Rt25

[devadiva]

14d = (9) Gripped by speech about course ***E*T*O*.16A Tree ring thrown nearly into water (7) *E*U***

[Mamyalynne]

16 Sequoia

[Mamyalynne]

Direction

[vakayu]

14d attention?

[Baldric]

DIRECTION

[ladyalex]

16a Sequoia ?

[vakayu]

Direction much better.

[Baldric]

Indeed it was ^^^^^ as it fitted with the rest of the answers ;-)

[ladyalex]

I guessed Sequoia as it was a tree and fitted the letters, but can someone tell me how the clue works, please ?

[Baldric]

quoi(t) inside sea

[emeritus]

Ring thrown nearly Quoi(t) into Sea

[ladyalex]

Thank you , Baldric and Emeritus.
I was completely caught up in ring being O and couldn't see the wood for the tree ;-))