India Rubber and Gutta Percha. 59 
In the forest within reach of the camp, the 
trees were covered with aroids, some of which were very 
interesting. One I was particularly pleased with 
and gathered a number of plants for its promise of 
usefulness in conservatory and house decoration. A 
near ally of the Aroids (Carludovica Plumeeri) was 
much more common than I had seen it elsewhere. There 
was hardly a tree that it had not ascended, a greater or less 
distance. It was flowering, and specimens were gathered 
with copious bundles of delicate fugitive stamens still 
adhering. This is the Marmourie of the Indians, used as 
a substitute for rope, a plant of great service to them. 
It is considered the very best material for tying. Split 
into thin layers, it is largely used in the manufacture of 
the light open-mouthed baskets called quakes. 
Probably no stronger basket in proportion to weight 
is made from any material ; and they are not only light 
but possess almost as much pliancy as a net. Two 
kinds of Mamoorie are reported to exist, differing in 
degree of toughness. By the river, the trunks of the 
trees are covered with three species of the beautiful filmy 
ferns. One, Hymenophylum ciliatum, in broad masses, 
the moss-like fronds lapping over each other, looked 
exceeedingly pretty. Here and there on the out- 
stretching branches was found a tiny form of Hiphopterio 
serrulata, while similarly situated were patches of 
Mono gramma immersa. The region is remarkably low 
for all these plants, and their presence indicates abun- 
dance of atmospheric moisture as a compensating con- 
dition. One plant of a beautiful species of Lycopo- 
dium with dichotomously forked, convolute, pendant 
H I 
