336 URTICACK,E. [FtCUg. 



5. F. retusa, Linn ; Beddome ccxxiii. ; Brandis 417 ; Kurz ii. 44, ; 

 Gamble 75. A', nitida, Tlmnb. ; "Wiffht Ic. t. 61-2. F. Benjamina, 

 \Villd. ; Roxb. PI. Ind. iii. 550. Vern. Kamrup, zir, Beng. ; Jamu, Nep. ; 

 Sitnyok, Lepcha; Yerrajuvi, Tel.; Pilala, Kan. ; Nyoungop, nyounglhabyeh, 

 Burm. 



A large evergreen tree. Wood light reddish grey, close-grained, 

 moderately hard, beautifully mottled. Pores moderate-sized, often sub- 

 divided, scanty. Medullary rays short, moderately broad. Numerous 

 narrow, wavy, red, concentric bands of soft tissue alternating with broader 

 bands of firmer texture. 



Kumaun, Bengal, South India, Burma and the Andaman Islands. 

 Weight, 40 Ibs. per cubic foot. Wood used for fuel, but as it is very prettily 

 grained it might be found valuable for tables, door panels and other purposes. It is 

 often planted as an avenue tree, and for this, from its dense shade, it is very suitable. 

 It is often epiphytic. 



Ibs. 



E 404. Sundarbans 40 



B 2278. Andaman Islands 40 



No. 45. Ceylon Collection (Ficus sp., Kiripelle, Cingh.) . . .42 



6. F. elastica, Bl. ; Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 541 ; Brandis 417 ; Kurz ii. 



444 ; Gamble 74. The India-rubber Fig or Caoutchouc Tree. Bor, 

 attah bar, Beng., Ass. ; Kagiri, kasmir, Khasia ; Lesu, Nep. ; Yok, Lepcha ; 

 Rauket, Garo. 



A large evergreen tree, throwing down numerous aerial roots from the 

 branches. Bark grey or reddish brown, smooth. Wood white or light 

 brown. Pores moderate-sized, scanty ; narrow belts of soft tissue alter- 

 nating with broad belts of firmer texture and darker colour. Medullary 

 rays fine and very fine, numerous, unequally distributed. 



Outer North-East Himalaya from the Mechi river eastwards, Assam, Cachar, 

 mountains east of Bengal and Arracan. It is found in the vicinity of the Irrawaddy 

 river as far south as 25 north latitude, but it will probably be found further south on 

 hills east of Arracan. 



Weight, 43 Ibs. per cubic foot. The wood is not used. 



The tree is usually epiphytic, the seeds generally germinating at the summit of 

 tall forest trees, where the seedlings can get light. It is often of very great height, 

 trees 100 to 120 feet high being not unusual. It sends down innumerable aerial roots 

 which have a reddish-brown bark, peeling off in small thin narrow strips or flakes ; 

 and these roots often extend considerable distances, giving a great spread to the tree. 

 In Brandis' Forest Flora the measurements of a tree described by Griffith (1838) are 

 given ; these are : 



Height, 100 feet. 



Circumference of main trunk, 74 feet. 

 of supports, 120 feet. 



of area covered by the branches, 610 feet. 



Mann in his report of 1875 gives the following measurements for a tree at Tezpur 

 aged 32 years, and having over 100 aerial roots : 

 Height 110 feet. 

 Diameter of crown 14X3 feet. 



Circumference of stem with central supports 70 feet. 



The tree is tapped by means of slanting notches made in the stem, ai ; rial roots and 

 roots about 12 inches apart. The milk is allowed to colic* t and coagulate in these. 

 notches for two or three days, after which time the Lard India-rubber in each notch is 

 easily collected by being pulled out in a strip. The tree will not hear Yearly tap- 



Sing, once in three years is as much as it will stand ; it' tapped yearly, it is liahle to 

 ie off, as did many of the treos in Darjeeling after heavy lapping in 1N71. lN7*J and 

 1H73. Those which then survived have not \et (ISSO) ivi-ovrivil HillicientU to be fit 

 lor tapping a^ain. 



]t is I'lisily propagated from seed in small beds thatched over iind ieiiml round 



