S36 DiOECiA POLYANDUM. CJiaulmoogra. 



C odor at a. R. 



Chaulmoogra and Petaik?a*a, are the names of this tree, 

 and the drug-, hereafter mentioned, which it furnishes. It is 

 indigenous in the Silhet district, and grows to a large size, 

 equalling the largest Mango trees, and when full grown 

 may be compared to the great Maple, or Sycamore, Acer 

 Pscudo-platanus. It blossoms in April and May, and the 

 seed ripens about the close of the year; wiienthe fruit is ga- 

 thered, the seed is carefully taken out, dried, and sold to 

 the native dealers in drugs at about five Rupees the maund 

 of eighty-four pounds. 



Trunk and large branches covered with tolerably 

 smooth, ash-coloured bark ; the young shoots more or less 

 declinate, round, smooth and green. Wood of a light brown 

 colour, close-grained, and seemingly fit for a variety of pur- 

 poses. Leaves short-petioled, alternate, bifarious, drooping, 

 lanceolate, entire, acuminate, smooth, from six to ten inches 

 lono-, and from one and ahalfto two and ahalf broad. Stipules 

 none. Peduncles from the sides of the ligneous branchlets of 

 from one to several years' growth, generally several together, 

 from one to two inches long, one-flowered. Bractes minute 

 round the base of the peduncles. Male flowers an 

 mch and a half in diameter, when expanded of a pale yel- 

 low, and powerfully fragrant. Calyx one-leaved, bowl- 

 shaped; border from four to five-lobed. Petals five, sessile, 

 oblong, inserted into the receptacle, round the filaments. 

 JSTectary, five ciliate, oblong scales, or smaller petals of a 

 deeper yellow colour over the lower half of the proper petal, 

 and attached to them. Filaments about a hundred, woody, 

 inserted into the disk of the receptacle. Anthers linear, 

 erect, about the length of the filaments, two together, rather 

 shorter than the petals. Germ none. Female on a distinct 

 tree. Peduncles in bundles from tuberosities over the trunk, 

 and laroer branches, one-flowered as in tlie male. Flowers 

 lar«-er than the male ones, and fragrant. Stamina none, but 

 round the base of the germ are inserted about ten pinnatifid, 



