TERMINALIA 535 



quite so much in demand as that of T. tomeniosa. The bark contains much 

 tannin. 



The tree reaches considerable dimensions. Mr. H. Tireman records one 

 13 ft. 3 in. in girth measured in the Coorg forests : large trees, however, are 

 usually unsound inside. It attains a height of 100 ft. under favourable 

 conditions. 



Distribution and habitat. The tree is found in the western regions 

 of the Indian Peninsula from Bombay southwards, and in southern India. 

 In Bombay it is one of the commonest trees of the North Kanara mixed 

 deciduous forests, its most important associates being teak, Dalbergia latifolia, 

 Pterocarpus Marsupium, Terminalia tomentosa, Lagerstroemia lanceolata, and 

 Xylia xylocarpa. It is rare on the Deccan trap and absent from the Dangs 

 and Satpuras. It extends southwards through South Canara and Malabar to 

 Travancore, and occurs in the Nilgiris, Anamalais, and other hill ranges of 

 southern India. In Coorg it is most plentiful and attains its largest dimensions 

 in the deciduous forests of the ghats ; it is also found throughout the eastern 

 forests, but here it reaches smaller dimensions-. Throughout its region it is 

 often the most plentiful species of the mixed forests. Bourdillon says it 

 is probably the commonest tree in Travancore, often forming 50-60 per cent, 

 of the trees in the deciduous forests up to 2,000 ft. elevation. It is also the 

 commonest timber tree of the Nilambur valley in Malabar and of some of the 

 Kanara forests. 



The tree is most frequently found in valleys and on lower slopes, preferring 

 fairly moist situations. It requires a well-drained soil, and is not found on 

 water-logged ground, thus differing from T. tomentosa. In the Western Ghats 

 it grows equally well on the laterite soils at the foot of the ghats and on the 

 decomposed crystalline rocks of the slopes. 



In its natural habitat the absolute maximum shade temperature varies 

 from 95 to 102 F., the absolute minimum from 55 to 65 F., and the normal 

 rainfall from 40 to 180 in. or more. 



Flowering and fruiting. The flowering season appears to vary. 

 Brandis gives it as August to December, Talbot (Bombay) as August to Septem- 

 ber, and Bom^dillon (Travancore) as July to December, one flowering succeeding 

 another. Mr. H. Tireman informs me that in Coorg he has observed it in 

 flower in April-May. The flowers are small and white in rusty-pubescent 

 panicled spikes. 



The fruits, which ripen from December to May, are brick-red, 0-25-0-5 in. 

 long, with one large wing about 0-5-0-75 in. broad and two smaller wings ; 

 about 100-120 fruits weigh 1 oz. 



SiLVicuLTURAL CHARACTERS. The tree stands rather more shade than 

 T. tomentosa, saplings and poles being found coming up in small gaps ; it wiU 

 not, however, stand heavy shade, and may be regarded as a light-demander 

 rather than a shade-bearer. Frost is unknown within its region, and prolonged 

 drought seldom if ever occurs. The tree coppices well up to a moderate size. 



Natural reproduction. The natural reproduction of this tree is as 

 a rule plentiful, though the conditions influencing it require further study. 

 In many places the moist deciduous forests of Kanara are gradually changing 

 towards the evergreen type as a result of fire-protection, and the natural 



