188 XXXI. LEGUMINOS^E. [Acacia. 



Sylv. t. 49. Vern. Sai-kanta, Beng. ; Kumtia, Pertabgarh ; Dhaula 

 khejra (white Acacia), Banswara. Gorddo, Mandevi ; Son kairi, Dangs. 



A large tree with white bark. Branches flexuose, branchlets and 

 petioles downy with whitish or grey soft pubescence. Below the inser- 

 tion of each leaf a pair of sharp conical infra-stipular prickles, downy 

 while young, brown shining afterwards. Common petiole 4-10 in. long, 

 unarmed, a large cup-shaped gland, oval, and often ^ in. long near the 

 base, or half-way between the base and the first pair of pinnae; smaller 

 circular glands at the insertion of the upper 3-10 pair; pinnae 10-20 pair; 

 leaflets numerous, linear, \ in. long, imbricate or approximate, pubescent 

 and ciliate, grey or greyish green when dry. Flowers pale yellow, sessile, 

 in lax, axillary, cylindrical, pedunculate spikes, often interrupted at the 

 base. Petals more or less cohering beyond the middle, less than twice 

 the length of calyx. Peduncles and calyx downy with soft grey pubes- 

 cence. Spikes 2-4 in. long, generally fasciculate, and paniculate at the 

 ends of branches. Pods stipitate, thin, 2-4 in. long. 



South India (common in Mysore, between Shemoga and Bangalur), Bengal, 

 Guzerat, extending north to Banswara and Pertabgarh (D.B., 1870). Fl. May- 

 Aug. Large conical thorns on the white bark. Heartwood red, catechu made 

 of it. Bark (in Pertabgarh) peeled off and used for tanning. 



There is considerable confusion in the synonyms of these two species. For 

 the first, which is the most generally distributed Catechu-yielding Acacia, and 

 is readily distinguished by the dark-coloured bark, I maintain Willdenow's 

 name, Acacia Catechu, as he quotes (iv. 1079), t. 175, of the Corom. Plants, 

 and I unite with it A. catechuoides, Benth., which does not appear to me to be 

 specifically distinct. For the second species, with white-coloured bark, Mr 

 Sulpiz Kurz has, I understand, adopted Boxburgh's name Suma, which to me 

 also seems the most appropriate. The excellent description of the Flora Indica 

 is supported by the admirable manuscript-drawing quoted above. This species 

 I do not know from North India. Mr R. Thompson notes, besides A. Catechu, 

 A. Sundra, from Oudh and the Central Provinces ; this may be Suma, but un- 

 fortunately I have not seen his specimens. I do not venture to identify Willde- 

 now's A. polyacantha with Suma, nor do I feel sure which species are meant 

 by A. Catechu and Sundra of Wight and Arnott's Prodromus. In Beddome's 

 Fl. Sylv. t. 49, A. Catechu (Suma) is said to have a dark-brown bark, but 

 this error is corrected in p. xcv of the Manual. 



13. A. concinna, DC. ; W. & A. Prodr. 277. Syn. Mimosa concinna, 

 Willd. ; Eoxb. Fl. Ind. ii. 565. Vern. Ailah, rassaul, Oudh; Ban-ritha 

 (forest soap-nut), Beng. ; Sikikdi, sikekdi, Dekkan. 



A large climbing and prickly shrub ; branchlets, petioles, and pedun- 

 cles tomentose or pubescent, and armed with numerous scattered sharp 

 recurved prickles. Common petiole 3-4 in. long, with a gland below 

 the first pair of pinnae, and 1 or 2 glands at the insertion of the upper- 

 most pairs. Pinnae 4-6 pair ; leaflets 12-20 pair, linear, from a rounded, 

 unequal-sided base, J-J in. long, glabrous or ciliate when full grown. 

 Stipules large, semicordate, striate. Flower-buds purple ; flowers yellow, 

 in globose heads. Calyx and corolla thinly membranous, pubescent. 

 Ovary pubescent all over, or with a few isolated hairs. Flower-heads on 

 slender peduncles 1-1 J in. long, fasciculate, forming racemose panicles a 



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