Ficus.] LXVII. URTICACE^l. 415 



pair basal, intramarginal veins distinct; blade 3-6 in., petiole 1-1 J in. 

 long. Eeceptacles axillary, in pairs, sometimes in the axils of fallen 

 leaves, pedunculate, peduncles 1 line long. Fruit subglobose, J-J in. diam, 

 supported by very small bracts. 



South India, Ceylon, Hongkong. I refer to this sp. specimens collected by R. 

 Thompson in the Baraich forests of Oudh (" a small tree "). Dr Stewart, how- 

 ever, referred them to Urostigma Pseudo-Benjamineum, Miq. 1. c. 566, which 

 he, as well as Beddome, Manual Fl. Sylv. 223, identify with F. comosa, Roxb. 

 Cor. PI. t. 125 ; Fl. Ind. iii. 552. F. comosa is described and figured by Roxb. 

 with slender, often pendulous branchlets, and oval, long-acuminate leaves taper- 

 ing into a slender petiole about 1 in. long. Fruit contracted at the base, rich 

 deep yellow or purple when ripe, the size of a gooseberry. Tinnevelly hills and 

 mountains on the east side of the peninsula. 



This group of Indian figs to which F. Wightiana and comosa belong, demands 

 farther study on the spot. Nearly allied to them are the two following species : 

 1. F. Tsiela, Roxb. 1. c. 549 ; Wight Ic. t. 668 ; Bedd. Fl. Sylv. t. 314 ; Miq. 

 Ann. Mus. Lugd. Bat. iii. 286 Syn. Urostigma Pseudo-Tiela, Miq. (1847) 566. 

 A large tree with smooth bark, wholly glabrous, leaves ovate, long-petiolate ; 

 lateral nerves slender, numerous, some more prominent than the others ; fruit 

 turbinate, purple when ripe. Bengal, mountains of South India. 2. F. indica, 

 Linn. Syst. Veg. 922 ; Miq. Ann. Mus. Lugd. Bat. iii. 287 Syn. U. Tjiela, Miq. 

 Hook. Journ. Bot. vi. 580, with thick-coriaceous, shining, short-petiolate leaves. 

 East Bengal, Burma, Philippine Islands. 



5. F. religiosa, Linn. ; Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 547 ; Bedd. Fl. Sylv. t. 314. 

 Syn. Urostigma religiosum, Gasp. ; Wight Ic. t. 1967. Peepul. Sans. 

 Pippala. Vern. Pipal, Hind. ; Pipro, Panch Mehals ; Ravi, Telugu ; 

 Baude nyaung, Burm. 



A large tree wholly glabrous, with irregularly-shaped trunk and wide- 

 spreading branches. Leaves drooping, coriaceous, shining, broad -ovate, 

 3-4 in. broad, edge undulate, with a long narrow acumen (1-3 in. long), 

 basal nerves 5-7, midrib penniveined, basal and lateral nerves anastomos- 

 ing by close and prominent reticulate veins, petiole slender, generally as 

 long as greatest breadth of leaf. Receptacles sessile, generally in pairs, 

 axillary, each receptacle supported by 3 obtuse pubescent bracts, often 

 splitting as the receptacle expands. Male and female flowers in the same 

 receptacle, mixed with lanceolate bracteoles ; perianth 3-4-parted, male 

 flowers monandrous. Fruit subglobose, somewhat flattened, J in. across, 

 dark purple when ripe. 



Commonly planted by Hindoos throughout India, and by Buddhists in Cey- 

 lon and Burma. This tree is peculiarly sacred to the Buddhists. Rare in the 

 arid tract of North-West India. In the outer Himalaya planted trees are found 

 as high as 5000 ft. Wild in the forests of the sub-Himalayan tract, Bengal, and 

 Central India. Not indigenous in Burma. In North and Central India the 

 tree is leafless during a short time, generally only for a week or two ; the leaves 

 are renewed between February and April, the young foliage is reddish. The 

 fruit ripens during the hot season, in April, May in the Panjab, and sometimes 

 as late as Oct., Nov. (Centr. Prov., R. Th.) Attains 80-90 ft., trunk short, most 

 irregularly shaped, fluted and buttressed, of large girth, 25-30 ft., not uncommon, 

 Stewart mentions a tree 25 ft. girth at 5000 ft. in Chamba, and another of 36 



