Trees are uncommon outside of the cultivated regions of
Barsoom. The Martian Tales of Edgar Rice Burroughs described several forests
and one great swamp; however, four trees are mentioned by name …
calot tree
is found in
the tropical forests of Kaol. “It is a
carnivorous plant of about the bigness of a large sage-brush such as dots our
western plains. Each branch ends in a set of strong jaws, which have been known
to drag down and devour large and formidable beasts of prey. (WM V)
Skeel is a beautiful, hard wood harvested from
extremely tall, drought-resistant trees that is used for the construction of
ships and sturdy doors.
Sorapus is a tree found upon
the Red Planet whose rich wood is used for the construction of furniture and interior wall panels.
Usa is a tree
that yields a large, nutritious fruit that unfortunately is rather tasteless. The
tree requires little irrigation, and because of the fruit’s availability and
affordability it serves as one of the “principle
rations of both armies and navies upon Barsoom” (CM III)
illustration by Neal McDonald
from A Guide to Barsoom by John Flint Roy (1976)
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