INTRODUCTION. 



THE Teak tree scientifically known as the Tectona grandis 

 belongs to the natural order of Yerbenaceae or Vervain 

 order, a genus of dicotyledonous plants deriving its name 

 from the Indian one of tekJca or theJca used to designate the 

 principal species. The most important, if not the only 

 species, is the Tectona grandis, a large tree, a native of 

 India, the wood of which is well known by the name of Teak 

 or Sagwan. It is hard, and durable, and of great use in 

 building ships as well as for many other useful purposes, as 

 it is very hard and of longer duration than the oak. Ifc 

 is often called the Indian Oak, having ashy-coloured and 

 scaly bark with the young shoots, four-sided and grooved 

 without stipules, large deciduous leaves measuring from 

 twelve to twenty-four inches long, and from eight to sixteen 

 inches broad, rough and covered with short stiff hairs above, 

 whitish and downy beneath, panicles terminal, large cross- 

 armed divided in twos with a stemless fertile flower in each 

 cleft or division covered with a brown mealy powder, and 

 the stalks are deeply grooved with four prominent angles, 

 and flowers numerous small white, the outer and inner 

 envelopes, five to six cleft, stamens, six, ovary round hairy, 

 four-celled cells, one seeded nut very hard. It flowers in 

 June and July, and the seeds ripen in September and 

 October. 



Dye. From the tender leaves a purple colour is extracted 

 which is used as a dye for silk and cotton cloths. 



