125. MORACE^^. [6. Cudrania. 



5. PLECOSPERMUM, Trecul. 



Trees or shrubs with alt. entire penninerved leaves, small lateral 

 stipules and dioecious flowers in lateral 1-3-nate peduneled heads. 

 Male perianth gamophyllous with 4 distinct imbricate lobes, pistillode 

 minute hairy. Fern, flowers connate into a fleshy head with the 

 almost closed very minute projecting mouth of perianth 4-2-toothed. 

 Ovary straight, sunk deep in the head from which projects the long 

 simple filiform style. Ovule pendulous. Achenes feAV in the fleshy 

 pseudocarp, coriaceous, adnate to the perianth. Albumen 0. Embryo 

 large subglobose with a very large cotyledon embracing a smaller 

 folded one. 



1. P. spinosum, Trecul. Banabanka, Or. 



A large thorny shrub often climbing by means of its straight or 

 slightly curved thorns, the lower of which attain 2-3", the upper 

 axillary -o". Leaves elliptic or obovate 2-3" long, suddenly contracted 

 to a short rounded tip, more rarely gradually acute, base acute, midrib 

 strong, sec. n. about 6-8 but weak, arching and forming areoles, and 

 when fresh appearing with the branching included nervules as green 

 reticulations on a paler ground. Male heads tomentose -2" diam., 

 flowers nearly sessile with minute bracteoles, perianth-lobes connate 

 about half-way up ovate subobtuse. Fem. heads •2-'25" diam., 

 angular from the small projecting flower apices from Avhich the slender 

 '15--2" long flexuous styles protrude, velvety-tomentose, attaining 

 -3 — 5" in fruit. 



Damp jungles. Cuttack ! to Puril Frequent. Fl., Fr. ifarch-June. Ever- 

 green. 



Sometimes confused with Cudrania Java>ie>isis (q.c.). Branchlets often pubescent. 

 L. with thickened margin. Petiole -io-So" pubescent. Stipules minute subulate. 

 Peduncles "S-'?", imbescent, from the axils of bracts on abbreviated shoots or 

 ibelow the leaves or axillary. Achenes "2". 



6. CUDRANIA, Trecul. 



Trees or shrubs with alternate entire penninerved leaves, small 

 lateral stipules and dioecious flowers in lateral 1-3-nate peduneled 

 globose heads. 3Iale flowers each surrounded by 2-4 bracts more or 

 less adherent to the perianth, tepals 3-5, imbricate, stamens more or 

 less adnate to the tepals, erect in bud, pistillode subulate or 0. Fem. 

 flowers distinct, tepals embracing the ovary. Ovary straight, style 

 simple or 2-partite or with one arm rudimentary. Ovule pendulous. 

 Achenes numerous enclosed in the fleshy pseudocarp formed of the 

 accrescent bracts and perianth, crustaceous, compressed. Testa 

 membranous, albumen scanty ; cotyledons twisted and folded, equal 

 •or uneciual, embracing the slender uf)curved radicle. 



1. C. javanensis, Trecul. 



A large scandent shrub in habit and foliage much, resembling 

 Plecospermum spinosa, branchlets often densely hairy or pubescent, 

 armed with strong axillary straight or somewhat curved thorns •5-1'' 

 long. Leaves elliptic or somewhat obovate 1-3-3" mostly shortly 

 obtusely acuminate or rounded but always mucronate with the 



823 



