1,000 YEARS’-OLD TREE.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 March 1926, Page 3

1,000 YEARS’-OLD TREE.

LONDON, January 2(1. Beginning its life in South Africa a thousand years ago—more than a century before the Norman Conquest and more than live hundred years before South Africa was visited by Europeans —a “ Kaffir Bread ” plant, removed from its native soil, is nourishing in the Royal Botanic Gardens. Regent’s J’ark. Ten feet high, fifteen inches round the trunk and weighing 7001 b., the plant is scientifically known by the formidable title. Knecplinlartns Alien stcinii.

The estimate of 1.000 years for the age of the plant is derived by comparing the number of leaf sears with which Lhe ancient trunk is covered with the number of fronds produced each year.

“The plants gets practically no moisture from outside, and derives its nourishment from an internal supply of its own.” an official of the gardens toM a reporter yesterday. Another curious South African plant in the gardens is the “ Elephant’s Fool.” or “ Tortoise I’Llnt.” which, all hough only two feet high and three feet in diameter, weigh- 190 pound-. Tin’s is -hie lo lhe fact that it carries within itself a supply ol lood and waver. It gets no moisture from the outside at all and is planted in sand and rock. Though 300 year sold, the green shrub still flowers regularly. In South Africa the plant’s internal supply of food is often used by the natives under the name of “ Hottentot Bread,” and the water is also squeezed from it in time of drought.