Mel'ia. J M ELI AC: 69 



Of these 20 genera, 10 are described here. The remaining 10 are of much less 

 importance. To >//< <> //><//*, Linn., V. r'tllosa,-. Benn., and Nareyamia alata, 

 W. and A., are shrubs of Southern India; Munronia Wallichii, Wight, is a shrub 

 of the Eastern Himalaya and the Nilgiris; Cipadcusu fnit/cosa, Bl.; Hook. Fl. 

 Ind. i. 545 (Mallca Rothii, Adr. Juss. ; Be<M<.ine liv. Ekelerg'ia indica, Koxb. 

 Fl. Ind. ii. 392). Vern. Xtd l>il<'. Hind.; i.'hi-udlx-ru. j>t'i'/ntona, Tel., is a small 

 tree of the western coast, used for fuel. ("Ithodtcton contains 3 evergreen 1; 

 C. ffrandifloms, Km-/, i. 21(3. Veni. T///7/v//^//r/, Burin., with a pale brown, rather 

 heavy, hard and close-grained wood, and C. dysoxylifolius, Kurz i. 215, are from 

 Burma; while C'. i>>iicnl<il HX, II i< TH. ; I look. Fl. Ind. i. 552; Kurz i. 216. (Guarea 

 jiftitirtihtta, Roxb. Fl. Ind. ii. 2-1-2) Vern. Kalikoitru, Syllu-l, is a tree of the Khasia 

 II ills and Eastern Bengal. Aglaia contains about 10 species, chiefly Burmese or 

 East Himalayan trees, anioiiy; which A. Roxburghiana, W. and A.; Hook. Fl. 

 Ind. i. 555; Beddome t. 130, a large tree of the Western Ghats, with a strong u>eful 

 timber; and A. edntix, A. Gray; Hook. Fl. Ind. i. 556; Gamble 16. (Milnea 

 edulis, Roxb. Fl. Ind. i. 637.) Vern. Lati mahwa, Nep. ; Sinakadang, Lepcha ; 

 Gumit Sylhet, a tree of Northern and Eastern Bengal with edible fruit, are chiefly 

 noticeable. Lansium anamallayanum, Beddorne t. 131, is a handsome tree of 

 the Western Ghats. Heynea trijnga, Roxb. Fl. Ind. ii. 390 ; Hook. Fl. Ind. i. 

 565; Brandis 70; Gamble 16 (H. affinis, Juss.; Beddome t. 134. Walsura 

 Irijuga, Kurz i. 225) Vern. YaJcushi, akhaterwa, Nep. ; Limlara, Mar., is a 

 tree of the Outer Himalaya and Sub-Himalayan tract from the Ganges eastwards, the 

 Khasia Hills, South India and Burma. Beddomea contains two species : B. indica, 

 Hook, f ., a large shrub, and B. simplicifolia, Beddome t. 135, a tree of the Western 

 Ghats. Most of the Meliacese give a good timber, and some of the species are among 

 the most important of Indian forest trees. 



Wood red (yellow in Chloroxylon, dark reddish brown in Soymida). 

 Heartwood generally hard, and dark coloured, not distinct in Cedrcla, 

 in several species of Melia and Dysoxi/lon. Pores varying in size, often 

 subdivided, always prominent on a vertical section. Medullary rays 

 fine, numerous and sharply marked in Chloroxylon, Sandoricum and 

 Melia ; broader and often less prominent in the other genera. Con- 

 centric bands of softer texture in Amoora Rohituka and IValsura robnsta. 



1. MELIA, Linn. 



Besides the three species, the wood of which is here described, M. excelsa, Jack ; 

 Hook. Fl. Ind. i. 544 ; Kurz i. 212 ; and M. birmanica, Kurz i. 213. Vern. Tau-ta~ma- 

 kha, Burm., are evergreen trees of Burma. 



The wood of M. dubia and M. Azedarach resembles that of Cedrela 

 in structure, but differs in having fine and numerous medullary rays. 

 M. indica has a distinct hearfcwood, which is hard and close-grained, 

 but the pores and medullary rays are similar to those of the two species 

 first named. 



1. M. indica, Brandis For. Fl. 67. M. Azadirachta, Linn.; Hook. 

 Fl. Ind. i. 544; Koxb. Fl. Ind. ii. 394; Beddome t. 13 (14 by mistake); 

 Kurz i. 212. The Neem or Margosa Tree. Vern. Azad-darakht, neb, 

 Pers. ; Nim, Hind.; Betain, Kumaon ; Agas, Palamow; Limbo, C.P. ; 

 Kohumba, Guz. ; Nimuri, Sindi; Veypam, Tarn.; Yapa, yepa y tarnka, 

 vtmpa, Tel. ; Limb, nimbay, Mar. ; Bevina, bevu, heb-bevu, Kan. ; Thimbau- 

 ta-ma-kha, Burm. 



A large tree. Bark grey, with numerous scattered tubercles. Sapwood 

 grey ; heartwood red, very hard. Annual rings doubtful : the wood 

 shews alternating bands with numerous and with fewer pores; also 

 white concentric lines, whether these are annual rings is a matter for 

 further enquiry. Pores moderate-sized and large, often oval and sub- 

 divided; visible on a vertical section. Medullary rays fine, numerous 



