24 



ISLAND OF UALAN. 



where, as is the case in most places, there is between the reef and the shore an 

 extensive sheet of shoal water to protect the land from the surf, the mangrove 

 forests are far advanced into the salt water. They are crossed by river-like 

 channels, serving as highways for boats, and as footpaths for passengers. Imagine 

 the centre of our picture to be one of these channels, and the foreground 

 the mouth of a little river. The occurrence of the plants here shown favours this 

 conception, for they are more in need of fresh water than is the Sonneratia, which 

 often forms at a considerable distance from the shore, quite surrounded by salt 

 water, isolated, highly picturesque groups. In the foreground will be observed a 

 tree, the curiously shaped and widely spread roots of which indicate the banks of 

 such rivers as terminate in the sea (13 k). It is a species of Balanopteris, and 

 similarly formed ridges of roots have been observed by us also in other islands, 

 especially in Luzon, but nowhere else of such height and dimensions. This peculiar 

 labyrinth, formed of walls of gradually decreasing height, surrounds every tree. 

 The comparatively thin walls consist of a tough kind of wood, covered with a soft, 

 smooth, greyish-brown bark. By striking one of them, a hollow drum-like sound 

 is produced, audible at some distance. The foliage of the tree is of a greyish-green 

 colour, often covered with little epiphytes (Jungermannim f), whilst the smaller 

 branches are clad with lichens and mosses, and the larger, as well as the stems, with 

 fine ferns, so common about here. Amongst the latter the well-known Asplenium 



Nidus is conspicuous on account of its crown-like growth ^5 | 6^.* Here it 



represents physiognomically, as in the greater part of Polynesia, the numerous 

 Bromeliacece, which decorate in a similar manner the trees of tropical America. 

 The Tillandsias of that country find their representatives in the riband-like 

 drooping ferns, which form as it were long waving veils. Extreme elegance of 

 form in these epiphytes makes up for (what the American possess) want of gay 

 flowers and variety. They are always of a fresh lively green, darker or lighter, 

 whilst those of the New World often have a bluish-grey tinge, which renders the 

 Tillandsias so much like our northern Usneas. Altogether there are amongst the 



* I have never been able to perceive anything 

 resembling a nest in the aspect of this plant, as is 

 said to be the case in the American Asplenium 

 Nidus. Perhaps under this name are enumerated 

 several quite distinct species, which possibly it may 

 be difficult to distinguish in the herbarium. [The 

 author is quite right in supposing that there are 

 several distinct species comprised under the name 

 of Asplenium Nidus, but I am surprised that he 



should have failed to perceive the striking resem- 

 blance these plants bear to birds' nests when con- 

 sidered as a whole. They have exactly the shape, 

 the leaves, disposed in a circle, forming the sides ; 

 and the masses of dead leaves falling into the 

 centre seem to render the comparison with a nest 

 much more striking than with an antique crown or 

 head-dress of an Indian chief. — Berthold Seemann.] 



