Strychnos?^ LogauiacecB. 175 



cymes terminating branchlets, pedunculate, shorter than 1.; 

 cal. pubescent, segm. ovate, acute ; cor. pubescent outside, 

 tube nearly \ in., lobes 5, less than half as long as tube, 

 lanceolate, acute; berry 1^-3 in, diam., pericarp thin, seeds 

 several, immersed in pulp, similar to those of 5". Nux-vomica 

 in all respects, but rather less compressed. 



Moist low country to 3000 ft., rather rare. Galle; Peradeniya; Han- 

 tane ; Heneratgoda. Fl. white. 



Endemic (Silhet, Roxburgh?). 



Wight's plate, if it represent this species, is incorrect as to the vena- 

 tion of the leaves. It is not unlikely that Reede's figure referred to under 

 S. colubrina (Hort. Mai. viii. t. 24) really represents this ; but it is not 

 known from S. India. 



6. S. Nux-vomica, L. Sp. PL 189 (1753). Goda-kaduru, S. 

 Sddi, XLancliurai, T. 



Herm. Mus. 41. Burm. Thes. 171. Moon Cat. 15. Thw. Enum. 201. 

 C. P. 2839. 



Fl. B. Ind. iv. 90. Bedd. Fl. Sylv. t. 243. Bentl. & Trim. Med. PI. t. 

 178. 



A rather small or moderate-sized tree, trunk erect, bark 

 smooth, yellowish-grey, twigs numerous, opposite, cylindrical, 

 compressed and dilated at nodes, glabrous; 1. 2^-4 in., broadly 

 oval, often rather unequal-sided, acute or rounded at base, 

 very shortly acuminate, obtuse, 5-nerved (lateral pair often 

 faint), glabrous and shining, thin, venation copious, finely 

 reticulate, petiole \-\ in.; fl. on slender ped., numerous, cymes 

 terminal, peduncled, paniculate, pubescent ; cal. pubescent, 

 segm. lanceolate, acute; cor. glabrous or nearly so outside, 

 tube \ in. or a little more, hairy within, lobes 5, less than half 

 as long as tube, ovate, acute; ov. and style glabrous; berry 

 variable in size, i-if in. diam., slightly rough but shining, 

 dead orange-red when ripe, pericarp thin, brittle ; seeds 1-6, 

 immersed in pinkish-grey pulp, button-shaped, circular, about 

 f in. diam., much compressed, flat, slightly concave above and 

 convex beneath, silvery-grey and shining with a dense covering 

 of very fine adpressed hair radiating from centre, embryo with 

 cordate cotyledons and a long radicle. 



Forests of the dry region, common. Fl. August; greenish-white. 



Also in Peninsular India and Burma, and probably further East. 



The seeds, the principal source of the poisonous alkaloids strychnine 

 and brucine, are an article of export in recent years. The pulp in which 

 the seeds are immersed is undoubtedly eaten by birds, and I am told also 

 by children without ill effects, though it has been shown to contain minute 

 quantities of strychnine. The bark is much used as a tonic, and exter- 

 nally as a remedy for skin-diseases. The smaller fruits have usually but 

 a single seed. 



