414 XXIII. LEGUMINOSAE 



February and the new leaves appear in March or April, the flowers appearing 

 at the same time. The globose fragrant flower- heads are j^ellowish white, 

 0-5-0-7 in. in diameter, with numerous very small flowers. The pods commence 

 ripening next December, and the seed as a rule all falls by March. The pods 

 are brown, 4-6 in. long by 2-2-5 in. broad, flat, woody, falcate-oblong, con- 

 taining six to ten seeds. The pods dehisce on the tree, the hard woody 

 valves bursting open elastically, curving backwards and ejecting the seeds. 

 The open pods do not remain long on the tree, and have usually all fallen by 

 the end of May ; the hard valves may then be found in quantity on the 

 ground. The seeds (Fig. 160, a) are flat, ovate, oblong or nearly orbicular, 

 0-5-0-7 in. by 0-35-0-5 in., brown, smooth, shining, with a moderately hard 

 testa. 



Germination (Fig. 160, b-d). Epigeous. The testa splits at one end 

 and the radicle emerges and descends rapidly. The hypocotyl arches and 

 elongates, soon straightening and raising the cotyledons above ground. The 

 testa is usually carried up over the cotyledons, falling to the ground with their 

 expansion. 



The seedling (Fig. 160). 



Moots : primary root long, moderately thick, terete, tapering, wirj', 

 glabrous or minutely pubescent when young : lateral roots fairly numerous, 

 at first short, afterwards long, fibrous, distributed dowTi main-root. Hypocotyl 

 distinct from the root, 1 5-2-5 in. long, fusiform or tapering slightly at the 

 lower end, white turning green, minutely pubescent. Cotyledons : petiole 

 0-05 in. long, thick : lamina 0-7-0-9 in. by 0-5-0-6 in., broadly elliptical or 

 obovate, apex rounded, base sagittate, entire, fleshy, glabrous, upper surface flat 

 or slightly concave, lower surface convex, veins not distinct. Stem erect, woody, 

 green turning brown, young parts pubescent ; internodes 0-3-1-2 in. long. 

 Leaves compound, first pair opposite, paripinnate, with two pairs of leaflets, 

 subsequent leaves alternate with 1, 2, or 3 pairs of leaflets, very rarely trifoliate ; 

 bi-compound leaves, with leaflets up to six pairs, are ordinarily produced in 

 the second season. Stipules up to 0-2 in. long, linear lanceolate, acuminate, 

 pubescent. Rachis (flrst season) 0-8-5 in. long, pubescent, terminating in 

 a fine bristle. Leaflets opposite, with petiolules up to 0-1 in. long, 0-7-5 in. 

 by 0-25-2 in., ovate or ovate lanceolate, acuminate, entire, glabrous above, 

 pubescent on the veins beneath, terminal pair larger than remaining leaflets, 

 young leaves often copper-coloured. 



Nursery-raised seedlings in Malabar reach a height up to 1 ft. in the first 

 season, and between 2 and 3 ft. by the end of the second season. 



The seedling stands a good deal of shade when young, though when once 

 established it benefits by the admission of light. Experience gained in sowings 

 in Coorg shows that it is sensitive to drought. A long taproot is developed 

 early, and may attain a length of 1 ft. or more within a month of germination. 

 As in the case of the Burmese species, the growth of the seedling is greatly 

 stimulated by weeding. The young plants are not eaten by cattle. 



SiLVicuLTURAL CHARACTERS. The tree is a shade-bearer, particularly in 

 youth : it owes its gregariousness in part to this character, which enables it 

 to gain a footing under the moderate shade of mixed deciduous forest, though 

 it cannot compete with the heavy shade-bearers of the evergreen forests. 

 Although it grows best on deep soil overlying sandstone and crystalline rocks 

 it is usually more gregarious on shallow soil on laterite, though here it does 



