115. LAURACEJE. [2. LiTSiEA. 



2. LITS^A, Lamk. 



Trees, more rarely shrubs, with leaves nearly always scattered and 

 alternate. Flowers several in an umbel surrounded by an involucral 

 whorl of 4-6 concave sepal-like bracts, umbels pedicelled, usually 

 again umbelled or racemed or fascicled, axillary or from leaf- or 

 bract-scars. Perianth-lobes usually 6, but sometimes very incom- 

 plete or absent, tube or hypanthium sometimes greatly enlarged in 

 fruit. Stamens 6-20, filaments of the one or two innermost whorls 

 (if present) 2-glandular. 



A. Perianth veiy incomplete or 0, not (or slightly) enlarged nor 



cnpular in fruit: — 

 Pedicels clavately thickened in fruit. St. 9-20 . . . .1. sebifera. 



B. Perianth with 4r-o subequal tepals : — 



1. Perianth tube only slightly enlarged and somewhat cupular 



in fruit. Tepals 5-6 : — 

 L. elliptic to oblanceolate-ohlong, strongly nerved beneath 



with raised tertiaries pubescent 2. poli/antha. 



L. lanceolate acuminate with slender nervation . . .3. salicifolia. 



2. Perianth much enlarged and cupular in fruit. Tepals 4 : — 

 L. large shining oblong to lanceolate, nervation obscure 



irregular -4. nifida, 



1. L. sebifera, Pers. Chiur, Khano. ; Medh, Menda, H. ; Porjo, M. ; 

 Baghoari, Jaisanda, Besond, Or. ; Baghtal, Or. (f. Cooper) ; 

 Paruhi, Bhuia. 



Usually a small, sometimes a m.s. tree, aromatic, with leaves very 

 variable in size and shape, but normally ell. -lanceolate and acuminate, 

 pubescent or tomentose on the ovoid leaf-buds and shoots, but 

 glabrescent ; sec. n. 6-12 fine oblique reaching nearly to margin, 

 tertiaries very fine and minutely reticulate betAveen. Petiole slender 

 •7-1". Flowers yellowish (from the yellow anthers) with very short 

 pedicels forming capitate umbels supported by 4-6 concave orbicular 

 t)racts on slender peduncles -S-S" long which are either racemed, 

 umbellate or corymbose on a common peduncle of variable length 

 which is axillary or from the axils of caducous bracts on the new 

 shoots below the leaves. Inflorescence often appearing nearly simple 

 in fruit from only one ovary developing and pedicels greatly clavately 

 thickened. Hypanthium minute in flower, thickened and disc-like 

 in continuation of the pedicel and 'lo-'lQ" diam. in fruit, tepals 

 or imperfect. St. 9-20 with long villous filaments. Glands fleshy 

 on villous stipes. Fruit globose black •35--47" diam. 



Very widely distributed over the whole province, in valleys and cool aspect 

 of hills. Champaran, up to 4 ft. girth! Gaya! Chota Nagpur, all districts! 

 Sambalpur ! Bonai, "a large tree," Cooper I Mayurbhanj ! Angul ! Pari 

 (Mahanadi delta, near the sea) ! 



Fl. June-July. Fr. Sept.-Nov. Evergreen, new shoots in May. 



Bark grey, smooth. In big trees becoming dark grey and slightly rough. 

 Blaze soft yellow-brown and dirty white, with a little chlorophyll in outer layer. 



The bark has repute for medicine in several districts. In Sambalpur it is used 

 as a poultice in aching pains of the body. Mr. Cooper states that it is used 

 medicinally by the Bhuias and is much valued. The wood is generally said to be 

 durable and not attacked by insects. Gamble says wood grejnsh brown or olive 

 grey, moderately hard, shining, close and even-grained, seasons well, durable, is 

 not attacked by insects and that the bark is used for external application for 

 eprains and bruises. Weight 45-48 lbs. 



793 



