3(i<i \l.\ III. l,i;(.lMl.\or<.1w 



along a sleuder silky rhachis ; ppcUcels ^-^ in. long, hairy ; bracts | in. long, 

 lanceolate, hairy, caducous ; braeteoles ^ in. long, hairy, caducous. 

 Calyx I in. long, silky and with a few irritant bristles outside ; tube 

 campanulate ; upper teeth completely connate into a triangular lip 

 equalling the tube, lateral teeth lanceolate as long as the tube, the lower 

 tooth lanceolate and slightly longer. Corolla 1-1 1 in. long, purple; 

 keel slightly incurved. Pods 2-3 by | in., turgid, with a longitudinal 

 rib running the length of each valve, not winged on the margins nor 

 transversely plaited on the faces, falcately curved on both ends, 

 somewliat like the letter S, densely clothed with persistent irritant 

 bristles wliich are at first pale-brown, afterwards steel-grey. Seeds 5-6, 

 small ; tiilum not half the length of the circumference of the seed. 

 Fl. B. I. V. 2, p. 187; Trim. Fl. Ceyl. v. 2, p. 62 ; Talb. Trees, Bomb, 

 p. 71 ; Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. Nat. v. 11 (1897) p. 424; Watt, Diet. 

 Econ. Prod. v. 5, p. 286. M.prurita, Hook. Bot. Misc. v. 2, p. 348; 

 Grail. Cat. p. 53 ; Dalz. & Gibs, p. 70. — Flowers : Aug.-Dec. Vern. 

 Khdg-Jcuiri ; Kivdch. 



Common in hedges throughout the Preaidencj in the rains. Konkan : Stocks\; 

 Bassein, Cooke'. Deccan : Khandala, Cook€\ Gujarat: ^Mv&t, Kanitkar\ 



The tine bristles on the pods cause much irritation to those wlio venture to pull 

 them with bare hands. The name " Cowitch," by which the plant is known to 

 Anglo-Indians, is a corruption of the native r\&u\& Kivdch. The plant has considerable 

 repute in native medicine and the hairs were introduced into European pharmacj 

 more than a century ago as a vermifuge. — See Watt, Diet. Econ. Prod. I.e. 



39. ERYTHRINA, Linn. 



Trees; branches usually prickly. Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate; 

 stipules small. Leaflets furnished with glanduliform stipels. Flowers 

 in axillary and terminal racemes, handsome, usually bright red, twin or 

 fascicled along the rhachis ; bracts and braeteoles small or 0. Calyx 

 with an oblique mouth, splitting down to the base, or campanulately- 

 bilabiate. Petals unequal ; standard much exserted, considerably ex- 

 ceeding the keel and w ings. Vexillary stamen free nearly to the base 

 or connate with the others half-way up the filaments ; anthers uniform. 

 Ovary stalked ; ovules many ; style incurved, subulate at the apex, 

 beardless ; stigma small, terminal. Pod stalked, falcate, turgid, atten- 

 uated at the base and apex, compressed, torulose. — Disteib. Tropics 

 and warmer regions of both hemispheres ; species 25-30. 



Calyx not at all l2-lipped, splitting down the back to the base. 



Culyx minutely 5-toothed at tiie tip; seeds 6-8 \. E. indica. 



Calyx entire at tiie tijj ; seeds 2-3 2. E. stricta. 



Calyx more or less 2-lipped, not splitting down the back to the base. 3. E. suberosa. 



1. Erythrina indica, Lamk. Ehci/c. Method, v. 2 (1786) p. 391. A 

 tree reaching 60 ft. in height ; bark thin, smooth, grey, armed with 

 small conical dark-colored prickles. Leaves 6-12 in. long, deciduous ; 

 petioles 4-6 in, long, unarmed, readily disarticulating ; stipules lanceo- 

 late, I in. long, very caducous. Leaflets 4-6 by 3|-5 in. (the terminal 

 leaflet the largest), membranous, broadly rhomboid-ovate, acute or 

 acuminate, more or less stellately pubescent when young, glabrous 

 when mature, base truncate or rhomboidal ; petiolules j-^ in. long; 

 stipels thick, roundish, gland-like, persisteiit. Flowers appearing before 

 the leaves, in dense racemes, 4—9 in. long, arranged in clusters of 1-3 



