20 EuphorbiacecB. {Phyllant/ms. 



A small or middle-sized tree, rarely 30 ft. high, with a 

 crooked trunk and spreading branches ; bark thin, grey, with 

 numerous bosses, whence arise the leaf-bearing branchlets; 

 young parts pubescent ; 1. very numerous, closely placed, 

 distichous, overlapping, spreading, nearly sessile, about h in., 

 linear-strap-shaped, rounded at base, subacute, glabrous, paler 

 beneath ; stip. minute, acute ; male fl. very small, numerous, 

 on slender ped., in axillary fascicles ; fem. fl. few, nearly sessile ; 

 male fl. : — sep. 6, oblong, obtuse, disk o; stam. 3, connate 

 throughout ; fem. fl. : — sep. as in male ; ov. surrounded by a 

 cup-like lacerate disk, styles 3, large, spreading or recurved, 

 dilated or lobed ; fr. ^ in. or more, globose, fleshy, pale 

 green or yellow, of 3 subdehiscent 2-seeded crustaceous cocci 

 enclosed in a thick fleshy coat ; seeds triquetrous, testa 

 crustaceous, embryo with concave cotyledons. 



Exposed places, especially on patana land in the moist region, up to 

 4000 ft. ; very common. Fl. Oct. ; greenish-yellow. 



Throughout India, Malaya, China. 



The feathery leafy branchlets precisely resemble pinnate leaves ; they 

 are deciduous, and the plant leafless in the dry season. The acid and 

 astringent fruit is an important native medicine ; it also makes a good 

 preserve. 



Hermann's drawing of his ' Kathukaramba ' (Mus. 68), quoted by 

 Linnaeus for this species, seems rather to represent the foreign P. 

 longi/olius {Cicca disticha), which is often cultivated. 



4. P. polyphyllus, Willd. Sp. PI. iv. 586 (1805). 



Thw. Enum. 282. P. einblkoides, Muell. Arg. I.e. 353. C. P. 2140 

 (2502). 



Fl. B. Ind. V. 290. Wight, Ic. t. 1895, f. 2. 



A shrub, or small tree; branches straight, terete; young 

 parts striate, glabrous ; 1. very numerous, closely placed and 

 often slightly overlapping, nearly sessile, small, under ^ in., 

 linear-oblong, rounded at base, obtuse, mucronate, glabrous, 

 veins rather prominent beneath ; stip. minute, acute, persistent ; 

 fl. numerous, male 2 or 3 together, fem. much larger, solitary; 

 stam. 3, anth. sessile, connate ; ov. globose, styles connate 

 for a short distance, bifid ; fr. nearly | in., dry, depressed, 

 strongly 3-lobed, capped with persistent styles, glabrous but 

 not shining. 



Dry region; common. Fl. Nov., iSrc. 

 Also in S. India. 



P. einb/icflides, Muell. Arg., with a much thickened stylar column, 

 seems to be based on an abnormal condition of that organ. 



5. P. xnaderaspatensls, L. Sfi. PL 982 (1753)- 

 Moon, Cat. 65. Thw. Knum. 282. C. P. 2133. 



Fl. B. Ind. V. 292. Wight, Ic. t. 1895, f- 3 (not good). 



