672 XL. APOCYNACEAE 



4. CARISSA, Linn. 



Species L C. spinarum, A. DC; 2. C. Carandas, Limi. 



1. Carissa spinarum, A. DC. Syn. C. diffusa, Roxb. Vern. Karaunda, 

 Hind. ; Kavali, Kan, ; Kalivi, Tel. ; Kan, Burm. 



An evergreen shrub with green branchlets and pairs of divaricate thorns 

 at the nodes. The wood is hard and close grained, and is used for turning, 

 combs, &c. The leaves have shown promise as a tanning material. This 

 gregarious shrub is common in the drier forest tracts throughout India, 

 ascending the outer Himalaya to 4,000 ft. It is common in the scrub forests 

 of the dvy zone of Burma. It springs up readily not only in open places but 

 also as an undergrowi)h species, and is useful for clothing dry rocky ground. 

 Although readily browsed by sheep and goats it persists in a remarkable 

 manner ; bovine animals do not appear to be so partial to it. In some of 

 the heavily grazed tracts of Oudh it forms a dense undergro\\i;h, developing into 

 a small tree high enough to enable cattle to wander underneath. In such 

 places it is almost the only species which survives the heavy grazing and the 

 trampling of the soil ; its dense shade kills out the grass and ruins the grazing. 



The small white star-like flowers appear in the hot season, from Ajiril to 

 June ; they are extremely fragrant, especially in the evening. The fruits 

 ripen in the cold season ; they are dark purple, edible, sweetish juicy berries, 

 and are readily eaten by birds, which scatter the seeds. Under natural con- 

 ditions the seeds germinate during the rainy season ; with abnormal rain 

 some may germinate as early as March, but in this case the seedlings usually 

 die of drought in the subsequent hot weather. The seedhngs have good power 

 of penetrating grass and weed-growth, but succumb to excessive damp. 



The growth of the seedling is slow, a height of about 2 to 3 in. being 

 attained in the first season, about 6 to 8 in. in the second season, and about 

 10 to 13 in. in the third season. 



The shrub coppices well and produces root-suckers freely ; its power of 

 spreading by root-suckers no doubt accounts in part for its persistence in 

 spite of heavy grazing. It is frost-hardy, and in the abnormal drought of 

 1907 and 1908 in the forests of Oudh it proved decidedly drought-resistant. 

 It stands moderate shade. The growth is somewhat slow ; coppice-shoots 

 ten years old near Dehra Dun had an average height and girth of 8 ft. and 

 2 in. respectively. Gamble's specimens showed 8 to 15 rings per inch of radius, 

 giving a mean annual girth increment of 0-42 to 0-78 in. 



2. Carissa Carandas, Linn. Vern. Karaunda, Hind. 



This species resembles C spinarum, but is usually a larger shrub or a small 

 tree with larger leaves and fruits. It is frequently cultivated. 



ORDER XLI. ASCLEPIADACEAE 



This order is of interest mainly as containing a number of forest climbers, 

 a few of some importance as fibre plants and several noxious to tree-growth. 

 Among the best known are Cryptolepis Buchanani, Roem. and Sch., a very 

 common climber which in some forest tracts gives a good deal of trouble; 

 Dregea volubilis, Benth., a very troublesome climber in the riverain forests of 



