98 FLORIDA 



(Palustris and MUotiii} they belong. From the 

 rude bridge, as we cross the Miami Eiver, he 

 admires the myriad-footed, glossy-leaved man- 

 grove thickets that line the banks, especially as 

 he looks up the stream. Just beyond are ancient 

 live-oaks, the huge spreading branches of which 

 support a profusion of air-plants (poor relations 

 of the pineapple), with here and there an orchid. 

 I should like to show him an Epidendrum such 

 as I secured ten days ago — an open spray of a 

 dozen blooms, handsome enough to grace the 

 finest of hothouse collections ; but I have not 

 been able to find a second specimen, with all my 

 searching. However, a smaller, one-flowered spe- 

 cies is common enough, and if he is sufficiently 

 enterprising he wUl climb one of the trees for it, 

 or — as I did — cut a stick by means of which, 

 with more or less hard work, he can pry the 

 bulbous root from its foothold. 



" What is this yellow flower ? " he asks, as 

 we go on. 



" I don't know," is my answer. " Some mem- 

 ber of the pulse family." 



My companion knew as much as that already. 



" And this bush, with its strangely contorted 

 pods?" 



Here I am more at home, and proud to 

 show it. The plant is Pithecolohium Unguis- 



