2. Bassia.] 84. SAPOTACE^. 



some autliorities, iu my specimens 8 in two series with tlie outer series twisted, 

 the inner imbricate. Stamens sub-sessile, anthers dorsally hairy, aristate, 3- 

 seriate. Seeds ellipsoid, 1 double convex, or 2-4 more or less flattened on one or two 

 sides, pale-brown, l*3-lo" hmg with a long hilum, testa easily cut with milky juice. 



The flowers form the well-known and valuable article of food, the part eaten 

 being the fleshy corollas, which after being sun-dried have the colour of raisins. 

 Alone they are said to be indigestible and are usually cooked with rice or rice- 

 water. "When raw they are a favourite food of wild animals. A spirit (daru, H., 

 arki, £.) is also distilled from them. It is said to be a powerfvil stimulant as well 

 as an astringent tonic and appetiser, and to be largely used on the continent of 

 Europe for the manufacture of bi-andy. The unripe fruit is cooked as a vegetable. 

 The oil from the seeds is used to adulterate ghee, for cooking, for lighting and for 

 the manufacture of soap and candles. To obtain it the kernels are split and sun- 

 dried, pounded into coarse flour in the "dhenki," then put into an air-tight basket, 

 !^teamed, wrapped up tight in Sabai grass and put into the oil-press. Nadkar)ti 

 says that the bark is a remedy for rheumatic aftections and cures itch. 



The wood is good and largely used for oil mills but living trees are never felled 

 by the Kols. Gamble says that it is hard and durable and he gives the wt. as 

 about 62 lbs. 



As no care is taken by the natives to propagate the ti-ee there is probably a 

 gradual decrease in their number, and most of the trees being outside the Reserved 

 Forests, Sir E. Gait has recently cau.sed plantations to be made of it on waste 

 grounds in Singbhum. The seed germinates readily but the tree is exceedingly 

 slow-growing. The seed is sown in Julj' or as soon as ripe as in damp weather the 

 radicle will start growth without sowing. The seeds germinate in about 10 days. 

 The plumule is stout, somewhat rust3r pilose. Those sown by me at Chaibassa 

 attained an average of 22 ft. high and 13"8" girth after 16 yrs. This is excep- 

 tional as Camphell in Ma nbhum records trees of 28 3'rs. oldouly 15 ft. high, Crairfurd, 

 at Purulia, trees 15 yrs. old and 10 ft. high. 3Ir. Grant in Bhagalpur planted 

 about 12 bighhs with nursery plants 0" high and after 3 yrs. Avith constant culti- 

 vation and watering the ]jlants were 2-3 ft. high and less. The tree moreover 

 needs much protection as cattle and goats browse it down, which is the rea.son of 

 jiatural seedlings being seldom found in the fields. The Chaibassa .soil is a decom- 

 posed gneiss. The tree is light-demanding Init likes a little shade when young. 



2. B. butyracea, Roxh. Chiuli, Th. ; Gophal, Beng. 



A large tree with very large obovate leaves 9-12" long clustered 

 towards the ends of the branches, villous beneath or glabrous when 

 matvire, shining above with usually 16-22 strong sec. n. arching or 

 forked within the margin. Petiole 7-1'' Flowers white on crowded 

 rusty pedicels '7-1" long just below the new leaf-bud. Sepals "S-'o" 

 ovate. Corolla -7" with 8-10 spreading oblong petals free nearly to 

 the base. Berry ellipsoid green shining with milky ju.ice, 1*75" by 1" 

 or smaller, seated on the 5 persistent closely imbricate suborbicular 

 pubescent or tomentose calyx-lobes which have thickened bases. 

 Seeds usually 1-2. 



Rare in our area. Ravines in the Sameshwar hills, N. Champaran ! It ahso 

 occurs in the Morung on the Nepal side of the Purneah boundary. Fl. Oct. -Dec. 

 Fr. April-July. Nearly evergreen, new leaves about the time of flowering. 



The tree attains 10 ft. girth in the hills further east, bvit has not been observed 

 large in our area. Bark thick dark grey. Stipules lanceolate acuminate ■15-'2" 

 caducous. 



The fruit is eaten and also yields a vegetable butter and is used for soap and 

 ■candles, but is too scarce to be'of economic value in Behar and Orissa. 



3. MIMUSOPS, L. 



Trees with coriaceous leaves Avith many fine spreading secondar 

 nerves. Flowers often fascicled. Sepals 6 or 8, 2-seriate, outer val- 

 vate, inner imbricate. Corolla-tube very short, petals 6 or 8 with 



512 





