DROUGHT RESISTING PLANTS IN THE DECCAN. 35 



brown soil, at Shevgaon on May 9, 1919. The soil round the roots 

 contained 1'65 per cent, of available moisture. 



The plant varies a great deal as regards its height and the size of 

 leaves in different situations. 



In the present instance it showed an extreme reduction of all the 

 parts, the plant being scarcely three inches high though in flower. 

 The flowering spike was scarcely k inch long. The root was a slender 

 tap root 5 — >6 inches long. 



It may be noted that the plant is used as a vegetable by the 

 poorer classes in times of scarcity. 



22. Heliotropium zeylanicum Law— It was found in light 

 yellow to brown soil at Shevgaon on May 9, 1919. The soil round the 

 roots contained 1'56 per cent, of available moisture. 



The plant responded to the present conditions by undergoing a 

 reduction in the size of the leaves to about \ — £ that of the well 

 developed ones, as is usual with the plant in such circumstances. 

 The root was a tap root about If feet long and i inch in diameter 

 devoid of lateral branches in the upper half. 



23. Taverniera nummularia. DC— Rather common in the 

 place. It was found in deep black sticky soil between Shevgaon and 

 Babhulgaon on May 10, 1919. The soil round the roots contained 

 3'38 per cent, of available moisture. 



The plant was 8 — 10 inches high and very much branched. It 

 showed a distinct reduction of the leaf surface to about \ — i as com- 

 pared with the well developed specimens, which seems to be its usual 

 response under similar conditions. The root was a tap root a foot 

 long and f inch in diameter with two to three laterals placed at 

 intervals and spreading more or less horizontally. 



24. Citrullus colocynthis Schrad.—lt was found in sandy 

 soil in the bed of a dry stream between Shevgaon and Babhulgaon 

 on May 10, 1919. The soil round the roots contained only 0"93 per 

 cent, of available moisture. 



The plant seems to respond to such arid conditions by reducing 

 the size of the leaves to f — i and by producing more numerous stout, 

 bulbous-based hairs on the under side of the leaf. It has done the 

 same thing under the present conditions, and has produced a tap root 

 about 18 inches long and about h inch in diameter. 



25. Balanites Roxburghii Planch.— Common. This thorny 

 plant was found in brownish sticky soil between Shevgaon and 

 Pathardi* on May 11, 1919. The soil round the roots contained 

 3'04 per cent, of available moisture. 



* The rainfall at Pathardi and Babhulgaon is practically the same as at 

 Shevgaon. 



