Oligemia.] XXXI. LEGUMINOS.E. 147 



Sapwood small, heartwood varies from light-greenish brown, with yellow tinge, 

 to dark-red brown. It is close-grained, hard, the cub. ft. weighs 57-60 lb., 

 Strong, tough, and durable ; takes a beautiful polish. Much valued for agricul- 

 tural implements, wheels, naves, furniture, also for building. Combs are carved 

 of it. 



An astringent red gum exudes from incisions in the bark. The bark is 

 pounded and largely used to intoxicate fish. Twigs much lopped as cattle- 

 fodder. In places difficult of access, tall and well-grown specimens are occa- 

 sionally met with, but most older trees have been mutilated by lopping and 

 stripping off the bark. 



To the tribe of Hedysarece belongs jEschynomene aspera, Linn. ; Wight Ic. t. 

 299. Syn. Hedysarum lagenarium, Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 365. Vern. Sola, Phul- 

 Sola. A large perennial water-plant, with thick stems mainly composed of light 

 white pith, which is made into toys, floats, and Solah hats, invaluable as a pro- 

 tection against the sun. Abundant in tanks and marshes in Bengal. 



Brya Ebenus, DC, Bot. Mag. t. 4670, the green or West Indian Ebony, a 

 small tree with orange-coloured flowers, and dark green, nearly black heartwood, 

 of Jamaica and Cuba, also belongs to this tribe. 



17. DALBERGIA, Linn. fil. 

 Trees or climbers, with alternate, imparipinnate leaves, without stipels ; 

 leaflets alternate. Flowers small, white, lilac or purple, in dichotomous 

 or irregularly branched panicles ; bracts and bractlets small. Calyx 

 5-dentate, the lowest anterior tooth generally longer. Standard ovate or 

 orbicular ; wings oblong, as long as standard ; keel obtuse, shorter than 

 standard, its petals connate at the top. Stamens either diadelphous, the 

 10th stamen free, or monadelphous, with 9 or 10 stamens, or equally dia- 

 delphous, with 2 bundles of 5 stamens each, and the vagina slit below as 

 well as above ; anthers small, erect, didymous, the cells back to back, 

 attached to the end of the filament, opening by diverging or divaricate 

 slits, or with a short slit at the top. Ovary stipitate, with few ovules ; 

 style short, incurved, with a small terminal stigma. Legume like a 

 samara, oblong or linear, flat, thin, indehiscent, with 1 or a few seeds. 

 Seeds reniform, flat. 



Trees or erect shrubs ; stamens 9 or 10, monadelphous. 



Shrubs or small trees ; panicles regularly dichotomous . .1.2). rimosa. 

 Large trees ; panicles not dichotomous. 



Leaflets obtuse or emarginate ; flowers pedicellate . . 2. D. latifolia. 

 Leaflets acuminate ; flowers sessile . . . . . 3. D. Sissoo. 

 Trees ; stamens 10, equally diadelphous. 



Leaves with reticulate venation, without prominent lateral 

 nerves ; petals and stamens inserted in the middle of the 



calyx-tube 4. D. paniculate. 



Leaves with prominent parallel lateral nerves ; petals and 

 stamens inserted at the base of calyx-tube. 

 Leaflets 11-15; panicles lax; the 3 anterior calyx-teeth 



acute, the 2 posterior obtuse . . . . . 5. D. lanceolaria. 



Leaflets 13-19 ; panicles compact ; 4 calyx-teeth obtuse, the 



5th longer and subacute . . . . . . 6. D. hircina. 



Climbing shrubs ; stamens 10, equally diadelphous . . . 7. D. volubilis. 



Several valuable South American timber-trees belong to this genus. Of the 

 principal varieties of Rosewood exported from Rio Janeiro, the two finest are sup- 



