664 XL. APOCYNx^CEAE 



1. HOLARRHENA, R. Brown. 



Holarrhena antidyseiiterica, Wall. Syn. H. Codaga, G. Don ; Chone- 

 morpha antidy sent erica, G. Don. Vern. Dudhi, karra, kura, kachri, Hind. ; 

 Ktida, Mar. ; Kodaga, Mar. ; Lettokgyi, Burm. (Fig. 253.) 



A small deciduous tree with opposite entire leaves. Bark greyish brown, 

 scaly. Wood white, soft, even grained, used for carving into picture -frames, 

 domestic utensils, and fancy articles of various kinds. The bark and seeds 

 {indarjau, Hind.) are used medicinally. The tree is of interest and importance 

 in Indian forestry from its great abundance and wide distribution, in which 

 respect it is a useful accessory species in clothing the ground and acting as 

 a nurse to more valuable species : the tree is important for reclothing waste 



lands. 



Distribution and habitat. Widely distributed throughout India and 

 Burma in deciduous forests and open waste lands, where it is often gregarious. 

 It ascends the outer Himalayan valleys to 4,000 ft., and is abundant in the 

 sal and mixed deciduous forests of the sub-Himalayan tract, being one of the 

 component species of the mixed type of forest representing the transition 

 stage between the riverain forests of Acacia Catechu and Dalbergia Sissoo and 

 the sal forests on older and more elevated land. It is also a common species 

 in the mixed deciduous forest of the dry bhabar tract skirting the base of the 

 outer hills. It is common throughout the greater part of the Indian Peninsula, 

 down to Malabar and Travancore. 



In Burma it is fairly common in dry open mixed forests, often on laterite, 

 and in induing (dry dipterocarp) forest. It reaches the dry zone of Burma, 

 but is probably absent from the drier parts of that zone. 



Within its habitat the absolute maximum shade temperature varies from 

 105 to 118 F., the absolute minimum from 30 to 55 F., and the normal 

 rainfall from 30 to 150 in. 



Leaf-shedding, flowering, and fruiting. The leaves turn yellow 

 about December- January and fall about January-February, the tree remaining 

 leafless until the new leaves appear about April. The flowering period is 

 somewhat variable : flowering may commence as early as April, but usually 

 takes place in May and June, sometimes continuing until July and August, 

 when flowers may be found along with nearly full-sized unripe fruits. The 

 white flowers, which are arranged in terminal corymbose cymes, are very 

 fragrant. The fruits are pairs of slender follicles 8-16 in. long : they develop 

 rajjidly after the flowering is over, and are full-sized by August to October, 

 but do not ripen until February to April, when they dehisce on the tree, and 

 the numerous seeds escape. The seeds (Fig. 255, a) are 0-5-0-8 in. long, Unear. 

 hght brown, with a thin, somewhat brittle, closely adhering testa, and crowned 

 at one end with a coma of pale brown silky hairs 1-5-2 in. long, with the aid 

 of which the seeds are distributed to some distance by the wind : 900-1,000 

 seeds weigh 1 oz., and there are usually about 25-30 in each follicle. Fresh 

 seed has a high percentage of germination, but a considerable proportion loses 

 its vitaHty if kept for one year. 



Flowering and fruiting begin at an early stage in the life of the tree. 

 A nursery-raised seedling at Dehra Dun, from seed sown in May 1911, flowered 



