On the Motif of the Forest in the Puranas

 

 

 

There are said to be four "forests" on the summit of the four "mountains" supporting Mt Meru. 

Not only is the primary bronchus a tree but each of the lower level bronchi may also be viewed as (sub) trees. In this manner we have a (bronchial) forest, a hierarchical collection of (bronchial) trees.

A single large bronchus may also individually be taken as a forest as it can be viewed as the coming together (see strategy) of many trees (smaller bronchi).