324 AnacardiacecE . {Semecarpus. 



drupe nearly i in., broadly ovoid, somewhat compressed, 

 obliquely acuminate, receptacle \ in., narrower than drupe, 

 cup-shaped. 



Moist country, extending into the montane zone to 4000 ft. ; common. 

 Fl. Feb.-April; green. 



Endemic. 



At the higher elevations the leaves are often smaller and more leathery, 

 and the tree reduced to a much-branched shrub. 



S. cuneata, Engl. Mon. 493, is based on a specimen of C. P. 631, and 

 is described as differing from S. nigro-viridis by its membranaceous leaves 

 with longer petioles. I do not clearly recognise it. 



II. S. obscura, Thw. Enion. 76 (1858). Badulla, S. 



Engler, Mon. 494. S. oblongifolia, Thw. Enum. 76. C. P. 2556, 1258. 



Fl. B. Ind. ii. ^t,. 



A moderate - sized or large tree, glabrous throughout ; 

 1. rather crowded at ends of branches, 4-8 in., oblong- or 

 obovate-oblong, much tapering at base and decurrent on 

 petiole, rounded or obtuse or bluntly acuminate, coriaceous, 

 with a narrow cartilaginous margin, shining above, lat. veins 

 nearly horizontal and with the intermediate reticulations 

 prominent beneath, petiole variable, \-l in. or scarcely any ; 

 fl. \ in., panicles terminal, of male 4-8 in., of bisexual much 

 shorter, slender, much branched ; drupe ^-| in., ovoid, slightly 

 compressed, more or less obliquely acuminate, receptacle 

 ^-|in., wide, cup-shaped. 



Low country, principally in the dry or intermediate region ; rather 

 common. Batticaloa; Uma-oya; Medamahanuwara ; Maturata; Deltota. 

 Fl. Feb., March ; pale green. 



Endemic. The only species in the dry region. 



Thwaites' typical S. obscura (C. P. 2556) is from Deltota, and has 

 very coriaceous leaves and a larger, more cup-shaped receptacle. 



12. S. parvlfolia, Thw. Enum. 77 (1858). 

 Engler, Mon. 492. C. P. 3444. 

 Fl. B. Ind. ii. 34. 



A moderate-sized tree, glabrous throughout ; 1. small, 

 2-3 in., crowded at the ends of the annual growths, oval or 

 lanceolate, tapering into petiole, very shortly and obtusely 

 acuminate, stiffly coriaceous, with a narrow cartilaginous 

 margin, midrib very broad, lat. veins horizontal and with the 

 coarse reticulation very prominent beneath, petiole ^ in., 

 tumid at base, channelled; fl. ]i in., panicles (or rather racenies) 

 terminal and axillary, few-flowered, 2-3 in. ; drupe (not ripe) 



