548 XXVTI. COMBRETACEAE 



Although it is possible that in the case of A. acuminata the production of 

 quantities of fertile seed may take place only in certain years, the reason for 

 this cannot be any deficiency of rainfall, since this does not occur throughout 

 the greater part of its habitat in Burma. 



3. LUMNITZERA, Willd. 



Lumnitzera racemosa, Willd. Vern. Kir pa, Beng. ; Yinye, Burm. 



An evergreen shrub or small tree of the mangrove swamps along the 

 coasts of India and Burma, an accomit of which is given on pp. 496-500. 

 It extends also into the tidal forests behind the mangrove swamps, occurring 

 chiefly on the banks of streams. The wood is hard and durable, and is used 

 for house-posts and for fuel. Flowers March-April ; fruits September (Talbot). 

 Its root-system is superficial, the roots bending out of the mud in the form of 

 knees for breathing purposes. 



ORDER XXVIII. MYRTACEAE 



An important order containing some useful Indian trees {Eugenia, Gareya) 

 and a number of introduced species, mainly of the great Australasian genus 

 Eucalyptus, several of which have become thoroughly acclimatized in India. 

 Among trees and shrubs yielding edible fruits may be mentioned Psidiuin 

 Guayava, Linn., the guava, introduced from tropical America and groMai all 

 over India, Eugenia Jamhos, E. Jambolana, and other species of Eugenia, 

 and Rhodomyrtus tomentosa, Wight, the hill gooseberry of the Nilgiris. Many 

 of the species have aromatic and coriaceous leaves, and exhibit xerophytic 

 characters, as seen for example in the pendulous leaves of Eucalyptus. Their 

 silvicultural requirements vary considerably even in different species of the 

 same genus. Of those which thrive in moist and even swampy ground may be 

 mentioned Barringtonia and several species of Eucalyptus and Eugenia, while 

 other members of the last two genera are found on dry poor ground. Of 

 hardy fire-resisting species characteristic of burnt savannah lands, the most 

 important are Carey a arbor ea and Eugenia operculata. Many of the members 

 of this order coppice with great vigour. 



Genera 1. Eugenia, Linn. ; 2. Eucalyptus, L'Herit. ; 3. Barringtonia, 

 Forst. ; 4. Careya, Roxb. ; 5. Planchonia, B1. 



1. EUGENIA, Linn. 



This genus is probably richer in tree species than any other Indian genus. 

 Brandis {Indian Trees) enumerates no fewer than 79 species, chiefly trees, 

 with a few shrubs ; of these 76 or 77 are indigenous. They are nearly always 

 evergreen, with gland-dotted often coriaceous leaves, which with rare excep- 

 tions are opposite. The fruit is a one- or few-seeded berry, often succulent, 

 sometimes nearly dry. The great majority of the species are moisture-loving, 

 and are found in moist localities, often in evergreen forest, while several grow 

 along the banks and in the beds of streams. E. formosa, Wall., a large-leaved 

 species with ternate leaves up to 18 in. long, often grows in the beds of perennial 



