306 The Flowering Plants of Western India. 



4. F. religiosa (Urostigma r., D.). The Peepul tree. A 

 large smooth handsome tree, leaves very long, petioled ovate 

 cordate with long narrow points ; nerves about 8 pairs with fine 

 reticulations, fruit in pairs axillary sessile, like a black cherry. 

 Pipalj dshtd. Sanscrit Aslwoat. 



Wild in the Sub-Himalayan forests, in Bengal and Central India. 

 Universally planted (#.). 



When in full growth and in good condition it is a noble tree, and is 

 often seen to great advantage in front of temples, the base of the 

 trunk surrounded by a stone platform. It is also in a very different 

 form, the most destructive of those plants which nourish 



" On gray but leafy walls, where ruin greenly dwells." Byron. 



" Where o'er some tower in ruin laid, 

 The peepul spreads its haunted shade." Heber. 



The sacred bo tree of Buddha was a peepul : " the age of the bo 

 tree is matter of record, its conservancy has been the object of solici- 

 tude to successive dynasties, and the story of its vicissitudes has 

 been preserved in a series of continuous chronicles among the most 

 authentic that have been handed down by mankind" (Tennent}. A 

 famous pipal at Anarajpura was said to have attained in 1852 the 

 age of 2147 years : (this is so stated on a label in the Museum at 

 Kew). 



The leaves in their perpetual motion and pleasing sound resemble 

 those of the poplar and the aspen, celebrated by the poets of all 

 ages : 



" Restless as the leaves of the tall poplar tree." Odyssey. 



" And in the meadows tremulous aspen trees 

 And poplars made a noise of falling showers." Tennyson. 



5. F. Arnottiana (Urostigma cordifolium, D.). A tree much 

 like the last, leaves with very long petioles, broadly heart- 

 shaped with long points, margin waved, 7-nerved, finely reticu- 

 lated beneath, fruit like that of the last. Pair. This also is 

 sometimes called Ashta. 



On the Ghauts. 



6. F. tsiela (Urostigma pseudo-tsiela, D.). A very large 

 tree, all smooth, leaves long petioled ovate or oblong acute, 

 shining, with numerous simple and parallel veins, fruit in pairs, 

 axillary sessile, smooth, purple, size of a cherry. Pipri. 



It is much like the pipal, but the leaves are narrower and without 

 the long points. 



The Ghauts (D. and (?.). Deccan peninsula (#.). I noted it as 

 common in Guzerat. 



