54 xiii. BixACE.i:. 



soft prickles. Seeds trigonous, rounded and grooved on the back, 

 covered with a red i)ulp. Fl. B. I. v. 1, p. 190; Grab. Cat. p. 10; 

 Dalz. & Gibs. Suppl. p. 5 ; Eichler, in Mart. Fl. Bras. v. 13, part 1, 

 p. 433, t. 87 ; Warburg, in Engl. & Prantl, Pfl:iuzenf. v. 3, part 6, 

 pp. 310-311, fig. 142; Talb. Trees, Bomb. p. 12; AVoodr. in Journ. 

 Bomb. Nat. v. 11 (1897) p. 124 ; AVatt, Diet. Econ. Prod. v. 1, p. 454. 

 — Flowers : Aug.-Sept. Vern. Kis7'i ; Shendri. 



Originally a native of America the plant is largely cultivated throughout India. — 

 The pulp vehich surrounds the seeds, known in commerce as " Arnatto" is used in dyeing 

 silk and is largely employed for giving cloths a temporary dye during certain of the 

 native festivals. The pulp is also used in India by the native milkmen for coloring 

 butter and is imported in considerable quantities from the W. Indies into Europe, 

 where it is used for coloring cheese, chocolate, butter and other edibles. See Watt, 

 Diet. Econ. Prod. 1. c. 



3. SCOLOPIA, Schreb. 



Trees with axillary spines, rarely unarmed. Leaves alternate, peuui- 

 nerved, entire or toothed, sometimes 2-glandular at the apex of the 

 petiole. Flowers hermaphrodite, small, axillary, racemose. Sepals 4-6, 

 slightly imbricate or snbvalvate. Petals as many as, and subsimilar to, 

 the sepals. Stamens many, inserted on a glandular or eglandular disk ; 

 anthers ovoid ; connective produced. Ovary 1-celled ; ovules few, on 

 3-4 parietal placentas ; style filiform ; stigma entire or 3-4-lobed. 

 Berry pulpy within, 2-4-seeded. Seeds with long funicles ; testa hard ; 

 cotyledons foiiaceous, slender. — Distrib. S. and E. Africa, tropical Asia 

 and N. Australia ; species 15. 



1. Scolopia crenata, CJos. in uinn. Sc. Nat. ser. 4, v. 8 (1857) 

 p. 250. A small tree ; branches with straight, simple spines when 

 young, afterwards unarmed. Leaves 2-0 by 1-2| in., ovate, acute or 

 acuminate, narrowed at the base, glabrous, margins usually with minute, 

 distant glandular teeth ; petioles \-h in. long. Flowers small, pale pink, 

 numerous, in axillary panicles shorter than the leaves ; pedicels -j— | in. 

 long; bracts deciduous. Sepals 5-6, broad-oblong, obtuse, somewhat 

 fleshy. Petals smaller than the sepals, obovate. Stamens numerous ; 

 connective of anthers produced, glabrous ; filaments filiform. Style stout, 

 grooved, \ in. long. Berry h-^ in. in diam., ovoid or globose, pointed. 

 Fl. B. I. v. 1, p.'l91; Talb' Trees, Bomb. p. 12; Woodr. in Journ. 

 Bomb. Nat. v. 11 (1897) p. 124 ; AVatt, Diet. Econ. Prod. v. 6, part 2, 

 p. 491. Scolopia acuminata, Clos. 1. c. p. 251 ; Trim. Fl. Ceyl. v. 1, p. 70. 

 Phoberos crenatus, AV. & A. Prodr. p. 29 ; Dalz. & Gibs. p. 11. — Flowers : 

 Mar. 



Southern Ghats, not common. Konkan : Law '., Sfoc/iS ! ; on thoGhdts to the S. of 

 Ratnghfit, Dahell ^- Gibson ; W. Gh.its, Woodrow. Xanaua : GhiUs and forests near 

 Nilkund (N. Kanara), Talbot. — Distiub. Oiiina, Philipjiines. 



4. FLACOURTIA, Commers. 



Trees or shrubs, often spinous. Leaves shortly petioled, toothed or 

 crennte. Flowers small, dioecious. Sepals 4-5, small, imbricate. 

 Petals 0. Stamens many, sometimes surrounded by glands ; anthers 

 versatile, short. Ovary on a glandular disk, 2-5-celIed ; styles 2 or 

 more, distinct or connate at the base ; stigmas notched or 2-lobed. 



