86. STYRACEjE. [1. Symplocos. 



FAM. 86. STYRACEiE. 



Trees or shrubs with alternate exstipulate simple leaves. Flowers 

 regular usually Avh^te and moderate- sized, 2-sexual, in axillary and 

 terminal simple or compound racemes or spikes, sometimes reduced to 

 a single flower, bracts small. Calyx campanulate, superior or inferior, 

 5-4-toothed or truncate, persistent. Petals 6-4, usually 5, united 

 into a short, rarely long, tube, sometimes free, imbricate. Stamens 

 8-10 or many with fi-ee or connate filaments often in bundles and 

 more or less adnate to the corolla, anthers with lateral dehiscence. 

 Ovary 2-5-celled or septa not reaching apex of ovary, style filiform, 

 stigma small or capitate, ovules 1 or few, axile, penduloiis or erect. 

 Fruit drupaceous or leathery, 1- rarely 2-3-seeded. Seeds albu- 

 minous. Embryo straight or curved. 



Stamens many, several -sei'iate. Fruit a drupe 1. Symplocos. 



Stamens 10, 1-seriate. Fruit coriaceous 2. Styrax. 



1. SYMPLOCOS, L. 



Leaves toothed or entire, often coriaceous. Racemes or spikes axil- 

 lary, sometimes much reduced. Flowers Avith 1-3 bracteoles at their 

 base. Calyx superior, sepals 5 small imbricate. Petals 5 free or connate 

 at base. Stamens many, several- seriate, adnate to corolla-tube and 

 sometimes connate into a tvibe beyond, anthers shortly oblong. Ovary 

 3-, rarely 2- or 4-celled, stigma small capitate sub-3-lobed. Ovules 2 

 pendulous from the inner angle of each cell. Drupe ellipsoid or sub- 

 globose, 1-3-seeded. Seeds oblong. Embryo terete, axile, sometimes 

 curved. 



Leaves 2-5". Fls. pedicelled. Fr. oblong-ellipsoid . . . .1. racemosa. 

 Leaves 4-7", Fls. sessile. Fr. subg-lobose 2, spicata. 



1. S. racemosa, Roxh. Lodh, Th. ; Ludam, K.; Lodam, 8.; Lodh, 



Lodhra, Th., U., Beng. ; Ludho, Or. (sometimes Nidhu, teste 



Hannah). 



A small tree with oblong, elliptic or ell.-lanceolate coriaceous leaves 



3"5-55" long, entire, crenate or serrulate and white flowers •4--5'' 



diam,, turning yellow with age, in axillary simple or compound 



racemes 2-3" long. Drupe oblong (diseased globose drupes occur) 



•3-5" long crowned by the calyx. 



Throughout the province, except perhaps along the coast from Balasore to Puri 

 (whence I have no note of its occurrence). Common in Purneah in open jungles 

 and grass, through Chota Nagpur to Sambalpur! Fl, Oct.- Jan, Fr. Dec-May. 

 Evergreen. 



Bark smooth or rough, grey or in young parts pale j^ellowish. Leaves 1 •5-2*5" 

 wide, glabrous or slightly- pilose on the mid-rib, acute or obtuse both ends or 

 acuminate, sec. n. slender irregular curved 5-8. Petiole -BS-'S". Racemes pubes- 

 cent or hairy pedicels '05-13". Sepals 'OS-'l", broadly oblong-ovate, connate 

 below, puberulous or glabrous. Petals connate at base. Anthers as broad as long 

 with very small connective. Epigynous disc iinely pilose. Fruit purple-black, 

 ■17-'25" broad. Seed and embryo straight. 



The bark is used in conjunctivitis in several districts. It is also said to be used 

 for dj-eing red. Campbell says that the wood-ash is used as a mordant. A concoction 

 of the lenves is used as a mordant for the Chaili (Morinda) dye in Chota Nagpur, 

 Powdered bark also used in dysentery and other bowel complaints. Nadkarvi 

 states that it is found to contain several alkaloids but no tannin. 



521 



