XXXYI. MELIACE-^. 205 



truncate at both ends. Fl. B, I. v. 1, p. 542 ; Grab. Cat. p. 30 ; Dalz. 

 & Gibs. p. 36 ; Harms, in Engl. & Prautl, Pflanzenf. v. 3, part 4, p. 281, 

 fig. 158, g-h; "VVoodr. in Journ. Bomb. Nat. v. 11 (1897) p. 269; 

 AVatt, Diet. Econ. Prod. v. 5, p. 342. — Flowers : Nov.-Dec. Vebn^. 

 Kdpur-hhendl. 



KoNKAN : Dalzell \ ; east of Panwell, rare, Kimmo ex Graham ; plentiful on the 

 sides of nalas near Vinn;orla, Bnhdl tf" Gih»on ; Sawantwari, Kanitkar ! ; Vingorla, 

 KanifJcar\ Kanaka : Thomson ! ; Karwar, Woodrow \ — Distrib. India (W. Peninsula) ; 

 Angola (a pubescent form). 



3. MELIA, Linn. 



Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, simply or 2-3-pinnate with an 

 odd one, the young ones often stellately tomentose ; leaflets toothed, 

 serrate or entire. Flowers hermaphrodite, elongate, in large many- 

 flowered axillary much-branched panicles. Calyx 5-6-partite, imbricate. 

 Petals 5-6, free, much exceeding the calyx. Staminal-tube a little 

 shorter than the petals, laciniate, the mouth dilated ; anthers 10, within 

 the staminal-tube at its apex, sessile between its lacinise, erect. Disk 

 annular. Ovary 5-8-celled ; cells opposite the sepals ; ovules 2 in 

 each cell, superposed ; style cylindric, much exceeding the ovary ; 

 stigma capitate. Drupe subfleshy ; endocarp woody ; cells 1-seeded. 

 Seeds pendulous, elliptic ; testa crustaceous ; albumen fleshy or scanty ; 

 cotyledous foliaceous ; radicle terete, superior. — Disteib. Tropical Asia 

 and Australia ; species about 12. 



Flowers lilac ; anthers nearly equalling the teeth of the purple 



staminal-tube 1. M. Azcdarach. 



Flowers white ; anthers exceeding the teeth of the white 



staminal-tube 2. M. composita. 



1. Melia Azedarach, Linn. 8p. PI. (1753) p. 384. A tree reaching 

 40 ft. Leaves imparl- bi- (or sometimes tri-) pinnate, 9-18 in. long; 

 pinnae opposite or alternate ; ultimate leaflets 3-11, opposite or nearly 

 so, |-2 by ^-1 in., ovate or lanceolate, acuminate, obtusely serrate, 

 sometimes lobed, glabrous on both surfaces, slightly inequilateral at 

 the base ; petiolules short, slender. Flowers fragrant, lilac, in long- 

 peduncled, axillary panicles which are shorter than the leaves and 

 glabrous or sparsely puberulous ; pedicels slender. Calyx pubescent 

 outside, divided nearly to the base ; lobes ovate-oblong acute, ciliolate. 

 Petals I in. long, oblong-lanceolate. Staminal-tube purple, -^^ in. long, 

 glabrous, slightly ribbed outside, faintly pubescent within, acutely 2()- 

 toothed; anthers sessile, glabrous, apiculate, 1 between each pair of teeth. 

 Ovary glabrous, 5-celled. Drupe ellipsoid-globose, 4-seeded. Fl. B. I. 

 V, 1, p. 544 ; Grab. Cat. p. 30 ; Harms, in Engl. & PrantI, Pflanzenf. 

 V. 3, part 4, p. 2S7, fig. 160, a-l ; Boiss. Fl. Orient, v. 1, p. 954 ; Talb. 

 Trees, Bomb. p. 39 ; Woodr. in Jourii, Bomb. Nat. v. 11 (1897) p. 269 ; 

 Watt, Diet. Econ. Prod. v. 5, p. 221. Melia sempervirens., Sw. Prodr. 

 Veg. p. 67 ; Dalz. & Gibs. .Suppl. p. 15. — Flowers : Apr.-May. Veen. 

 Bakdn-nimh ; BaJcdi/an. 



Cultivated throughout the Presidency ; common about Tillages in the Konkan and 

 Deccan. The tree is known to Anglo-Indians as the Persian lilac the bead-tree or 

 hnstard cedar and has some medicinal value. See Watt, Diet. Econ. Prod. 1. c. — 

 Distrib. India (Sub-Himalayas) ; Persia, China. 



