Antidesma."] cxxxv. EUPHORBIACE^. (J. D. Hooker.) 359 



122 ; Boxb. Fl. Ind. iii. *!$%. Rheede Sort. Mai. v. t. 26. Antidesina, 

 Wall. Cat. 8570 A, 8574. 



Throughout the hotter parts of INDIA, from the Nepal and Sikkira Terai and 

 Assam, southwards to Singapore and Penang ; and from Parusnath in Behar to 

 CEYLON. Griffith (Kew Distrib. 4933, 4934). DISTEIB. Malay Islands. 



A small evergreen tree. Leaves very variable, 3-6 by 1-2| in., obtuse, acute or 

 acuminate ; base acute ; nerves 10-12 pairs, arched ; petiole - in. ; stipules ovate- 

 cordate (Kurz. 1 , deciduous. Spikes often 4-5 in. long, slightly rusty-tomentose ; 

 flowers rather large for the genus ; fern, shortly pedicelled. Calyx of male very 

 short, lob'mg very various in depth ; of fern, shortly tubular, truncate. Disk of male 

 lobed, of feiu . cupular. Of Thwaites' var. &., from Caltura, which he distinguishes 

 by the firmer leaves and more delicate less pubescent inflorescence, I have only seen 

 fruiting specimens, which I cannot distinguish from A. Bunius. Mueller, who regards 

 it as a different species (A. Thwaitesianum), relies on the minute bracts, deeper-lobed 

 calyx and rusty-hairy disk ; but as there are no male flowers on Thwaites' specimens, I 

 cannot verify these characters. 



12. A. Alexiteria, Linn. Sp. PI. 1027 ; nearly glabrous, leaves 1-3 in. 

 subsessile from oblong or lanceolate to orbicular -ovate or -obovate obtuse 

 acute or acuminate shining above, spikes simple or panicled slender pubes- 

 cent, bracts minute, male fl. quite sessile, calyx very minute 3-4-lobed, disk 

 glabrous, stamens 3, fruit $ in. diam. gibbously orbicular turgid, stigmas very 

 short sublateral. A. zeylanicum, LamJc. Encycl. i. 207 ; Muell. Arg. in DC. 

 Prodr. xv. ii. 256 ; Tulasne in Ann. Sc. Nat. Ser. 3, xv. (1851) 209. Anti- 

 desma, Wall. Cat. 8568. Bur m. Thes. Zeyl. 22, t. 10. 



SOUTHERN DECCAN PENINSULA, Heyne, &c. CEYLON, common. 



Much branched, rather slender. Leaves very variable in form, the smallest of the 

 Indian species, brown when dry, reticulate and shining on both surfaces, coriaceous, 

 nerves usually very slender and obscure ; petiole rarely -^ in. Spikes 1-1| in. ; bracts 

 short, broad ; fern. fl. very shortly pedicelled; calyx 4-lobed. 



13. A. brunneum, HooJc.f. ; nearly glabrous, leaves 2-3| in. long- 

 petioled coriaceous dark brown and opaque when dry elliptic obtuse or 

 obtusely acuminate base acute, male spikes short branched pubescent, 

 bracts oblong, flowers quite sessile, calyx shortly cup-shaped lobed to the 

 middle, stamens 5 seated on the tumid glabrous disk, pistillode large often 

 with two recurved stigmas. 



CEYLON, Thwaites (C.P. 2208 and 2535 in part). 



Branches stout, shoots finely pubescent. Leaves very dark brown, hardly shin- 

 ing above, quite glabrous ; nerves 4-6 pair, very slender ; petiole slender, |- in. ; 

 stipules small. Spikes - in., rather stout. Calyx-lobes rounded, hairy and ciliate. 

 Pistillode a small well-developed ovary, and stigmas, quite glabrous. Fern. fl. and 

 fruit unknown. This differs from A . pyrifolium in the larger broader more coria- 

 ceous brown leaves, with fewer nerves, and longer petioles j also in the more pubescent 

 stouter spikes, quite sessile flowers, deeper-cleft calyx, and remarkably developed 

 pistillode. Fruit not seen. 



ff Male /lowers sessile or very shortly pedicelled. Calyx deeply 4-lobed 

 or -partite. 



14. A. fall ax, Muell. Arg. in Linncea xxxiv. 68, and in DC. Prodr. 

 xv. ii. 253 ; glabrous, leaves 4-7 in. petioled coriaceous oblong or ovate- 

 oblong acute or acuminate shining above, spikes simple and panicled rusty- 

 tomentose, flowers sessile, male calyx 4-5-lobed or -partite, stamens 3-4, 

 disk cupular lobed and subglobose, ovary glabrous, fruit very shortly pedi- 

 celled i in. diam. orbicular compressed, stigmas subterminal. A. coriaceum, 



