L Steecclia.] 21. STERCULIACEJB. 



A conspicuous feature of the dry rocky hills of Ch. Nag. and less so 

 in the S. P. Fls. Dec-Feby. Fr. April. It drops its leaves in Nov. Or 

 Dec. and often remains leafless until the May storms. 



L. 9-16" both ways not deeply lobed (never half-way down) but 

 usually broadly 5-cuspidate, base deeply cordate rounded. Petiole 6-12''. 

 Fls. reddish-brown tomentoso outside, green inside the oblong acute lobea 

 which are bearded within at the base, and crimson inside the tube. 



It yields a gum "used by the Santals in throat affections ". Camp. 

 The seeds are eaten. The bark yields a fibre. 



2. S. Villosa, Roxb. Sisi, K., Ganjher, 8., Walkom, Pir- 

 onja, If. ? ; Sisir, Oraon ; Udal, Kharw., >H. ; Baringa. Gond. 



A large tree with pale but not popery bark. Branches 

 with large scars. Panicles pendulous 9-1 1" rusty pubescent. 

 Fls. y diam. membranous. Ripe follicles tomentose, scarlet 

 inside. 



Essentially a tree of the valleys. Singbhum,. frequent, but not com- 

 mon. Parasnath, in Hazaribagh. Palamau. S. P. Probably in other 

 districts. Fl. Jany. -March. Fr. May-June. Leafless Dec-May. 



L. appressed villosely-tomeutose beneath 9-16'' both ways, usually cut 

 to the middle, lobes caudate or again 3-partite ; base deeply cordate. 

 Petiole as long as leaf. Seeds several brown with a black shining aril, $-£. 



A very strong fibre is obtained from the bast which accounts for the 

 scarcity of the tree in some places. The wood is now used for tea boxes 

 in the Duars, it is a very bad fuel. The tree coppices freely ; the seed3 

 germinate soon after falling in June. 



3. S- colorata, Roxb, Sisi, K. ; Udal, S. ; Sisir. Oraon. 

 A large or mod.-sized tree very beautiful in flower when 



the numerous panicles resemble masses of scarlet coral. In 

 fruit it is easily distinguished by the very membranous green 

 or rosy follicles which open widely, bearing one seed on one 

 or both of the margins. 



Valleys in Singbhum ; Manbhr.ro, Hanson, Campbell ; Tamar, Wood ; 

 Parasnath. Neterhat 2,500 fc. (talamau) Gamble! S. P. (Mahuag&rhi 

 Gamble.) 



Fls. March-April. Fr. Apiil-May. Leafless Jany. -May. 



Bark grey. L 6-12". with only scattered stellate hairs beneath. In 

 young plants very deeply 7-lobed or partite (Campbell's No 9792 is 

 almost certainly this), in old trees usually with only 3 caudate lobes and 

 deeply cordate base. Fte. f" clavato, orange-scarlet stellately tomontoso 

 frith pedicels and rachis of panicle of the same colour. 



Yields a strong fibre, 



205 



