20 WRIGHT : THE GENUS DIOSPYROS 



montana and D, ovalifolia become partially leafless every 

 year in the dry northern districts of Ceylon. 



In Ceylon the leaves of most species of Diospyros drop 

 at irregular intervals, and if one tree be selected for observa- 

 tion there is hardly a week passes without a shedding of a 

 few leaves. The leaf -fall in most species is not sufficient to 

 render the tree even partially bare, and the nett result of the 

 leaf production, which repeatedly occurs, is an increase of 

 foliage from year to year. The production of new leaves 

 takes place during nearly every month of the year, if one 

 considers the whole of the Diospyros species in the Island. 

 If, however, one selects a district where the force of each 

 monsoon and the intervening lulls is felt, a regularity in the 

 leaf production is noticeable. 



In the Peradeniya district there is an annual production 

 of leaf in flowering trees of I). Gardner!, D. Embryopteris, 

 D. Ebenum. D. affinis, D^ Toposia, D. sylvatica, and D. 

 crumenata. In non-flowering trees of D. Embryopteris 

 there is a production of new leaf twice yearly, this occurring 

 during the months of April to June and October to 

 November. 



The production of new leaf on any particular tree may be 

 completed within one month, or new foliage may appear 

 for several months in succession. The prolonged period of 

 active growth occurs in one tree of D. Toposia, from Decem- 

 ber to June, and again in trees of D. Ebenum leaf production 

 may commence in December and continue for four or five 

 months. Other trees of D. TopQsia and . Ebenum in the 

 same and also adjacent districts may not produce any new 

 leaves until well on in the months of February and March. 



Respecting other species of Diospyros, particularly D. 

 hirsute and JK Thwaitesii in the wet zone, I have never 

 visited the forests without finding some trees in new leaf 

 during nearly every month of the year. 



In the wet zone it is impossible to speak of any month as 

 being specially noticeable for leaf production within the 



