Turpinia.'] Sapindacecs. . 313 



ir. TURPINIA,* Vent. 



Trees ; 1. opp., with interpetiolar stip. ; fl. bisexual, in 

 panicles; cal. deeply 5-lobed, imbricate; pet. 5, imbricate; 

 stam. 5, inserted outside disk and slightly connate with it ; 

 disk cup-shaped, lobed ; ov. 2- or 3-celIed, with 2 or more 

 ovules in each cell, style short, stigma sub-capitate ; fruit 

 fleshy, indehiscent, 2- or 3-celled, several-seeded ; seed angular, 

 without an aril, embryo straight, in fleshy endosperm. — Sp. 8 ; 

 I m Fl. B. Ind. 



T. pomifera, DC. Prod. ii. 3 (1825). Eta-hirilla, Kankum- 

 bala, S. 



T. fiepalensis, Wall, Thw. Enum. 71. C. P. 218. 



Fl. B. Ind. i. 698. Wight, Ic. t. 992. Bedd. Fl. Sylv. t. 159. 



A large or small tree, young parts glabrous ; 1. opp., 

 imparipinnate, rachis 2-6 in., striate, glabrous, Iflts. 3-9 

 (1-4 pair and a terminal one), opp., on short furrowed stalks, 

 3-4|- in., tapering at base, strongly acuminate, obtuse, finely 

 serrate, glabrous and shining, stip. triangular, early deciduous ; 

 fl, numerous, on glabrous ped., in lax, axillary and terminal 

 panicles shorter than 1., cal.-lobes finely ciliate, obtuse ; pet. 

 erect, oblong-oval, obtuse, finely ciliate, as long as sep. ; stam. 

 shorter than pet; fr. nearly globose, |-i in., smooth, purplish- 

 black, pericarp hard-fleshy ; seeds angular, shining, dark 

 brown. 



Var. )8. montana, Tlnu. I. c. 



Lflts. thick, coriaceous, margins often revolute ; fl. fewer, 

 more crowded, larger. 



Moist low country ; common. Var. /3. in the upper montane zone 

 common. Fl. March, October ; white. 



Also in S. India, E. Bengal, Malay Peninsula, and China. 



The young foliage of var. /3. is brilliantly coloured pink- or scarlet 

 orange, and very ornamental to the hill forests. 



I am uncertain as to the true Sinhalese name of this common tree 

 those above given are doubtful. 



* Commemorates the French botanist and artist P. J. F. Turpin 



died 1840. 



