54: LAURACEM. [LITSEA 



A small or medium -sized evergeen tree, very variable in habit foliage and 

 inflorescence. Bark dark-grey, cork-like, with an inner viscid layer 

 Young parts inflorescence and underside of leaves more or less pubes- 

 cent or tomentose. Leaves thinly coriaceous, 5-9 in., long, ovate 

 oblong or elliptic-lanceolate, acute obtuse or rounded at the apex, 

 glabrous or pubsecent on the upper surface, grey -pubescent beneath 

 and usually glabrescent when mature ; main lateral nerves 8-12 pairs, 

 and with fine reticulations between ; petioles J-l J in. long. Flower t 

 globose, White or yellowish, J in. in diam. before expansion, arrangec 

 in axillary peduncled corymbose or racemose umbels ; bracts 4, tomen- 

 tose. Perianth very irregular, the segments often wanting, tube long 

 and silky. Stamens 9 to 20 or more ; filaments villous. Fruit globose" 

 J in. in diam., supported by the slightly enlarged perianth-tube. 



Fairly common in the forests of Dehra Dun and Saharanpur, espe- 

 cially in shady ravines ; also in the Sub-Himalayan districts of Rohil- 

 khand, N. Oudh and Gorakhpur. It flowers in the rains and the fruil 

 ripens during the cold season. DISTRIB. : Throughout the hotter parts 

 of India and in Ceylon, extending to the Malay Islands, China and 

 Australia. The wood of this tree, as described by Gamble, is greyish- 

 brown or olive-grey, moderately hard and durable, and it is not attack- 

 ed by insects. The granular and viscid inner bark (meda-lakri) is said 

 to be good for sprains and bruises. 



2. L. polyantha, Juss. in Ann. Mus. Par. vi, 211 ; F. B. I.v, 

 162 ; Watt E. D. ; Kanjilal For. Fl. (ed. 2), 330 ; Gamble Man 

 571 ; Collett Fl. Siml. 433 ; Prain Beng. PL 903 ; Brandis Ind. 

 Trees 536. Tetranthera monopetala, Roxb. FL Ind. Hi, 821 , 

 Brand. For. Fl. 380; L 45. Vern. Maida, katmarra (Hind.), 

 karkawa, karka ( Dehra Dun). 



A moderate-sized evergreen tree, the young parts inflorescence and 

 underside of leaves rusty-tomentose. Bark dark-grey, finally ex- 

 foliating in corky-scales. Leaves alternate, very variable, 4-8 in. long 

 or more, elliptic-oblong ovate or obovate, tip usually rounded or 

 retuse, glabrous above, rusty-tomentose and strongly reticulate- 

 veined beneath ; main lateral nerves 5-10 pairs, base rounded or 

 cordate, petiole J-l in. long. Umbels 5-6-flowered, densely tomen- 

 tose, pedicels stout, bracts 4-5. Perianth white, 6- or 5-partite 

 Stamens 9-13, filaments hairy. Fruit ovoid, about J in. long, seated 

 on the small unchanged perianth. 



Common in the forests of Dehra Dun and Saharanpur and eastwards 

 to the Sub-Himalayan tracts of Rohilkhand and N. Oudh, often found 

 in shady ravines and on the banks of streams. Flowers March-May, 



