The Mangrove and its Allies, 65 



THE MANGROVE AND ITS ALLIES. 



BY JOHN E. JACKSON, 



Curator of the Museum, Royal Gardens, Kew. 



( With a Tinted Plate.) 



The peculiar manner of growth, of the Banyan, and other allied 

 species of Ficus, we noticed in a recent number of the Intel- 

 lectual Observer. In the Moracece, it will be recollected that 

 the habit of increasing the circumference of the plants, is by the 

 downward growing branches, which strike root upon meeting 

 the ground. In the Rhizophora, another singular, though 

 very distinct mode of growth occurs, and of this the Mangrove 

 is a well-known example. Most of our readers are aware of 

 the existence of such a plant ; but some of them may, perhaps, 

 not be so intimately acquainted with it as to understand clearly 

 its mode of germination ; nor are they, perhaps, aware that there 

 is more than one species of Rhizophora, having the same 

 peculiarity. 



The name of Mangrove is associated in our minds with very 

 unfavourable ideas of locality, we have read of Mangrove 

 swamps, and we have notions of stagnant or muddy shores, 

 fostering malaria or disease. We most of us know so much of 

 its habitat ; but we will endeavour to explain to our readers a 

 little more about the Mangrove and its allies. 



The genus Rhizophora, then, gives the title to a distinct 

 natural order called Rhizophoracem, and placed according to the 

 latest authority, Hooker and Bentham/s Genera Plantarum, 

 between Haloragece and Combretacece. The order is divided 

 into three tribes : Rhizophorce, Legnotidce, and Anisophyllce, 

 numbering in all seventeen genera, and the four comprising* 

 the tribe Rhizophorce, have a similar habit of germinating their 

 seeds before leaving the parent, these four genera are Rhizo- 

 phora, Geriops, Kandelia, and Brugaeira. 



The order is entirely a tropical one, and consists of trees or 

 shrubs, mostly inhabiting the sea shore. The leaves are oppo- 

 site, and the flowers usually axillary, the lobes of the calyx are 

 valvate, not imbricate, the stamens arise from the same point 

 as the petals, and are twice or three times their number, 

 though in Kandelia they are indefinite. The ovary or fruit 

 is sometimes superior, or seated above the calyx, as in Rhizo- 

 phora, the calyx is persistent in several of the species. 



The genus Rhizophora is distinguished from its allies, by 

 the calyx being divided into four parts, the four petals sharply 

 pointed, and the stamens which are from eight to twelve in 

 number, having short filaments, and anthers with little pits, 



VOL. XI. — NO. I. f 



