( 7 ) 



A large tree, evergreen, dioecious, and polygamous ; trunk 

 fluted when old, black, thick, and scaly, red when freshly cut; 

 branches spreading, forming dense wide head, which in 

 young trees is often conical in outline ; flowers March-July; 

 ripe fruit, September-February. 



Leaves 120-200 mm. long, 25-55 mm. wide, alternate, oblong 

 or lanceolate-oblong, acute-lanceolate, acuminate or obtuse 

 at apex, rounded or narrowed at base, glabrous except slight 

 puberulence on petiole, thick and coriaceous, pale green 

 colour, pellucid venation, veins prominent in dried leaves ; 

 petiole thick, rigid, slightly pubescent, 5-13 mm. long. 



The flowers of some male trees often show a central pistil 

 possessing definite loculi, and which often assumes a very 

 large size. Mature seeds from a polygamous tree have not 

 yet been obtained. 



Male inflorescence arises as a globular apiculate axillary 

 structure, strongly pubescent, supported on short stout 

 peduncles and surrounded by regularly arranged bracts, 3-7 

 flowers (see pi. IX., figs. 1-5) ; peduncle yellowish-white to 

 green, 20 mm. long, 2 mm. diameter, covered with fine 

 coating of silvery unicellular hairs ; pedicel of each lateral 

 flower 4 mm. long ; bracts large, one to each flower, greenish- 

 white, frilled or straight margin, broad base, acuminate apex, 

 both sides pubescent, early deciduous, length 8-10 mm. ; 

 bracteoles small, two on each pedicel arranged one on each 

 side as an opposite pair at right angles to antero-posterior axis ; 

 brownish -black, caducous, acuminate apex, 2 mm. long ; scar 

 inconspicuous. Flowers 6 mm. long and ovoid in bud, when 

 open 10-15 mm. long. 



Calyx segments 4-5, accrescent, rounded or acuminate 

 apex, 3-5 mm. long, greenish, covered with silky unicellular 

 hairs on both sides, cup-shaped in mature flower. 



Corolla segments 4-5, canary-yellow in colour, ovoid, 

 3 mm. long, rounded apices, inbricated sinistrorselyin bud. 

 segments in open flower are erect or strongly curved outwards 

 and downwards ; total length of corolla 8-13 mm., diameter 



