Phyllanthus.] LXIX. EUPHORBIACEiE. 455 



for agricultural implements, and much valued for well- work, as it is durable under 

 water. The bark is employed for tanning ; chips of the wood and small branches 

 thrown into impure or muddy water are said to clear it effectually (Pharm. Ind. 

 205). The fruit is the Emblic Myrobalan ; used as a medicine, for dyeing and 

 tanning, and pickled and eaten. 



15. BREYNIA, Forst. 



Glabrous shrubs with penniveined stipulate leaves. Flowers monoicous, 

 axillary. Calyx turbinate, 6 -lobed. Stamens central ; three 2-celled an- 

 thers longitudinally adnate to a central column. Disc wanting. Ovary 

 longer than calyx, truncate ; styles minute. Seeds without arillus. 



1. B. rhamnoides, Mull. Arg. 1. c. 440. Syn. Phyllanthus sepiaria, 

 Herb. Eoxb. (identified by Muller also with P. Vitis-idcea, Eoxb. Fl. Ind. 

 iii. 665). Melanthesa rhamnoides, Wight Ic. t. 1898. Vern. Tikhar, 

 Oudh. 



A large shrub or small tree, wholly glabrous. Leaves ovate, obtuse, 

 shortly petiolate, 1-1 J in. long*; stipules triangular, acute. Flowers soli- 

 tary, axillary, pedicels short, with a few membranous bracts at the base. 

 Fruit a red globose berry. 



Oudh forests common, Banda, Bengal, South India. Fl. April, May. 



Melanthesopsis patens, Mull. Arg. Syn. Melanthesa turbinata and obliqua, 

 Wight Ic. 1. 1897, 1898 ; Phyllanthus turbinatus and patens, Eoxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 

 666, 667 is a shrub or tree of South India and Bengal, similar to Breynia 

 rhamnoides, but distinguished by a trifid style and arillate seeds. 



16. SECURINEGA, Juss. 



Glabrous trees or shrubs with more or less distichous branchlets and 

 penniveined stipulate leaves. Flowers usually dioicous, the male flowers 

 in axillary fascicles. Calyx 5-cleft, segments imbricate, persistent, the 

 2 outer somewhat smaller. Petals none. Stamens 5, opposite to the 

 calyx-segments ; filaments free, filiform, surrounding a rudimentary 2-3- 

 fid pistil as long as stamens. Disc of 5 glands alternating with the 

 stamens. Ovary glabrous, 3-celled, 2 ovules in each cell, styles 3, connate 

 at the base, generally bifid. Fruit more or less succulent, separating when 

 ripe into 3 (sometimes 2 only) 2-seeded cocci. 



Flower-bearing branchlets angular, unarmed . . 1. 8. dbovata. 

 Flower-bearing branchlets terete, spinescent . . 2. S. Leucopyrus. v 



1. S. obovata, Mull. Arg. 1. c. 449. Syn. Phyllanthus retusus and 

 virosus, Eoxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 657, 659. Yern. Dalme, dhdni, bakarcha, 

 ghari, gwala ddrim, 1ST.W.P. 



A large ramous unarmed shrub or small tree, wholly glabrous, branch- 

 lets angular. Leaves subsessile, oval or obovate, 1-2 in. long. Flowers 

 dioicous, on slender pedicels, numerous, in axillary fascicles. Styles 



