THE UMBRELLA-TREE 205 



to those who look aright, a theatre of many wonders, a 

 museum teeming with objects of interest, a natural aviary 

 of gladsome birds. 



The Umbrella-tree 



Having paid, in passing, respects to the most gorgeous 

 tree of the island, it would be sheer gracelessness to with- 

 hold a tribute to one of the commonest, though ever novel 

 and remarkable — the umbrella-tree. Less conspicuous in 

 its blooming than the flame-tree, it flourishes everywhere 

 — on the beaches with its roots awash at high tide ; on the 

 rearguard of the mangroves, leaning on the white-flowered 

 calophyllums ; on the steep hill-sides ; on the borders of 

 the jungle, and gripping scorched rocks with naked roots. 



While the flame-tree — few and confined to the beaches — 

 flashes into bloom — an improvident blaze of colour, without a 

 single atoning green leaf — the umbrella-tree charms for 

 several months with a combination of graceful foliage and 

 a unique corollary of singular flowers. 



From the centre of whorls of shapely glossy leaves 

 radiate simple racemes, 2 feet long, as thickly set with studs 

 of dense heads of red flowers as Aaron's rod with its 

 magical buds. Crowned with several crowns of varying 

 numbers of rays, rarely as few as four, frequently seven 

 and nine and occasionally as many as twelve, each tree is a 

 distillery of nectar of crystal purity and inviting flavour. 

 On every ray there may be eighty red studs, each composed 

 of twelve compact flowers, and every flower drips limpid 

 sweetness. For months this unexcised distillation never 

 ceases. For all the birds and dainty butterflies and 

 sober bees there is free abundance, and every puff of wind 

 scatters the surplusage with spendthrift profusion. Spark- 

 ling in the sunbeams, dazzling white, red, orange, green, 

 violet, the swelling drops tremble from the red studs and 

 fall in fragrant splashes as the wanton wind brushes past 

 or eager birds hastily alight on the swaying rays, A rare 

 baptism to stand beneath the tree for the cool sweet spray 



