514 FLORA OF MADRAS. [Laivsonia.. 



stipules minute, deciduous. Flowers small, in terminal panicles ; 

 bracts small, deciduous. Calyx-tiibe short; lobes 4, spreading, 

 ovate. Petals 4, obovate, wrinkled and crenate, inserted on the 

 top of the calyx-tube. Stamens 8, inserted in pairs at the base 

 of the calyx-tube and opposite the lobes ; anthers oblong, the 

 connective thick. Ovary subglobose, 2-4-celled ; ovules many, on 

 axile placentas ; style long, thick ; stigma capitate. Fruit a 

 globose capsule, breaking up irregularly, ultimately 1-celled. 

 Seeds numerous, pyramidal, closely packed ; testa spongy ; 

 cotyledons orbicular, flat. 



LAWSONIA INERMIS, Linn. L. alba, Lamk. ; F. B. I. ii. 573 ; 

 W. & A. 307 ; Wt. 111. t, 87. 



All plains Districts, cultivated as a hedge plant, perhaps 

 wild on the Coromandel coast and in the Deccan. The 

 Henna plant. 



A deciduous shrub with white flowers and small leaves which 

 give the "henna" dye. Bark greyish- brown, thin; wood 

 grey, hard. Vern. Hind. Mehndi ; Vr. Manghati ; TeL 

 Gorinta ; Tarn. Marithondi ; Kan. G-orantu. 



Family LXYII. SONNERATIACEAE. 



Trees or shrubs, glabrous. Leaves opposite, entire ; stipules 0, 

 Flowers regular, small or large, solitary or in panicles; bracts 

 and bracteoles 0. Calyx-tube slightly united with the ovary ; 

 lobes 4-9, valvate. Petals as many as the calyx-lobes and alternate 

 with them, sometimes 0. Stamens as many as the calyx-lobes 

 and alternate with them or very many inserted within the rim of 

 the calyx-tube ; filaments bent inwards in bud. Ocary 2-20- celled, 

 nearly superior ; ovules numerous, in many rows ; style long ; 

 stigma capitate or peltate. Fruit a dry or somewhat fleshy 

 mdehiscent or dehiscent capsule, many-seeded. 



Sonneratia, Linn. f. 



Glabrous sea-coast trees. Leaves opposite, petioled, coriaceous r 

 entire. Flowers large, terminal, solitary or. 2-3 together. Calyx 

 thickly coriaceous ; tube widely campaiiulate, lobes valvate. 

 Petals 4-8 or 0. Stamens numerous, inserted on the circular rim 

 of the calyx-tube, inflexed in bud. Ovary free or adnate at the 

 base to the calyx-tube, many-celled ; ovules many, ascending, on 

 axile placentas ; style long ; stigma capitate. Fruit a subglobose, 



