2. LiTS^A.] 115. LAURACE^. 



The following are the principal varieties or forms occurring in the 

 province : — 



Var. «, sehifera proper. L 2-5*5" elliptic with rounded apex, often somewhat 

 pubescent or thinly fulvous hairy beneath, base acute or rounded, sec. n. 5-8 or 

 more, often irreg-ular and median forked about one-third way from the margin,, 

 petioles stouter than in next and with the shoots often permanently pubescent. 

 Puri Division ! 



Var. /3, norvmlis. L. 3-6" oblong or lanceolate, obtuse to acuminate, usually 

 tapering both ends, glabrous or sparingly pubescent beneath. Sec. n. rarely 

 forked except near margin. 



Ranchi, Manbhum, Hazaribagh, Puri, Cuttack, Bonai, etc. 



The commonest form but not apparently the type according to Sir J. D. Hooker^ 



Var. V, glnbraria, J. B. H. L. attaining 8", more or less tomentose beneath 

 until the fruit is ripe. Common peduncles attain 1"5" with numerous umbels. 

 Frequent in Singbhum ! 



Var. 6, longifolia. L. up to 11" hj 3" lanceolate. Petioles up to 1'4", sec. n. 

 8-14. Common peduncles •3-6". 



Angul ! Sambalpur ! 



2. L. polyantha, Juss. Porjo, Pojo, K., S. ; Kukur chita, Beng. ; 



Baglal, Mah P. ; Motwa, Tharu ; Barendo, Khond ; Bastura^ 



Or. (f. Cooper). 

 A small tree with brown-pubescent branchlets, strongly -nerved 

 ell.- or oblanceo. -oblong obtuse or sub-acute leaves 4-5" by 2" to 9" by 

 4" and tomentose stout-pedicelled umbels clustered along the branch- 

 lets and axillary. Fr. ellipsoid or ovoid •25--33" long, seated on the 

 shallow saucer-shaped perianth base which is •12-*17" diam. 



In valleys, chiefly near streams, throughout the province but nowhere very 

 common. "^Champaran ! Chota Nagpur (ascends to the top of Parasnath) ! Gaya. 

 ghats, rare! Puri! Angul! Bonai, Coo/;er! Fl. April-Maj'. Fr. July-Aug» 

 Evergreen. The leaves are renewed in May. 



Bark smooth. Blaze somewhat grating, a mixture of brown and white. L.. 

 pubescent and glaucous beneath with 7-12 strong sec. n. and raised parallel cross- 

 uervules. Umbels 2-several in a cluster sometimes on a very short common, 

 peduncle, 5-6-fld. Special peduncle in fem. •12-33'' and fruiting pedicels •25-^75". 

 Sepals usually 5, linear-oblong, nearly free. St. 9-13, fil. hairy, reduced to- 

 2-glandular staminodes in fem. fl. 



The powdered bark is applied to bruises of the body and to fractures in animals. 

 The seeds yield an oil which is used medicinally, Campbell. " Powdered root used 

 for bruises," Cooper. " Wood used for agricultural implements. Wt. 38 lbs.," 

 Gamble. 



3. L. salicifolia, Boxb., var. laurifolia, J.D.H. 



A bushy shrub up to 15 ft. high with numerous suberect shortly 

 finely silky branches, alternate lanceolate or linear-lanceolate leaves- 

 2-5-6" long by •5-1-4" wide, dark green and shining above, glaucous 

 and very minutely fulvous-silky beneath, sec. n. 7-13 distinct and pale 

 (or reddish when dry) oblique, becoming faint and looping towarda 

 the margin, tertiaries scalariform, indistinct. Petiole -25--4" clothed 

 like the twigs. M. umbels clustered axillary and from the axils of 

 deciduous bud-scales (whence they sometimes appear racemed), 

 peduncles •2--25", invol. -bracts -15" enclosing 5-4 flowers, tepals 

 linear-oblong -08". 8t. G-9. Fem. peduncles often solitary -4", 

 invol. bracts concave orbicular-oblong 4-5, fls. 5 shortly pedicelled, 

 pedicels silky, villose at top, stamiuccles twice as many as the tepals^ 

 elliptic-oblong hairy, inner with 2 glands as in the male. Ovary- 

 ovoid glabrous. 



794 



