The tallest of the tall trees by the Office is Hymeneea 
courbaril, the South American Copal tree* As its age is 
only fifty years, it is obviously a tree of quick growth ; but, 
unlike most quick-growing trees, it produces a hard heart- 
wood, reckoned in the market as good, though variable. 
Partly under its shade is a tree of Sterculia carthaginis, 
which twice a year sheds its leaves and stands bare for a 
couple of days. The small palm-like plant near it is the 
Panama-hat plant, Carludovica palmata, Panama hats are 
not made at Panama, but in certain remote villages of the 
United States of Colombia, where under particular 
weather conditions, women cut and prepare the leaves, 
dry them with great care, and weave the hats. Four 
women working together can make a good hat in a week, 
and a superfine hat may be the result of not less than six 
weeks’ work. 
By the end of the Herbarium Building is the interesting 
Acacia sphserocephala, with large thorns at the bases of the 
leaves, and “ food-bodies ” on the tips of the leaflets. In 
Central America, whence it comes, the thorns are made 
into homes by fierce ants, and the food-bodies are eaten by 
them. These ants permit no leaf-cutting ants to invade the 
tree, and, in protecting their own homes, protect it. 
Near the end of the road are good plants of Cycas 
Rnmphiif and at a distance of 30 yards behind may be 
found its ally, Macrozamia Hopei, Contrary to what is 
sometimes written in books, both sexes of Cycas branch, 
but the male much more readily than the female. 
The Vanilla plant. Vanilla planifolia^ climbs the stems 
of the palms, where this road enters the Office Gate Road. 
It flowers in Singapore, but unless hand-pollinated never 
fruits. 
— 29 
HVMENj^A courbaril {the tall treej. IPhoto ftv i?. Holuum, 
ELiEIS GUINF.ENSIS and STERCULIA CARTHAGINIS 
(in front of it}. 
CARLUDOVICA PALMATA (by the roadside}. 
