42 MALVACEAE. \_flill8CU8. 



The ten genera belong to two Tribes, viz. : 



Tribe I. Hibisceae . . . Decaschistia, Dicellostyles, Hibiscus 



and Thespesia. 

 II. Bombacese . . . Eydia, Adansonia, Bombax, Erioden- 



dron, Cullenia and Durio. 



Decaschistia contains 2 shrubs of Southern India. Dicellostyles jujubifolia* 

 Benth. ; Hook. PI. Ind. i. 333 ; Gamble 10. Vern. Kubindt, Nep. ; Dantagldr, Lepcha' 

 is a small white-flowered tree of the hills of Sikkim and Bhutan. Adansonia 

 digitata, Linn. ; Hook. PL Ind. i. 348; Koxb. PL Ind. iii. 164; Beddome xxix; 

 Brandis 30, the Baobab Tree. Vern. GoraJc imli, Hind.; Kalp briksh, Ajmere, 

 Delhi ; Paparapulia, Tam., was introduced from tropical Africa and is now cultivated 

 here and there, chiefly in South India and Bengal, but occasionally as far north as 

 Gurgaon (see ' Indian Forester,' Vol. iv. i. p. 102, for description of a tree at Tilpat, 

 measuring 22 feet in girth and rising 50 feet to the first branch). Brandis mentions 

 3 trees at Deogarh in the Central Provinces, respectively measuring 16, 22 and 40 feet 

 in girth, and there are one or two good-sized trees at Calcutta and Barrack- 

 pore. It is being experimentally planted at Calcutta and in the Sundarbans ; as, 

 were it capable of easy cultivation, its rapid growth, valuable fibre and fruit would 

 make the extension of its growth desirable ; as yet, however, it has not succeeded. 

 Eriodendron anfractuosum, DC. ; Hook. PL Ind. i. 350 ; Beddome xxx. (E. orientale, 

 Steud. ;^Kurz i. 131. Bombax pentandrum, Koxb. PL Ind, iii. 165) the White 

 Cotton Tre9. Vern. Safed simal, senibal, hatian, Jcatan, Hind. ; Shwet simul, Beng ; ; 

 Ilavam, Tam. ; Buruga, pur, kadami, Tel. ; Shamieula, Mar. ; Pania, Mai. ; Imbul, 

 Cingh., is a tall deciduous soft-wooded tree of India and Burma, often planted. Skinner, 

 No. 67, gives its weight as 30 Ibs., and P = 400. Cullenia excels i, Wight; Hook. 

 PL Ind. i. 350; Beddome xxx. Vern. Malai-konji, aini-pillao, Tam.; Kattii-bodde, 

 Cingh., is a tall white-wooded tree of the Western Ghats and Ceylon, having a 

 large globose, spiny fruit. Durio Zibethinus, DC. ; Hook. PL Ind. i. 351 ; Roxb. 

 PL Ind. iii. 399 ; Kurz i. 132. Vern. Duyin, Burm. ; Durian, Malay, is the well known 

 and much prized fruit tree, yielding the Durian or Civet-Cat fruit. It is wild in 

 South Tenasserim, but is cultivated as far north as Moulmein. 



Wood generally soft, a few species with small dark coloured heart- 

 wood. Pores moderate-sized to large. Medullary rays fine or mode- 

 rately broad. Kydia calycina and Hibiscus syriacus have transverse 

 bars across the rays. 



1. HIBISCUS, Medik. 



A genus of herbs, shrubs, climbers or small trees. The 9 Indian woody species 

 consist of 2 small trees, 2 shrubs, 1 climber and 5 introduced garden shrubs. 

 H. fragrans, Roxb. PL Ind. iii. 195. Vern. Kinurlur, Beng., is a small tree of 

 Assam and Cachar. H. macrophyllus, Roxb. ; Kurz i. 126 (H. setosus, Roxb. PL Ind. 

 iii. 194) Vern. Kachia udal, kasyapdla Beng. ; Sho, dayban, Magh; Yetwoon, Burm. 

 (Weight, 27 to 28 Ibs. per cubic foot, according to Wallich) a small handsome, large-leaved 

 tree of Eastern Bengal, Chittagong and Burma, said by Kurz to have a rather heavy 

 wood, and to give a good rope-making fibre. H. scandens, Roxb. PL Ind. iii. 200; 

 Kurz i. 127 ; Gamble 10, is a large climbing shrub of Eastern Bengal from Sikkim 

 to Chittagong; and H. collinus, Roxb. PL Ind. iii. 198. Vern. Kandagang, TeL, 

 a large shrub of the Eastern Madras coast. JET. rosa-sinensis, Linn., the Shoe 

 Plant. Vern. Juwa, oru, Beng. ; Khoungyan, Burm. with brilliant, large, red 

 flowers ; H. tricuspis, Banks ; //. mutabilis, Linn. ; and H. syriacus, Linn. Yern. 

 Gurhul, are all shrubs which have been introduced and are now cultivated in gardens. 



1. H. tiliaceus, Linn.; Hook Fl. Ind. i. 343; Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 

 192; Bfddome xxix ; Kurz. i. 126. Vern. Kola, chelwa, Beng. ; Thengben, 

 thim/jan, Burm. ; Beligobil, b''l/.i/><il-f<i, Cin^h. 



Pores very numerous, small :ind moderate-sized, often subdivided, 

 rays fine and moderately 1>roud, not very prominent. 



of Indiii, IJurinii ami (Vvlon. 

 V, 3o to :*S ll.s. per outicfoot 



