LAGERSTROEMIA 599 



In its natural habitat the absolute maximum shade temperature varies 

 from 95 to 110 F., the absolute minimum from 36 to 65" F., and the normal 

 rainfall from 60 (about 50 in Gorakhpur) to 180 in. or more. 



Leaf-sheddi>:g, flowering, and fruiting. The tree sheds its leaves 

 about February-March, the leaves turning reddish before falhng ; the new 

 leaves appear in April-May. The large terminal panicles of maave flowers, 

 2-3 in. in diameter, appear from April to June, at which time the trees are 

 extremely handsome. The capsules (Fig. 226, a), 5- to 6-valved, broadly ovoid, 

 O'7-l in. long, ripen from November to January, according to locality, though 

 they do not actually open and scatter the seeds for some little time (February, 

 Goalpara, Assam, 1915 ; March-April, Dehra Dun, planted trees). The seeds 

 (Fig. 226, h) are light brown, angular, fairly hard, with a stiff brittle wing, 

 the whole 0-6-0*7 in. long ; they are often unfertile. The tree seeds at an 

 early age ; vigorous plants raised from irrigated broadcast sowings at Dehra 

 Dun commenced to bear seed at the age of three years. 



Germination (Fig. 226, c-f). Epigeous. The radicle emerges from the 

 end of the seed opposite the wing ; the hypocotyl arches slightly and extricates 

 the cotyledons in straightening. The seed-coat is left on or in the ground. 



The seedling (Fig. 226). 



Roots : primary root moderately long, wiry, flexuose, thick in vigorous 

 plants : lateral roots numerous, long, fibrous. Hypocotyl distinct from root, 

 0-4-0-7 in. long, quadrangular, reddish or green, glabrous. Cotyledons : petiole 

 0-05 in. long : lamina 1-5-2 in. by 2-2-5 in., foliaceous, somewhat fleshy, 

 orbicular reniform, broader than long, apex truncate or slightly retuse, entire, 

 glabrous. Stem erect, 3- to 5-angled and winged, woody, glabrous, young parts 

 green or reddish, older parts greenish brown ; internodes 0-1-1-3 in. long. 

 Leaves simple, alternate, sessile or sub-sessile, exstipulate, earlier leaves small, 

 the size increasing with successive leaves, 0-5-2-5 in. by 0-3-1-5 in. in natural 

 seedlings, up to 8 by 3 in. in vigorous artificially grown seedlings, elliptical or 

 elliptical lanceolate or obovate, acute or acuminate, base acute, entire or 

 undulate, glabrous, paler beneath than above, venation arched, with a pro- 

 minent intramarginal vein, midrib often reddish, veins prominent, raised on 

 under side. 



During the first season the growth of the seedling is slow, a height of only 

 2-6 in. being ordinarily attained by the end of the year ; subsequently the 

 growth is considerably faster. Weeding and irrigation, particularh^ the former, 

 greatly stimulate growth. Plants raised from weeded broadcast sowings on 

 tilled ground at Dehra Dun reached in three years a height of 10 ft. when 

 irrigated, and 8 ft. when not irrigated. In the first year they attained a height 

 up to 3 ft. The leaves fall about November to January, and new growth starts 

 in March (Dehra Dun). In their earlier stages the seedlings are small and 

 delicate, and are apt to be washed away by heavy rain ; they are sensitive 

 to frost and drought. 



SiLVicuLTFRAL CHARACTERS. The tree is a moderate light-demander, 

 soon becoming suppressed under shade which is at all heavy ; it is less light- 

 demanding than teak. In its natural habitat it is exposed neither to frost 

 nor ordinarily to drought : in the severe frost of 1905 trees planted at Dehra 

 Dun suffered. It is a decidedly moisture-loving tree. It coppices well, the 

 coppice-shoots growing vigorously. 



