Aug. 3, 1888.J 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



107 



iitattiral "$mot&* 



THE DRAGON TREE. 

 The dragon-tree (Draccena draco) is the chief type of 

 the Draccence, a genus of endogenous evergreen trees 

 belonging to the natural order of the Liliacece, and dis- 

 tinguished for the most part by their handsome palm- 

 like appearance. This genus once contained at least 

 thirty-six species, but, it was remodelled and very con- 

 siderably reduced by Dr. Planchon, who practically only 

 included the dragon-tree species in his new classification. 

 The chief characteristics of the dracsense are their tree- 



newmatter, while during the third, glandular excrescences 

 and, occasionally, aerial roots are formed. The dragon- 

 tree proper never branches until of very great age, and 

 Humboldt asserts that, both in its size and immense 

 longevity, it closely rivals the baobab in its claim to 

 distinction as the " oldest inhabitant " of our planet. 

 He inclined to the opinion that the patriarchal specimen 

 which he.saw in 1799 in tne gardens of the Marquessa de 

 Sauzal, in Orotava, Teneriffe, must have been, at the 

 very least, of greater antiquity than even the Pyramids 

 themselves. By comparison of his measurements of 

 this mighty tree with those taken by the French adven- 

 turer, Be'thencourt, in 1402, he found that the tree had 



Dragon Tree at Orotava. 



like stems, either simple or divided at the top, and the 

 crowded heads of long lanceolate leaves, of a powdery 

 olive green, which terminate the branches. The leaves 

 encircle the branches, and as they fall off mark the stem 

 with circular ring-like scars, similar to those described 

 in the article on " Buds " on p. 34 of this volume. The 

 flowers form a terminal panicle, and are individually 

 small and greenish white in colour. In our ordinary green- 

 houses these plants are most frequently unbranched, 

 being only in the so-called " first age," which lasts, even 

 in their native country, from twenty-five to thirty years. 

 The "second age" is the period of maturity and repro- 

 duction, and is of indefinite extent, as is also the "third 

 age," or period of gradual decay. During the second 

 age the original leaf scars disappear to a certain extent, 

 and the thickness of the trunk is increased by the for- 

 mation of branches, and consequent constant deposit of 



undergone but very slight change during almost four cen- 

 turies, its slow growth and enormous size thus furnishing 

 an incontestable proof of its marvellous age. The tree in 

 question was first described by the above-mentioned 

 B6thencourt in 1402, who assigned to it the same dimen- 

 sions as, in later years, Humboldt, Sir G. Stanton, Ledrw, 

 etc., did, viz., a height of from 70 to 75 feet, a circum- 

 ference, near the base, of 40 or 50 feet, and a diameter of 16 

 feet at the base, 12 feet at a height of 10 feet from the 

 ground. The trunk tapered but slightly, but rose like a 

 huge rough pillar, comparatively short in proportion to its 

 thickness, dividing at the top into a close cluster of thick 

 branches, terminated by tufts of long, sword-shaped 

 leaves, very tough and leathery, and with a powdery 

 bloom like that seen upon cabbage leaves. The trunk 

 was hollow, and a staircase had been ingeniously con- 

 structed inside, reaching up to the roof, if one may so 



