THE CONQUERING TREE 201 



the accessories act as natural groynes, causing the waves 

 to swirl and to precipitate mud and sand. Bruguiera 

 parviflora and Ceriops candolleana assist in the general 

 scheme, the former depending upon abutments for security 

 instead of adventitious roots. Its radicles resemble pipe- 

 stems, or as they lie stranded on the beach, slightly curved 

 and with the brown tapering calyx tube attached, green 

 snakes with pointed heads. 



Surprising features are possessed by the tree known as 

 Sonneratia alba. The roots send up a multitude of 

 offshoots, resembling woodeny radishes, some being forked, 

 growing wrong end up. All the base of each tree is 

 set about with a confusion of points — a wonderful and 

 perfect design for the arrest and retention of debris 

 and mud. Some of these obtrusive roots are much 

 developed, measuring 6 feet in height and about 4 in. 

 diameter. 



No less remarkable is the help that the white mangrove 

 {Avicenna officinalis) affords in the conquest with its system 

 of strainers. Though different in many respects from the 

 Sonneratia, it too has erect, obtrusive, respiratory shoots 

 from the roots, slender in comparison, resembling asparagus 

 shoots or rake tines (called by some cobbler's pegs) and 

 which strain the sea, retaining light rubbish and assisting 

 to hold and consolidate it all. Each of the plants men- 

 tioned is equipped in a more or less efficient manner for 

 the special purpose of taking part in the reclamation of 

 land. In some the roots descend from the branches to the 

 mud where roots ought to grow ; in others, roots ascend 

 from the mud to the upper air, where, ordinarily, roots 

 have no sort of business. Each possesses varying and 

 distinct features well designed to aid and abet the general 

 purpose. 



Other species of marine plants have their duty too. 

 That which is known as the river mangrove {/Egiceras 

 Majus) — which does not confine itself to rivers — comes 

 to sweeten the noisome exhalation of the mud, and 

 with its profuse white, orange-scented flowers, to invite 



