Tamarindus LEGUMINOS^ 119 



§ 16. Leaves abruptly pinnate or imparipinnate (in Crudia)', 

 leaflets 2 to numerous. Sepals 4, imbricate. Petals 3, 5, 

 or none. Anthers veraiatile. Stalk of the ovary adherent 

 to the calyx-tube. 



[TAMARINDUS L. 



Tree. Leaves abruptly pinnate ; leaflets small, in numerous 

 paii's. Racemes few-flowered, axillary or terminal, on short 

 lateral branches. Receptacle (calyx-tube) narrowly top-shaped. 

 Sepals 4, imbricate. Petals 3, small, one narrower than the 

 others, with 2 rudimentary petals. Stamens, 3 perfect united 

 into a sheath open above, the rest abortive. Ovary stalked ; 

 stalk adnate to the hollow receptacle. Pod pulpy, not opening. 



Species 1, probably indigenous in tropical Africa, widely 

 diffused, but cultivated, in tropical and subtropical regions of 

 America and Asia. 



T. indica L. Sp. PL 34 (1753) ; Jacq. Sel. Stirp. Amer. 10, 

 t. 10 & t. 179, /. 98 & Ed. pkt. t. i3 ; Wright Mem. 238 ; Griseh. 

 Fl. Br. W. Ind. 213 ; Benth. in Fl. Bras. xv. pt. 2, 227; Bentl. & 

 Trim. Med. PI t. 92; Urh. Symh. Ant. iv. 270. Watt Econ. Prod. 

 T. occidentalis Gaertn. Fruct. ii. 310, t. 146 (1791) ; Mac/. Jam. 

 i. 335. T. officinalis Hooh. Bot. Mag. t. 4563 (1^51). Tamarindus 

 Shane Cat. 147 & Hist. ii. 45; Browne Hist. Jam. 125. Type 

 in Herb. Linn. ... 



Tamarind. 



Cultivated ; Houstoun I Wright 1 Macfadyen ; Constant Spring, Hitch- 

 cock; Porus. Lloyd; Berwick, 2000 ft., Harris] Brandon Hill, 1200 ft., 

 Thompson 1 Fl. Jam. 6535, 8084. — For distribution, see under genus. 



A large tree without prickles, usually to 80 or 40 ft. high, but in the 

 open plains often a very large tree with a diameter of 5 ft. Leaflets in 

 8-20 pairs, oblong, apex rounded, base unequal-sided, about 2 cm. 1. 

 Bracteoles boat-shaped enclosing the bud, soon falling, about 11 mm. 1. 

 Petals about as long as the calyx, white or pale yellow with red veins, 

 nearly 1-5 cm. 1. Pod 7-15 cm. 1., 2*5 cm. br. Seeds 2-8. 



The pulp of West Indian Tamarinds is official in the British Pharma- 

 copoeia and in that of the United States. The wood is yellowish-white, 

 hard and close-grained ; heart-wood small, dark purplish brown. The 

 timber is highly prized though extremely difficult to work, and is used 

 chiefly for wheels, mallets, planes, furniture, &c. It is also excellent for 

 turning purposes, and is one of the woods preferred for making gunpowder 

 charcoal. It is also much prized for fuel when great heat is necessary, as 

 in brick-making. From the liability of the tree to become hollow in the 

 centre it is difficult to get a plank of any width. (Watt)] 



35. HYMEN^A L. 



Trees, without prickles. Leaves 2-foliolate ; leaflets leathery, 

 unequal-sided, with pellucid dots. Flowers white, in short 

 terminal panicles, densely corymbose. Receptacle (calyx-tube) 



