, 
152 MONADELPHIA DODECANDRIA, Sterculia, 
10, S. alaia, Roxb. 
Leaves cordate, entire, from three to five-nerved. Ra- 
cemes crowded about the ends of the branchlets, length of the 
petioles. Follicles sub-rotund, Seeds numerous, winged. 
A native of the countries immediately east of Bengal, 
where it grows to be a large, handsome, very ramous tree. 
Flowering time, in the Botanic garden, February and March, 
and the seed ripens about the close of the year. In the pro- 
vince of Chittagong, the tree is called Buddha Narikella, 
which may be translated, Boodh’s Coco-nut, Narikella be- 
ing one of the Sanscrit names of the Coco-nut, In Silhet it 
is called Toola, and there the seeds are said to be eaten by 
the natives as a cheap substitute for opium, 
_ Trunk, in trees twenty-five years old, now growing in the 
Botanic garden, straight, tall, four feet above the ground, 
three and a half feet in circumference. Bark quite smooth, 
and ash-coloured. | Branches numerous, towards the top of 
the tree ascending, below divaricate, In its native soil, 
they arrive at a much greater size ; viz. ten feet in circumfe- 
rence, and above one hundred high. Leaves alternate about 
the ends of the branchlets, petioled, cordate, entire, smooth, 
from three to five-nerved, from four to twelve inches long, 
and from three to eight broad, Deciduous abont the time 
the blussoms appear in February and March,  Petioles 
round, smooth, from one to four inches long. Stipules mi- 
nute, subulate, caducous at a very early period, Racemes 
axillary, sometimes terminal, thin, sub-panicled, but the most 
common mode is racemes in pairs from the axills of the for- 
mer years toward the ends of the branchlets, and about as 
long as the petioles, or more densely clothed with ferrugin- 
ous stellate pubescence, F’/owers pretty large, short-pedi- 
celled, reflex ; male and female on the same racemes, Bractés 
ensiform, three under each flower, and caducous at a very 
early period. Calyx campanulate, divided nearly to the base, 
into five thick, fleshy, recurved, lanceolar segments ; outside 
clothed with ferruginous, stellate pubescence; inside. ele- 
