8 



unequally narrowed at base, midrib prominent beneath ; Lamina 2 to 4* inches 

 5 1-U Ses wide ; petiole of lateral leaflets, 1 to H lines long, of terminal 

 one! i to 1 inch long. Panicle axillary, including peduncle, about same .length, 

 or only sliehtly shorter than leaves, and borne with them on ends of branches ; 

 branches of panicle 1 to 1* inches long, 8 to 15 flowered bracteate Bracts minute 

 1 to U lines long. Flowers greenish yellow, articulated to pedicel. Calyx cup 

 shaped, 4 to 5 dentate, lobes slightly acute, not imbricate in bud, 1 line long. 

 Petals 5, ovate, obtuse, spreading, tomentose on both sides valvate in bud, 2 lines 

 long Stamens 10, united into a tube, tube entire, or very slightly toothed woolly, 

 bearing 10 sessile glabrous oblong anthers. Ovary surrounded by an annular disk, 

 4 celled, ovules in pairs ; Style as long as stamens, glabrous; btigma capitate, 

 obscurely lobed. Fruit, a berry as large as a cherry, with pink tinge wheo ripe ; 

 4, or abortively, 1-2-3 seeded, seeds exarillate, imbedded in a whitish pulp, 

 cotyledons fleshy. 



Habitat : NATAL : Inanda, October, /. M. Wood, No. 635. Berea, October, 

 J. M. Wood, in Natal Government Herbarium, No. 1445. Berea, M. S. Evans, 

 May. Also in Zululand. 



A very handsome tree of ash-like appearance and habit, growing to a height 

 of 35 feet. In spring covered with the light green young foliage, and panicles 

 of whitish scented flowers. In autumn losing most of its leaves, but often then, 

 if the weather is wet, again putting forth fresh leaves and flowers. Only inferior 

 in appearance, size and habit among Coast trees to the Umkuhla, (Trichilia 

 Dregeana). An allied species, Ekebergia capensis, is the " Essenwood " of the 

 Dutch colonists, and this tree is usually called by the same popular name. The 

 " Essenwood " is used in the Cape Colony for many purposes, carriage and wagon 

 work, implements, &c.. &c. 



Mr. W. Bazley, who has had considerable experience with Colonial woods, 

 Bays of this tree. " I have heard it called wild Syringa, Mountain Ash, and 

 sundry other names, but it is best known by its native name, Umnyamati. It 

 grows to a large tree. I have seen trunks 5 feet in diameter. It is not a hard 

 wood, nor can it properly be classed as a soft wood, it is not very strong, but 

 makes good useful boards for inside work, such as doors, boxes, &c. It does not 

 stand well exposed to wet or damp, in fact in such situations it decays in a short 

 time; it has something of the grain of Ash. It is quickly bored by a small grub, 

 if cut in the summer months, but this holds good of nearly all woods; there is a 

 proper season to cut even the best of woods. It is a fine spreading tree,- and looks 

 well when in full foliage, but gaunt when bare in the summer months. I have 

 seen a kind of caterpillar spinning silk in the trees, and they soon eat off all the 

 leaves." The bark has been used for tanning leather, and the roots by the natives 

 as a remedy for dysentery. 



In his valuable " Report on the Natal Forests," Mr. H. G. Fourcade, says of 

 " A large tree, 2-3 feet in diameter, 50-80 feet high, with a straight 

 cylindrical trunk and an ample crown, much resembling E. capensis. Bark brown- 

 grey, moderately thick, cracked or even Wood light, soft, not strong, moderately 

 elastic, open grained ; rings obscure : medullary rays fine and close, intersected 

 by broader concentric bands of white tissue; pores moderately small, distributed 

 irregularly or m short radial lines ; colour white, tinged with red ; used for boards 

 I other purposes; suitable for railway sleepers. Bark poisonous, used by the 

 natives in small doses as an emetic." 



