258 BURMA, ITS PEOPLE ASD P/IODCCT/OXS. 



its ■brandies. The Casnarma muricafa, Mason says, was the wood of which the Talii- 

 tians in formei' times made their carved war-cluljs, and fishing hoolcs from its roots. 

 ' Pallen ' is the name I have always heard it called by, ' Tin yu ' being the name 

 of the Pine. 



Order AMENTACEiE. 



Flowers small, unisexual, in cylindrical oblong or globular catkins, usually 

 covered with densely packed scale-like bracts, rarely with loose or with minute 

 deciduous scales. Stamens 2 or more (rarely united into 1), imder each scale usually 

 accompanied by 2 or more smaller scales, either distinct or forming sometimes an 

 irregular or oblique perianth of 5 or 6 segments, or rarely entii'ely deficient. Female 

 catkins either like the males with 1, 2, or 3 flowers under each scale, or reduced to a 

 sessile bud, with 2 or 3 flowers in the centre surrounded by the lower empty scales 

 of the catkin. Under each scale are usually 2 or 3 inner scales. Ptrianth none or 

 closely comliined with the ovary, with a minute free border entire or tootlied. Ovary 

 1- or many-celled, with 2 or more styles always resulting in a 1-celled fruit, either 

 drupaceous or dry, and if dry, free and exserted, or in various ways inclosed in the 

 involucre. The catkin-scales, or the inner-scales, or both, usually persisting and some- 

 times enlarged in an involucre, either more or less inclosing the fruit or forming a cup 

 under the fruit. All ii men none. Trees or shrubs with simple alternate leaves. Stipules 

 more or less persistent. 



Not a veiT large order, but very important to the forester. It includes the oak, 

 hazel-nut, alder, birch, beech, and chestnut. The timber of many is valuable, and the 

 Eiu'opcan and American oak-timber is too well known to require special reference. 

 Several Indian oaks yield timber probably not much inferior to the European. The 

 bark is often astringent and bitter, and that of oaks is good for tanning, while that of 

 the birches contains a balsamic oil and a peculiar resinous substance called betuline or 

 birch-camphor. Cork comes from Q. siiher. Galls are found chiefly on QKerciis infcctorta, 

 but inferior ones are found also on some Indian oaks. "Wax is obtained from tlie 

 berries of Mi/rica eerifera and some other American species. The fruit of My r tea nogi 

 is edible. 



* Oiary l-celled with a solitary erect ovnic. 



Myeica, Linnaus. 



Catkins axillary. J/J; ^e _;?o(rcr.s with 2-16 stamens under each scale. Filaments 



basally connate. Anthers 2-ceiled. Female fluwers with 2-4 bractlets. Orary terminated 



by 2 "lateral, filiform, sessile, stigmas, 1-celled. Fruit drupaceous, resinous, with a 



papillose or wrinkled pericarp, inclosing a bony 1-seedcd nut. Albumen none. 



M. NAGi, Thbg. F.T. Martaban at 4000 to 6000 feet. 



M. sapida, "Wall. 

 Drupes the size of a small cherry, papillose, crimson, fleshy, resinous, with 

 occasionally short brown hairs intcnnixod. 



** Orary 2-celled, each cell \-ovuled. Xuls small, often tcinged, X-celled, combined 

 with the scales in a sort of cone. 



Betula, Totirnef. 

 Scales of the mal^ catkins stalked, those of the female deciduous. Female catldns 

 cylindrical, compact. Nats not connate with the involucre. Anther cells distinct. 

 B. acumtnata, Wall. Martaban at 5000 and 6000 feet. 



B. cylindrostachya. Wall. 

 Female and male catkins elongate, 1-2 inches long, the former on a short 

 pubescent peduncle. Flowers hairy. Wings broader than the nut, and broader 

 than the membranous bract. 



Alxus, Tournef. 

 Anther cells connate. Scales of female catkin persistent. 

 A. Nepalensis, Don. Khakyen Hills. 



