LAGERSTROEMIA 595 



In these forests it attains considerable dimensions ; a girth of 8 ft. 2 in. and 

 a height of 100 ft. were measured in the Borojhar forest, Buxa, and this is by 

 no means a maximum. In the bhabar tract of the Duars it sometimes springs 

 up gregariously on gravel and boulder deposits near rivers, after the land has 

 become elevated above river-level ; here pure patches of young Lagerstroemia, 

 sometimes of considerable extent, may be found with large specimens of 

 Dalbergia Sissoo scattered among them, the latter being the survivors of 

 a former riverain forest (see Fig. 224). 



The tree is found in fair quantity throughout the dry mixed forests of 

 the Indian Peninsula as far south as the Nilgiris, in association with teak, 

 Terminalia toinentosa, Anogeissus latifolia, Diospyros Me.lanoxylon, Oligemia 

 dalbergioides, Buchaiiania latifolia.^ Phyllanthus Emblica, and other species. 

 As a rule it does not attain large dimensions, trees over 6 ft. in girth being 

 rare ; in the Dangs forests of Surat, hoAvever, large trees are occasionally met 

 with, a girth of 13 ft. having been recorded. In the Bori forest of the Central 

 Provinces a girth of 15 ft. has been measured. 



In Upper Burma it occurs in mixed deciduous forest along with teak, 

 Terminalia tomentosa, Dillenia pentagyna, Bursera serrata, Anogeissus acumi- 

 nata, Schleichera trijuga, Lagerstroemia Flos-Reginae, and other species. 



The tree accommodates itself to a variety of soils and geological forma- 

 tions, including black cotton soil and trap ; it thrives best on deep porous 

 loam, and although it is often found on clay, it does not stand water-logging. 



In its natural habitat the absolute maximum shade temperature varies 

 from 100 to 118 F., the absolute minimum from 30 to 50 F., and the normal 

 rainfall from 30 to 180 in. 



Leaf-siiedding, flowering, and fruiting. The leaves turn brown 

 towards the end of the cold season and are shed in February-March, the new 

 leaves appearing in April-May. The panicles of small white fragrant flowers 

 appear from April to June, and the capsules ripen and open from December 

 to February ; they are 3- to 4-valved, 0-7-1 in. ormorein length, ovoidor obovoid, 

 brown when ripe, and remain some time on the tree after ripening. The seeds 

 including wing (Fig. 223, a) are 0-4-0-6 in. long, brown, with a terminal papery 

 wing, having a thick stiff curved ridge along one edge. 



The germinative power of the seed is frequently poor. Tests were carried 

 out at Dehra Dun for three successive years : in the first two years the seed 

 was almost entirely unfertile, but in the third year it germinated well. 



Germination (Fig. 223, b-e). Epigeous. The radicle emerges from the 

 end of the seed opposite the wing, the hypocotyl arches and extricates the coty- 

 ledons in straightening, the seed-coat being left as a rule on or in the ground, 

 though it is sometimes carried up over the cotyledons, falling with their 

 expansion. 



The seedling (Fig. 223). 



Roots : primary root long, terete, tapering, wiry : lateral roots moderate 

 in number and length, fibrous. Hypocotyl scarcely distinguishable, up to 

 0-1 in. long. Cotyledons : petiole 0-2-0-5 in. long, channelled above, glabrous : 

 lamina 0-4- 0-5 in. by 0-4-0-5 in., foliaceous, orbicular, base tapering, entire, 

 green, glabrous. Stem erect, quadrangular, often winged, green or reddish, 

 glabrous ; internodes 0- 1-0-5 in. long. Leaves simple, alternate, or first pair 

 sometimes sub-opposite, sessile, exstipulate, 0-3-2 in. by 0-2-1 in., ovate 



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