Omaha daily bee., 1883-06-12

N+
in richest ~profusion high above the
head. Numerous orchids ere thlckly
sprinkled on the trees, where they
bloom year after year unmindful Of
the fact that the Indian bird .hunter,
or the still more prosaic rubber col.
%lector, may pass and repass their
perches with nc quick glance of admi.
ration or stolid look of satisfaction.
Twining among vines ore also sew
eral varieties of climbing ferns, and to
the botsnist there can acarcely be o
greater puzzle than the tropical fern.
Some specimens resemble certain or.
chlds 30 closely that 1t la exceedingly
difficult for even o prsctlced eye to
distinguish between them. They
mimic northern MOSES, common.
grasses, and even develop their fronds
In the form of delicate leaves which
grow like straw berry leaves, from run.
ners, and twine their small, velvety
stems around the twigs of trees, More
than one of the ferns growing on
trees have thick, stiff fronds, bearing
no resemblance to the fern family to
the eye Of q northern botanist. Look.
Ing more closely one finds the tiny
scrolls Just unrolling and then, turn.
Ing again to the fully developed frond
finds minute spores, like tiny hairs,
and thus discovers he has a legitimate
member of the fern family, whose
most distant relatives can claim the
name as long az circinate %vernation
and Sporangia fall to be found In the
other order of plants. Several ANA
zonian ferns are very similar to those
found thousand of miles away to the
north. One that grows, like q we'll.
behaved sensible fern, In the ground
has q stem almost as woody as q rasp-
berry can which strong thorns are de.
veloped.
THoRNs IN ABUNDANCE.
Thorns, however, are here common
to almost every member of the veget-
able kingdom. Some palms bear as
many thorns as ever was found on o
rose, only on the trunks Of palms the
spines are sometimes six inches or
even more in length. Giant sensi.
live plants, which here grow to be
troes, are plentifully supplied with
thorns as large as those found on
orange trees. There are also q large
number of shrubs and low trees
whose leaves are sprinkled thickly on
both sides with thorns, larger thorns
starting from all the twigs and stems,
while creeping vines, that bear no
leaves and make up this deficiency by
numerous thorns, and bristling cscti
rise erect or go trailing their thorny
joints over three or four trees, on
which they love to hang out their gay
tasseled flowers.
The enormous size of the plants
growing upon the trees Is one Of the
first noticed wonders. 1t Is true that
q parasite Is ga plant that grows and
lives on another" but some parasites
and epiphites seem only TO grow upon
the branches of trees or vines because
they prefer second story residences.
There are many which draw no our
ishment from the plant to which they
cling, while tho number which seem
to subsis. wholly on air Is q marvel
to all. Even moisture does not seem
to be necessary, and the thick green
leaves lose neither luster nor stiffness
II they are cut from the parent stock
or hung elsewhere. Beautiful orchids,
In bloom, may be detached from
their perches on the trees, and II
hung up for house decorations retain
their color for days or even weeks.
The orchid is a most remarkable child
of the south, and those who have
made them a lifelong study are stil
unable TO distinguish some Of the
finest varieties from others that are
nearly worthless, excepting when the
specimens are in full bloom. Many
sorts have leaves that closely resembl,
: those found on others, and the root
of all seem only little cords to binc
} tho plant securely on q twig. There
} fore the only safe time for one to buy
an orchid off the Indian forester whc
carries parasites from door to door II
} n basket is when the blossoms are suf
ficiently developed to tell both colo
i and fragrance.
ROOTS IN THE AIR.
He who stands for the first time IL
q tropical forest will be struck mos
forcibly, perhaps by the singular ap
pearance of the numerous aerial roots
These slender cords hang In tangled
skeins among the branches, swayin,
against the light breeze or curling
against the trunk of a tree to mingl'
, with leaves and branches, or, CROWN,
thicker and more woody the older the,
become, finally themselves afford foot
! hold for q fern or an orchid. One 4
' astonished to find how strong thes,
cord. like roots are. They hang II
> mid air, like swaying threads from
spiders web, and often fall from
branch fifty or sixty feet from tn
ground, and are strong enough to sus
=, tain, not ten or twenty pounds only
but even bear a ftty-pound weigh
without breaking. Some of these al
a roots descend to the ground, and q
soon as they reach the earth bur,
' themselves to act like ordinary roots
After the hungry fingers are able t.
, reach the ground the air roots capidl,
|, increase In size. Others descend, twin
ing around the first, and the mas
q finally becomes q tree itself In size
9 Sometimes tho slender rootlets cree
. close to the trunk of q tree, almost i'm
: bedding themselves In the bark. Some
} starting In this way from the poin
where the main branches OF a tree frs
a grow from the trunk, send down air
r roots on all sides at once, and finall,
choke and destroy the original tree t
a which In their infancy they cling TO
a protection.
It PARASITES THAT THRIVE ON DEAl
TREES.