Sterculia.] STEiicn.iACEJE. 4-5 



Weight, 31 Ibs. per cubic foot. The wood is more durable than that of B. mala- 

 baricum ; the specimen from the Andaman* luul been J2 years in Calcutta in the 

 rough, and was only slightly discoloured on being cut up. 



Ibs. 



B 2215. Andaman Islands (Major Ford, 1866) .... 31 



ORDER XVIII. STERCULIACEJE. 



An Order containing 15 Indian genera of herbs, shrubs, climbers or trees. Of 

 these genera, three are herbs or (Melhania) under.-hrubs, and the rest shrubs, erect 

 or climbing, and trees. The Order is divided into 6 Tribes, viz. : 



Tribe I. Sterculieae ..... Sterculia and Heritiera. 



II. Helieterese Reevesia, Kleinhovia, Helicteres 



and Pterospermum. 



III. Eriolienese ..... J&riolana. 

 IV. Dombeyese ..... Melhania. 

 V. Hermannieffi .... Meluchia. 



VI. Buettneriese .... Abroma, Guazuma, Buettneria 



and Leptonychia. 



Of the genera not here described, Reevesia contains two small trees: R. Wallichii, 

 Br. and R pubescens, Mast; Hook. Fl. Ind. i. 364; Gamble 11, of Sikkim and the 

 Khasia Hills. Kleinhovia Hospita, Linn. ; Hook. Fl. Ind. i. 364; Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 

 141 ; Beddome xxxiii, is a handsome tree commonly cultivated in the hotter regions of 

 India. Fine specimens may be seen in avenues in Calcutta. Melochia velutina, Beddome 

 xxxv., is a small tree of Burma and the Malay Archipelago, cultivated elsewhere in 

 India. Abroma augusta, Linn. ; Hook. Fl. Ind. i. 375 ; Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 156 ; 

 CJ amble 11. Vern. Ullat Journal, Beng., is a large shrub or small tree of Sikkim and the 

 Khasia Bills, cultivated in other parts and yielding a strong, white fibre. Guazuma 

 tomentosa, Kunth ; Hook. Fl. Ind. i. 375 ; Beddome t. 107 ; Kurz i. 149. Vern. Rudrak- 

 sha, Tel. ; Thainpuche, Tarn., is an American tree often planted in avenues, having a light 

 brown wood used in Southern India for furniture and packing cases. According to 

 Skinner, No 77, its weight is 32 Ibs. per cubic foot, andP = 596. Buettneria contains 

 8 species of small trees and climbers ; and Leptonychia (under Tiliacese in Beddome), two 

 shrubs of Burma and the Western Ghats. The Cocoa Plant, Theobroma Cacao, Linn. 

 belongs to this family, and has been grown in some parts of India and in Ceylon. 



The genera of this family have little in common as regards the struc- 

 ture of their wood. The species of Sterculia have a very soft and light 

 wood, that of Heriliera being very hard and heavy, while the wood of 

 Ei'iolana and Pterospermum is intermediate between the two. 



1. STERCULIA, Linn. 



In the Flora Indica 22 species of this genus are described. Among these, 13 out 

 of the 14 species described by Kurz occur, and there are also 4 Burmese, chiefly Tavoy, 

 species not occurring in Kurz : total 17 Burmese species. Nine species are described from 

 the north-eastern moist zone, and eight from the western moist zone and Southern 

 India. Three occur in North- West and Central India. 



8. fcetida, Linn. ; Hook. Fl. Ind. i. 354; Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 155 ; Beddome xxxi ; 

 Kurz i. 135. Vern. Janyli-badam, Hind.; Pindri, Tarn.; Gurapu-badam, Tel.; 

 Hlyanpyoo, letkop, Burma, is a large evergreen tree of South India and Burma, 

 with a light wood and edible seeds According to Skinner, No. 118, the weight is 28 

 Ibs. and P = 464. S. guttata, W. and A. ; Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 148 ; Hook. Fl. Ind. 

 i. 355 Beddome t. 105 ; Vem. Kawili, Tarn. ; is a common tree of Southern India 

 whose bark yields a valuable cordage. 8. Roxburghii, Wall. ( 8. lancecefolia, Roxb. 

 Fl. Ind. iii. 150), is a tree of the hills of Sikkim and Assam, ascending to 6,000 ft. S. 

 Balanc/has, Linn. ; Beddome xxxii. (S. anaustifolia, Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 148 ; Kurz i. 

 138) Vern. Cavalum, Mai , is a moderate-sized tree of the western coast. 8. alata, 

 Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 152; Hook. Fl. Ind. i. 360; Beddome xxxii.; Kurz i. 134; Gamble 

 11. Vera. Tula, Beng. ; Muslim, Nep. ; Dodeli, Kan. ; Hanukyow. Magh ; Letkop, 

 Burm., is a tall tree of Northern and Eastern Bengal, South India and Burma. 



