142 XXXI. LEGUMINOS.E. [Butea. 



lip. Standard oblong, acute, without appendages, recurved ; wings falcate, 

 adhering to the keel; keel acute, incurved, as long as the standard or 

 longer. Upper stamen free, the others connate beyond the middle ; anthers 

 uniform. Ovary sessile, or short-stipitate ; style long, curved, not bearded. 

 Legume short-stalked, oblong or broad-linear, coriaceous, 1 -seeded and 

 2-valved at the top, flat, indehiscent below. 



A tree ; pedicels twice the length of calyx . . . 1. B. frondosa. 

 A climber ; pedicels three times the length of calyx . 2. B. superba. 



1. B. frondosa, Eoxb. Cor. PI. t. 21 j Fl. Ind. iii. 244; W- & A - 

 Prodr. 261 ; Bedd. Fl. Sylv. t. 176. Sans. Palasa. Vern. Dhak, palas, 

 chichra, North India; Chulcha, Bandelkhand; Chiula, palds, pursha, 

 C.P.; Kakria, khakra, khakro, Banswara and Panch Mehals; Mur-marra, 

 Gonds, Satpura. 



Young parts downy or tomentose with soft simple hairs. Stipules 

 linear-lanceolate, stipels subulate, both tomentose and deciduous. Leaflets 

 coriaceous, hard, clothed with adpressed hairs beneath, and a few scat- 

 tered hairs above, emarginate, or rounded at the top, the terminal leaflet 

 broadly obovate from a cuneate base, generally as long as broad, 4-6 in. 

 long, the lateral leaflets oblique-ovate, smaller ; lateral nerves 4-8 on either 

 side of midrib, joined by numerous prominent reticulate veins. Flowers 

 fasciculate, in rigid racemes, pedicels twice the length of calyx. Branches 

 of inflorescence, bracts, and calyx densely clothed with soft ferruginous 

 hairs. Legumes pendulous, tomentose, 4-6 in. long, 1 J-2 in. broad ; seed 

 oval, flat, smooth, brown 1 1 in. long, 1 in. broad. 



A common tree throughout India and Burma, the Jhelam river its north- 

 western limit. Ascends to 3000, occasionally to 4000 ft. in the N.W. Himalaya. 

 Often gregarious. Thrives on the stiff black soil of Central India and the 

 Dekkan, and on saline soils of the Panjab. The old leaves shed in Feb., the 

 young foliage issues in April, May, usually preceded by the scarlet flowers. The 

 tree in full bloom presents a striking spectacle, like fire on the horizon. The fruit 

 ripens in June, July. Inhabits the open country, not found in thick forests. 



A moderate-sized tree, 40-50 ft. high, with a crooked, often irregular trunk, 

 6-8, at times 10-12 ft. girth, and few crooked branches. In N.W. India often 

 kept down as a shrub by constant lopping. Bark in. to 1 in. thick, spongy, 

 inner substance fibrous, outside grey or light-brown, rough, undulated. Wood 

 coarse and open-grained, with prominent medullary rays ; weight 31-36 lb. per 

 cub. ft. Its transverse strength P. = 335 (Kyd). Not durable except under 

 water, readily eaten by insects. (Said to be durable in Guzerat.) In North- 

 West India used for well-curbs and piles. The bark of the root yields a fibre, 

 used for caulking boats on the Ganges and other rivers, also for slow-matches and 

 coarse cordage. 



From natural fissures and incisions made in the bark, issues during the hot 

 season a red juice, which soon hardens into a ruby-coloured, brittle, astringent 

 gum, similar to kino, and sold as Bengal Kino (Pharm. Ind. 74). In Oudh and 

 throughout Central India, lac is collected on the branchlets of this tree ; the 

 insect is often propagated by cutting a branch with the coccus on it, and fixing 

 it on a fresh tree. 



The leaves are used as plates, instead of paper to wrap up parcels, and they 

 are given as fodder to buffaloes. The flowers (Kdsu, North India ; Kisu, 

 Guzerat) are collected, and made (with alum) into the fleeting yellow dye 





