Zizyphus:\ RhainiiacecB. 281 



A scrambling shrub, semi-scandent by its prickles, bark 

 very rough, branchlets rufous-pubescent, becoming glabrous ; 

 1, numerous, distichous, i^-if in., lanceolate or oval, very 

 unequal-sided, acute and oblique at base, acute or rounded 

 and apiculate at apex, entire or minutely denticulate, glabrous 

 or closely pubescent above, silky with adpressed fulvous 

 hair beneath, petiole short, hairy, prickles (usually only one 

 developed) strong, short, compressed, hooked; fl. very small, 

 crowded on the contracted branches of small, hairy, very 

 shortly pedunculate, axillary, paniculate cymes, about \ in.; cal. 

 very hairy; drupe small, \ in., ovoid, apiculate, black, shining. 



Low country, chiefly in the dry region, where it is very common. 

 Fl. March, April. 



Also generally in Trop. Asia and Australia. 



Some of the branches very often produce a mass of crowded slender 

 branchlets covered closely with very small, nearly glabrous, membranous, 

 pale green leaves very different from the normal ones, and with straight, 

 slender, spinous stipules ; such branches are flowerless. (I have seen a 

 similar dimorphic state from Khasia.) 



3. Z. Napeca, Willd. Sp. PL i. 1104 (1797). TTak-eraminiya, S. 

 Fl. Zeyl. n. 87. Rhaimius Napeca^ L. Sp. PL 194. Trim, in Journ. 

 Linn. Soc. xxiv. 137. 

 Fl. B. Ind. i. 635. 



A shrub, young stems very woolly with rufous tomentum ; 

 1. oval, slightly oblique at base, abruptly acuminate, obtuse, 

 finely serrulate, glabrous on both sides, shortly petioled, 

 prickles solitary or in pairs, both recurved, short, stout, hairy, 

 purple ; cymes very rufous-hairy ; styles 2, recurved ; fruit 

 not seen. 



Var. /3. lucida, Moon Cat. 17 (sp.). Thw. Enum. 74. Z. Linncei^ 

 Laws, in Fl. B. Ind. i. 635. C. P. 1241. 



Young stems much less tomentose; 1. narrower, lanceolate, 

 gradually acuminate, subacute, veins purplish, slightly hairy 

 beneath, connecting transverse veinlets copious and con- 

 spicuous ; cymes i-ij in., lax, rufous-hairy ; styles 3 or 4, 

 connate half-way up ; fruit f-f in., globose, fleshy, smooth, 

 purple, stone very bony, rugulose, 3- or 4-celled. 



Low country ; rather rare. The type (only seen in Hermann's Herb.) 

 presumably from Colombo. Var. /3. Kalutara (Moon) ; Matale ; Kurun- 

 egala, (S:c. Fl. July ; pale greenish-yellow. 



Endemic. 



No one, since Hermann, appears to have met with the typical Napeca. 

 Lawson states that his Z. Linncei is the R. Napeca of Linn. Herb., but he 

 bases the species on poor specimens from Walker in Herb. Kew, which 

 seem to be merely a very glabrous form of Z. lucida. 



