FROM THE KOPJES OF SOUTH AFRICA. [To THE EDITOR OP
TEE " SPECTATOD.1 have at present growing in my house what is a most extraordinary plant, and as it came from the kopjes of South Africa I have no doubt its history will be interesting to your readers. Its technical name is Elephantipea Testuclinaria, but it is known in South Africa as the elephant's. foot or the Kaffir's bread. The plant consists of a large tuberous growth about the size of a football. In shape it is rounded at the top bat flat at the bottom, and the bark is a cork-like substance beautifully ornamented with hexagonal figures, exactly like the shell of a turtle. But the history of the plant is more
interesting than the plant itself. It was brought from South Africa about three or four years ago. At that time I lived in
a wild moorland district near the Scottish border, and as I had no place suited for rearing tropical nhuats I simply left it
outside in the open, where it lay for two winters exposed fo the cold atmosphere of the North. Having to move South I brought the plant with me, my idea being to get it polished and keep it as a curio. It found its way into the coal cellar, where it remained for a year. In July, 1900, I was surprised to find that this African plant, after suffer- ing all this neglect, never having even been planted in soil, had begun to grow. It already had a branch some- thing like that of a vine, and about a yard in length. I immediately planted it in a tub, and as it grew rapidly I made a kite-shaped kind of trellis-work for it, round which it wound its tendrils, forming a beautiful mass of light-green foliage. In the autumn it flowered, the flowers being white, and exactly like the lily of the valley. I think I have never seen a more beautiful sight than these hundreds of lovely little flowers starred out, as it were, amongst such a beautiful sheet of green. The plant lived on till the following spring, but in October it again began to grow, and is now at its best, although I do not expect it will flower this time, as there is every sign of its going back. I think we may well take this plant of the kopjes to be a symbol, and hope that the country where it came from will again spring to life after being dead
for so many years.—I am, Sir, &c., EDW. GRIERSON. Bedford.
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