688 TENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Car'lSSCt. 



Tarn. Kalaaha. It is also thus called by Europeans on the 

 Coromandel coast. 



Ben(j. K?/rMmcha. 



A common, large shrub ; or irregularly formed small tree, 

 growing- in most wild, woody, dry, uncultivated parts. 

 Flowering time February, March, and April. Fruit ripe in 

 July and August. 



Trunk, w hen it is of age to have one, irregularly bent in 

 various directions. Bark gray. Branches and branchleis 

 very numerous, always two-forked, and standing nearly at 

 ri<> lit angles, rigid, smooth, and round. Thorns constantly 

 ill pairs at the divisions of the branches and branchlets, and 

 at every other pair of leaves, opposite, horizontal, very 

 strong, smooth, and exceedingly sharp ; they are frequently 

 forked. Leaves opposite, nearly sessile, oval, obtuse, smooth, 

 hard, shining ; their insertions remarkably regular, generally 

 one pair below the fork, crossed with the thorns ; and ano- 

 ther pair between the forks, where there are no spines. Pe- 

 duncles terminal, generally in pairs, each less than an inch 

 long, bearing from three to many, beautiful, milk-white, 

 Jasmine-like flowers. Bractes, a small one at the insertion 

 of each pedicel. Calyx, corol and stamens, as in the genus. 

 Germ ovate, two-celled, with four ovula in each, attached to 

 the thickened partition. Berry single, (never two, not even 

 the rudiment of more than one,) size of a small plumb, but 

 of a more lengthened form, when ripe of a shining black, 

 two-celled. Seeds four in each cell when all come to matu- 

 rity, which is uncommon ; oblong, compressed, concave on 

 the inside, from the centre of the concavity is the attachment 

 to the large fleshy particular margins, thin. Integument 

 single. Perisperm conform to the seed, white. Embryo 

 inverse. Cotyledons nearly round. Radicle cylindric, su- 

 perior. 



Ohs. This plant makes exceedingly strong fences. The 

 number of their strong, sharp thorns, renders them almost im- 

 passable. 



