298 BURMA, ITS PEOPLE AND PRODUCTIONS. 



0. SANCTUM, L. (^r.)- Burma. Kamorta. Katchall and^Xaukowry. 



Pyn-zeing-zi. Holy Basil. Tulsi, of the Hindus. 



This plant is extremely venerated by Hindus, as sacred to Vishnu, and the most 

 bindiug oath is that on Ganges water and the Tulsi leaf. For example, in the tale 

 of the ' Enchanted Fruit,' by Sir W. Jones, Drapudi, when compelled to confess her 

 indiscretions, appeases the suspicions of her five husbands by swearing by this plant : 



" By Tulsi's leaf the truth I speak, 

 The Brahmin only kissed my cheek." 



The leaves of several species of Ooimum arc fragrant and aromatic, and a decoction 

 of them is in some repute as a mild febrifuge and canuinative in infantile diarrhoea. 

 The leaves are also used for flavouring sauces, and the seeds arc mucilaginous and 

 cooling, and administered in renal complaints. The root is fashioned into beads worn 

 by some classes of Brahmins. 



Lavexdula, Limtmis. 

 L. CAENOSA, L. (K.). Ton-doung. Pegu. 



Htptis. 



H. siTAVEOLENS, Poir. Nankowry. 



Mason gives the following Sgau-Karen names for sundiy plants of this Order : 

 Phau-ka-bo, Hau-wor-thwae, Klo-ma-ni, Hpor-lai-thwai, Hor-hpgi, and the Burmese 

 Su-la-na-hpa. 



Order YEEBENACE^. 



Flowers irregular, or rarely regular. Calij.r persistent, truncate-toothed or lobed. 

 Corolla 4- or 5- rarely 6-8-lobed or rarely truncate, the lobes more or less 2-lipped 

 or nearly or quite equal, imbricate in bud, the upper lip or uppermost lobe or some- 

 times the lateral ones outside. Stamens inserted in the corolla-tube, usually 4, in 

 pairs or nearly equal, and alternating with its lower lobes, or when the corolla 

 is regular 4 to 8, alternating with its lobes. Anthers 2-celled, the cells usually 

 parallel, and opening longitudinally. Ovary not lobed, or only shortly 4-lobed, 

 usually more or less perfectly divided into 2 or 4 cells or half-cells, with a solitary 

 ovule in each cell, or half-coll, either anatropous and erect from the base, or more 

 or less amphitropous, and attached laterally or near the top, so as to appear pendulous. 

 Style terminal, simple, entire, or more frequently with 2 short stigraatio lobes. Fruit 

 dry or more or less drupaceous, the whole fruit, or the endocai-ji, separating into 2 or 

 4 nuts or pyrenes, or quite indehiscent and 2- or 4-cclled, and sometimes with an 

 additional centi-al cavity between the carpels, having the ajjpearance of a third or 

 fifth empty coll. Seeds solitary in each cell or half-cell, erect, usually without 

 albumen. Finhryo straight, with thick cotyledons, and an inferior radicle. Learcs 

 opposite, whorled, or rarely alternating, entire or divided. Stijmles none. Inflor- 

 escence various. Herbs, shrubs or trees. 



A riCENNIE^^. 

 Inflorescenee eapltnte, s}7i'Iced, or centripetal. Flowers n-itli imhrieate hracts. Calyx 

 5-leai-ed. Corolla 4-Jid. Ornles yeminate, pendulous, ani2>/iilropous. Fruit indehiscent. 

 Fmbryo germinating in the pericarp. 



AvicENNiA, Zinnaus. 



Fruit a 2-valved capsule. Seed solitary, without integuments, germinating 

 white on the plant, cotyledons large, folded, radicle vciy haiiy. 



A. OFFICINALIS, L. F.T. Tidal forests all over Burma and the 



Thame. Andamans. 



Flowers shortly spiked. Calyx-lobes 1 line long, style very short. 



