube grows from them and projects from 



Fio. 391. 



