Diospyrus. polyandria monogynia. 531 



PiiRODiTE, solitary, sub-sessile with calyx and corol five - 

 cleft. StTjles three or four. Berry with as many as eight 

 seeds. 



Tumhalli of the Tamuls. 



Tindoo of the Hindoos. 



Coromandel Ebony-tree. 



Tiimida of the Telingas. 



The Ebony tree is a native of most woody mountainous 

 countries in India, viz. Ceylon, Malabar, Coromandel, 

 Orissa, &c. It grows to be very large, particularly the 

 male tree; the wood of this sort is also more esteemed. 

 Leaves deciduous in the cold season ; the new ones ap- 

 pear with the flowers in April and May. 



Trunk tolerably straight in large trees, from twenty 

 to twenty-five feet to the branches, and about eight or 

 ten in circumference. Bark scabrous, or deeply crack- 

 ed, somewhat spongy, colour a mixture of grey and black, 

 in irregular strata. Branches very irregular, numerous, 

 rigid, forming a large spreading, shady head ; young shoots 

 very downy. Leaves nearly opposite, shor*-petioled, ob- 

 long, entire, obtuse, when young very downy, when old 

 pretty smooth ; about four inches long, and one and a 

 half broad. Stipules none. 



Male Peduncles axillary, single, short, bearing three 

 or four small whitish flowers, supported by short bowing 

 pedicels. Bractes a small one at the insertion of each 

 pedicel, and one or two, still smaller pressing the calyx. 

 Calyx and corol as in the genus. Filaments generally 

 twelve or thirteen, short, inserted into a receptacle. 

 Anthers linear, erect. Pistil none. 



Hermaphrodite Flowers rather larger-than the 

 male, axillary, single, nearly sessile. Bractes, a small one 

 pressing the calyx. Calyx always five-cleft, downy. Co- 

 rol five-cleft. Filaments about ten, short, inserted into a 

 receptacle ])etween the germ and flower. Anthers small, 

 seemingly sterile. Styles three, nearly erect; stigma 



O 2 



