186 LXXXIY. LOGANIACE.E. 



4. Strychnos potatorum, Linn. f. Sappl. (1781) p. 148. A 

 moderate-sized glabrous tree attaining 40 ft. ; bark black, cracked and 

 scaly ; trunk often irregularly fluted. Leaves 2-3 by 1-1| in., nearly 

 sessile, subcoriaceous, ovate or elliptic, acute or subacuminate, glabrous 

 and shining, spuriously 3- or 5-uerved (the lateral nerves springing 

 from the lower part of the midrib not far from its base), base rounded or 

 acute ; petioles -^ in. long, Plowers rather large for the genus, in 

 short almost glabrous nearly sessile axillary cymes ; peduncles 0-i in. 

 long ; pedicels very short. Calyx y'g- iu. long, glabrous ; segments 5, 

 ovate, acute, J^ in. long. Corolla ^-\ in, long, o-lobed; lobes -^-^J in. 

 long, oblong, acute, with a tut't of hair inside towards the base of each 

 lobe. Ovary ovoid, glabrous, tapering into a long glabrous style ; 

 stigma obscurely 2-lobed, Berry black when ripe, | in, in diam, Seeds 

 1 or 2, circular, j in, in diam., bluntly lenticular, not greatly com- 

 pressed (in shape like a cheddar cheese), shining with short appressed 

 silky hairs, yellow. Fl. B. I. v. 4, p. 9U ; Grab. Cat. p, 112 ; Dalz. & 

 Gibs. p. 156 ; Wight, 111, t. 156 ; Bedd. Eor. Man, in Flor. iSvhat, 

 p. clxiii; Trim. Fl. Ceyl. v. 3, p. 176 ; Talb. Trees, Bomb. ed. 2, p,"242 ; 

 Woodr, in Journ, Bomb. Nat, v. 12 (1898) p. 163 ; AVatt, Diet. Econ. 

 Prod. V. 6, part 3, p, 382, — Flowers : Apr.-May. Veen. MnnaJL 



Konkan: Matlierau near Hart Point, H. M. Birclwood. Deccan : Pal jungles 

 (Khandesli districts), Ka?iit/carl S. M. Country: Belgaum districts, Talbot; hills 

 north of Belgaum, Eifchie, 1119 ! Kanaka : Law\ ; bauks of the Kala naddi, Law ex 

 Graham. — Distrib. India (Birma, Central India, W. Peninsula) ; Oeylon._ 



The ripe seeds known as clearing nuts are employed by the natives for clearing 

 muddy water. The cut seeds are rubbed on the inside of u rough earthen vessel, 

 ■which is then filled with water and, on standing, most of the impurities subside so that 

 the water becomes drinkable. See Watt, Diet. Econ. Prod. 1. c. 



Odder LXXXV, GENTIANACE^. 



Annual or perennial bitter usually glabrous herbs (rarely shrubs). 

 Leaves opposite (alternate in Limnanthemum) ; stipules 0, Flowers 

 usually regular and hermaphrodite, in terminal cymes or clusters, or 

 axillary and clustered or solitary. Calyx inferior, 4-5-lobed or -partite; 

 lobes usually imbricate. Corolla gamopetalous ; tube campanulate, in- 

 fundibuliform or cylindric ; lobes usually 4-5, contorted, imbricate or 

 induplicate-valvate. Stamens as many as the corolla-lobes, inserted in 

 the corolla-tube or at its mouth ; filaments filiform or ddated at tlie 

 base ; anthers dehiscing longitudinally, less commonly by apical [lores 

 or short slits. Disk annular, or of 5 glands at the base of the ovary 

 or 0. Ovary superior, 2-car[)ellary, 1-2-celled ; ovules usually many in 

 each cell ; style simple; stigma entire or 2-lobed. Fruit usually capsular 

 and dehiscent, septicidally 2-valved, Seeds usually sessile, sometimes 

 winged; albumen copious; testa membranous or crustaceous ; embryo 

 small. — DiSTKiiJ, Teu)perate regions of both hemispheres, abundant ; in 

 the Tropics rare except on the mountains ; genera about 5(J ; species 

 600-60U. 



Terrestrial herbs; leaves opposite; corolla-lubes contorted in 

 bud. 



Ovary L'-celled 1. Exactm. 



