148 UETICACEM. [ Ficus. 



the main branches by which the circumference of this tree is extended. 

 Young parts softly pubescent. Leaves coriaceous, 4-8 in. long, ovate 

 or orbicular-ovate to elliptic, obtuse, entire, glabrescent above, 

 glabrous or minutely pubescent beneath ; base rounded or subcordate 

 and with 3-7 nerves, the upper lateral nerves about 5-7 pairs and with 

 conspicuous reticulate venation between ; petioles stout J-2 in. long ; 

 stipules -1 in. long, coriaceous. Receptacles axillary, sessile in pairs, 

 globose, about v in. in diam., puberulous and red when ripe and 

 with f broad rounded subglabrous coriaceous basal bracts. MALE 

 flowers many, near the mouth of the receptacle. Sepals 4, lanceolate-. 

 Stamen 1. GALL flowers : Perianth as in male. Style short. FERTILE 

 flowers : Perianth shorter than in the male. Style elongate. 



Common in the sal forests of Dehra Dun and Saharanpur and in the 

 Sub-Himalayan tracts of Rohilkhand and N. Oudh ; also largely 

 planted by Hindus near villages and in the vicinity of their temples. 

 The new leaves appear March to May. DISTRIB. : Universally dis- 

 tributed throughout the plains of India and in Ceylon, either as a 

 planted tree or appearing spontaneously as an epiphyte on tombs or 

 old buildings, and also on the stems of various kinds of trees, often 

 entirely enveloping their stems and eventually killing them. The- 

 common wild Date-palm is very often attacked, but owing to the 

 endogenous growth of their stems they are not usually destroyed. 

 The Banyan tree is believed to be quite wild in the Sub-Himalayan 

 forests and on the lower slopes of the Deccan Hills, also in damp 

 valleys of Chota Nagpur. The foliage affords excellent fodder for 

 cattle and elephants. 



3. F. tomentosa, Eoxb. ex Willd. ; Hort. Beng. 103 ; FL Ind. 

 Hi, 550 ; Brandis For. FL 414 ; Ind. Trees 601 ; King Sp. Fie. 

 22, t. 18 ; F. B. I. V., 501 ; Gamble Man. 640 ; L rain Beng. PL 

 980 ; CooJce FL Bomb, ii, 646. 



A large shade -giving tree, but often an epiphyte ; bark smooth, greenish- 

 white ; aerial roots from the branches thin ; young parts clothed 

 with rusty-grey tomentum. Leaves crowded towards the ends of 

 the branches, coriaceous, 2-5 in. long, elliptic-ovate or obovate, 

 obtusely acuminate, entire ; upper surface glabrous or nearly so, rusty- 

 grey-tomentose beneath ; base rounded or subcordate, 3-7-nerved ; 

 main lateral nerves above the basal ones about 5 pairs, prominent 

 beneath ; midrib with a broad smooth gland at the base ; petiole 

 -1 in. long, tomentose ; stipules J-| in., densely woolly on the back. 

 Eeceptacles in pairs, axillary, sessile, globose, -J in. in diam., grey- 

 tc mentose ; apical scales, small, glabrous ; basal bracts 3, large,. 



