What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow Out of this stony rubbish? Son of man You cannot say, or guess, for you know only A heap of broken images, where the sun beats, And the dead tree gives no shelter, the cricket no relief, And the dry stone no sound of water. (T.S. Eliot, The Wasteland, 1922) Rumbia plants or buffalo-horn motifs or synthesis of both, and more, Latiff Mohidin is more interested in the rhythm of architecture (of plants or other lifeforms) than actual life depictions. The rumbia are hardwood sago palms in heavily waterlogged swamps which support various ecosystems and micro-organisms. Sago is rich in carbohydrate, and thus a food staple in rural areas. Its leaves and branches are used for roofing, walls, floor mats and baskets. This work was featured in Latiff’s 2012 Retrospective book, on Page 171 (under Prints), with the image at bottom middle.