Trigonostemofi.'] EuphorbiacecB. 5 1 



The specimens in Herb. Hermann to which Linnaeus gave the name 

 Croton moluccafium are only leaves, but almost certainly belong to this 

 species. Mallotus jnoluccanus^ Muell. Arg., is quite another plant, and 

 not native to Ceylon but to Amboyna. 



22. TRIGONOSTEIVION, Bl 



Shrubs; fl, monoecious in terminal and axillary racemes; 

 sep. 5, imbricate; pet. 5; stam. 3, connate in a short column, 

 anth. sessile on a thickened connective; pistillode, o; disk of 

 5 glands; fem. fl.: — ov. 3-celled, with one ovule in each cell, 

 hairy, styles bifid or twice bifid; fr. a 3-celled capsule; seeds 

 nearly globose, mottled, embryo flat in fleshy endosperm. — 

 Sp. 15; 9 in i^/. B. Ind. 



Pet. of male fl. as long as sep., very deeply 2-lobed i. T. diplopetalus. 

 Pet. twice as long as sep., not 2-lobed . . . 2. T. nemoralis. 



1. T. diplopetalus, Thw. Emim. 277 (1861). [Plate LXXXIII.] 

 Muell. Arg. 1. c. 1 108. C. P. 570. 



Fl. B. Ind. V. 398. 



A bush, slightly branched; branchlets nearly glabrous; 

 buds pubescent; 1. rather large, 6-10 in., lanceolate, tapering 

 to base, shortly acuminate, acute, entire, glabrous, rather thin ; 

 petiole about \ in., with two minute glands at summit; fl. 

 shortly stalked, numerous, in erect spicate racemes, often 

 mixed; male fl. : — sep. oval, obtuse, concave; pet. about as 

 long as Sep., much denticulate and crisped, divided nearly to 

 base into two rounded lobes; fem. fl.: — sep. \ in., oblong- 

 lanceolate, apiculate ; pet. as in male, but larger and reflexed ; 

 styles twice bifid, with short stout branches ; capsule about 

 i in., somewhat depressed, hairy. 



Forests in the moist region, below 1000 ft. ; very rare. Pelawatte 

 Forest, Hewesse, Pasdun Korale, abundant. Fl. March-May and Sept.; 

 dull crimson-lake. 



Endemic. 



2. T. nemoralis, Thw. Enuin. 277 (1861). 

 Muell. Arg. 1. c. 1108. C. P. 3:70. 



Fl. B. Ind. V. 398. Bedd. Ic. PI. Ind. Or. t. 183. 



A slender bush or small tree ; bark yellowish-grey, rather 

 smooth; young parts strigose-hairy ; 1. numerous, alt. or sub- 

 opp. usually rather crowded at end of year's growth, 4-8 in., 

 linear-lanceolate, much tapering at both ends, obtuse at apex, 

 irregularly and shallowly crenate-serrate, glabrous and shining, 

 rather thick, veins conspicuous; petiole short, stout, curved, 

 channelled above; stip. small, subulate, pubescent; fl. in 



