77. RUBIACE.E. [7. Htmenodictyon. 



Forests on the Porahat plateau, Singbhum. rare ! I have also found it in Bengal 

 bordering on Purneah where it is likely to occur, Fl. July-Aug. Fr, Sept. -Oct. 



Leaves pale beneath, sometimes 5-6'' sometimes only 2", usually acute or sub- 

 acute with 9-10 strong sec. n. sunk above. Corolla 75" long. Fruit vnih. small 

 areole, somewhat depressed-globose. 



2. M. Roxburghii, Hooh,f. 



A large shrub with elliptic acuminate or caudate leaves narrowed at the base, 

 3-8" long, strigose on mid-rib beneath and sparsely so between the nerves, 

 sparsely setulose above, sec. n. 8-10, petiole ver}- short, stout. Corymbs dense, 2" 

 diam. Corolla-tube very strigose, "T-'S" long, limb "3" diam. Petaloid sepal 2-3" 

 including the slender stalk. Fruit broadly ellipsoid areolate above with setaceous 

 sepals •2--3" long. 



Cultivated in gardens. Fl. June-Nov. Native of Assam. 



3. M. macrophylla, Wall. 



A more or less scandent shrub with much more broadly elliptic cuspidate leaves 

 about 5 l)y 3", suddenly cuneate on the short petiole, sec. n. 8-10. Hairs much 

 more lax especially on the cyme. Corolla -4^ 6" diam. Fruit with lax hairs, 

 sepals deciduous. 



Cultivated in gardens, 



M. frondosa, L.. is distinguished chiefly by the naiTowly lanceolate acute sepals 

 as compared with the oblanceolate obtuse sepals of M. macrophylla. 



4. M. luteola, Bel He, is an African species with ovate-lanceolate leaves l'5-2'5" 

 long only, Foliaceous sepal pale yellow. It is a pretty bushy shrub. 



7. HYMENODICTYON, Wall. 

 Trees or shrubs with bitter bark and clecidvtous stipules not enclos- 

 ing a prominent compressed terminal bud as in the preceding genera. 

 Leaves large. Flowers small racemed or spicate on the short branches 

 of axillary and terminal nodding panicles which have usually a pair 

 of foliaceous persistent bracts on the rhachis or peduncle. Hypan- 

 thium sub-globose, sepals 5-G v^ery small. Corolla tubular and slender 

 below, ventricose above (funnel or bell-shaped, F.B.I.), glabrous within, 

 lobes 5 short valvate. St, Avith short filaments inserted at the top of 

 the tube, anthers linear. Ovary 2-celled, style filiform, stigma 

 capitate or spindle-shaped. Fruit a loculicidal 2-valved capsiile. 

 Seeds many imbricate, testa broadly winged. Embryo small. 



1. H. excelsum, Wall. 



A large or m.s. tree with leaves at the ends of the branches ovate 

 to very broadly elliptic 4-10" by 3-6". Flowers greenish, crowded on 

 the abbreviated branches of thyrsoid sub-erect or drooping tomentose 

 panicles 3-6" long (or more if the axillary panicles are included) 

 which are subtended by long-petioled leaf -like bracts which become 

 dry in fruit. Capsules -l-lb" long ovoid or ellipsoid, finally reflexed 

 (or on reflexed rhachis). 



In all the hill districts and also in Purneah ! Usuall3' in dry rocky situations, 

 especially near rocky nalas. Fl. Aug. Fr. ripens Jan. Leafless froni Nov,-May, 

 when it may be easily recognised by the characteristic pyramidal iJanicles of 

 reflexed capsules and the pair of dry foliaceous bracts. 



Bark dark-grey thick I'ugged, blaze soft pale pink streaked white, or nearly 

 white streaked browiaish-red or j-ellow. Leaves softly pubescent, shortly suddenly 

 acuminate, base acute, sec. n. 7-10, tertiaries very fine. Stipules "25". Petiole 

 1-4" long. Pubescent hypanth. with calyx '07", corolla •25--3" 



The wood j-ields good planks which take a good polish and do not warp. The 

 tree coppices freely from the collar and also from the cambium. The seed requires 

 a clean bed and in nature often germinates in a rock crevice. The inner bark and 

 root are given in fever by the Kols and Santals. 



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