300 L. STYRACE^l. [Symplocos. 



or elliptic-lanceolate, long-acuminate, crenate, or with small sharp glandu- 

 lar teeth, petioles j in. long j main lateral nerves 6-8 pair, prominent 

 below, joined by reticulate veins and distinct intramarginal nerves. 

 Flowers on pedicels as long as calyx, in short axillary and extra-axillary 

 racemes not exceeding 1| in. in length, racemes generally on the previous 

 year's wood, below the leaves; bracts ovate, ciliate, deciduous, 2 at the 

 base of calyx, and 1 at the base of each pedicel. Calyx pubescent. 

 Stamens indefinite ; filaments flat, anthers didymous. Ovary 3-celled. 

 Berries ovoid, J in. long, on short pedicels, 1-4 together in short racemes. 



Himalaya, ascending to 7500 ft., from the Jumna to Bhutan, Kasia hills. Fl. 

 April-June ; fr. July, Aug. Bark dark-red brown, with close longitudinal 

 wrinkles. Wood greyish or reddish white, close-grained, hard and strong. In 

 Sikkim the yellow silkworm is raised on its leaves. 



3. S. spicata, Eoxb. Fl. Ind. ii. 541. Vern. Lodh (seeds Bholia), 

 Kamaon (Madden, Journ. As. Soc. xvii. part i. p. 570). 



A middle-sized tree ; glabrous, inflorescence only pubescent. Leaves 

 coriaceous, elliptic - oblong, serrulate, 3-6 in. long, on short petioles. 

 Flowers white, turning yellow when dry, sessile or subsessile, in axillary, 

 compressed, shortly pedunculate or sessile flower-spikes, 1-3 in. long, each 

 flower supported by 3 ovate, pubescent bracts. Calyx and ovary glabrous. 

 Drupes dry, 3-12, sessile, ovoid or nearly globose, contracted at the top 

 below the persistent calyx, olive-coloured, 12-ribbed, about the size of a 

 pea, enclosing a hard 1-seeded nut ; peduncles 1-3 in. long. 



Common along the Western Ghats and the mountains in the vicinity of the 

 Ghats, ascending to 7000 ft. Burma, Kasia hills, Assam, Sikkim. Outside 

 India this tree is found in the Indian Archipelago, China, Queensland, and New 

 South Wales. Fl. Sep. -Dec. The nuts, which resemble a small fluted pitcher 

 (Roxb.), are strung like beads and hung round the necks of children to prevent 

 evil. 



In Herb. Kew and Herb. Univ. Edinb. are specimens collected by Madden 

 in Eastern Kamaon at 4500 ft., which may perhaps belong to this species, 

 with elliptic-oblong, serrate, pubescent, membranous leaves 6 in. long, flowers 

 sessile, calyx pubescent, ovary glabrous, in paniculate, axillary spikes the 

 length of leaf, the lateral spikes inserted near the base. They have been re- 

 ferred to S. polystachya, Wall., which is very near, if not identical with S. 



4. S. racemosa, Roxb. Fl. Ind. ii. 539. Sans. Lodhra, savara lodhra. 

 Vern. Lodh, Beng. 



A small tree, glabrous, only inflorescence pubescent. Leaves coriaceous, 

 elliptic-oblong, serrulate, 3-6 in. long, on short petioles. Flowers yellow, 

 fragrant, nearly sessile, on short axillary compound spikes 1-2 in. long, 

 each flower supported by 3 ovate pubescent bracts. Calyx-lobes obtuse, 

 ciliate. Filaments numerous, as long as the spreading corolla, inserted 

 near its base ; anthers didymous. Ovary hairy, 3-celled. Fruit oblong 

 or cylindric, more or less distinctly ribbed, often slightly curved, nearly 



