66 The Mangrove and its Allies. 



containing the pollen. The ovary is partially adherent, and 

 contains two cavities in the part where it so adheres, each of 

 these cavities bearing two ovules ; the free part tapers towards 

 the top into a single style. 



The Mangrove, Rhizophora Mangle, L., is an evergreen tree, 

 rising some forty or fifty feet high, and presenting a very 

 singular appearance, both as regards the appendages of its 

 branches, and its peculiar manner of rooting. The following 

 description of the Mangrove, is from a paper, read before the 

 Pharmaceutical Society, by Dr. Hamilton, in June, 1846. — 

 i( The Mangrove is a tree frequently of imposing stature, attain- 

 ing an altitude of from thirty to fifty feet or more, and occupy- 

 ing marshy situations, in the vicinity of the sea, as at the 

 bottom of English Harbour, Antigua, and near the mouth of 

 the little river which empties itself into the harbour, at Cape 

 Henri, Hayti. Its roots rise in the form of arches, above 

 the muddy soil in which it grows, and affords attachment to 

 myriads of small but delicious oysters, which are left bare 

 during the efflux of the tide, giving rise to the popular fable 

 of oysters growing on trees, which, with the exception of their 

 not being fed by, but merely adhering to the tree, is literally 

 true. These oysters make a most incomparable soup, of which 

 I once partook at the house of an American merchant, at Cape 

 Henri. 



u The shade of these trees affords harbour during the day 

 to innumerable swarms of mosquitoes, which nestle on the 

 under surface of the leaves, and infest the houses of those who 

 have the misfortune to live in the vicinity of a Mangrove 

 swamp during the night. 



" But in the economy of nature, the Mangrove performs a 

 most important part, wresting annually fresh portions of the 

 land from the dominion of the ocean, and adding them to the 

 domain of man ; this is effected in a two-fold manner, by the 

 progressive advance of the roots, and by the aerial germination 

 of the seeds, which do not quit .their lofty cradle, till they 

 have assumed the form of actual trees, and drop into the 

 water with their roots ready prepared to take possession of the 

 mud in advance of their parent stems, and repel to a further 

 and perpetually increasing distance the invasion of the water. 

 The progression by means of the roots is effected by fresh 

 roots, which issue from the trunks, at some distance above the 

 surface of the water, and arching downwards, penetrate the 

 mud, establishing themselves as the pioneers of fresh invasions 

 of the retiring element. In this manner the plants soon after 

 their descent from their parent trees, continue, during their 

 early years, to advance steadily forward. till they have attained 

 a height of about fifteen feet, and considerably in advance of 



