SYMPLOCACE/E. 273 



and peculiar in the toothing of the leaves which extends 

 from the apex almost to the stalk. 



Young parts and leaf-stalks hairy, older branchlets 

 glabrous with but few lenticels. Leaf-stalks 54 to J^ 

 inch : blades ovate or broadly elliptic, 2 to 6 by lJ4 

 to 2^ inches, acute or acuminate, serrate almost to the 

 base: leaf-buds J^ inch, globular, silky. Flower-spikes 

 erect, strongly pubescent : flowers subsessile. Calyx-tube 

 J^ inch, pubescent. Corolla J^ inch. Stamens very many 

 (forty). Fruit erect, yellowish green, % by J4 inch, 

 oblong, rounded at both ends, with a small calyx-scar at 

 the top. t. 184. Wight Ic. 1234 and 1235. 



In sholas where it may be recognised by its lumpy foliage, 

 on both plateaus ; flowering winter and spring, fruiting early 

 summer. Not elsewhere. Fyson 1895, 2079, 2585. Bourne 

 473, 1498, 1588. 



In its smooth bark and silky young leaves it reminds one of the English 

 Beech. 



Symplocos obtusa Wall; RB.I. iii 583, I 43. A 

 tree, all parts glabrous. Branches sub-umbelled, usually 

 four at a forking ; youngest tinged with purple ; the 

 previous year's with thin almost black bark, marked 

 with a few longitudinal lenticels ; older with grey bark. 

 Leaf-scars % inch across : leaf-stalks J^ inch, purple : 

 blades erect, 2 to 3 J^ by I to I J^ inches, elliptic or obovate- 

 elliptic, emarginate or obtuse, shallowly crenate except 

 near the acute base, with minute points in the crenations, 

 thickly coriaceous ; margins reflexed ; nerves about six 

 pairs, translucent. Spikes axillary, I to 2 inches. Flowers 

 five to eight, white, J^ inch across, quite glabrous : 

 bracts J^ inch soon falling. Calyx-tube sessile, H inch : 

 lobes rounded, 1/20 inch. Petals 1/5 inch, concave 

 tinged on the outside, like the calyx lobes, with pink : 

 tube 1/50 inch. Stamens many, the innermost shortest : 

 disc to which they are attached glabrous. Stigma 



