770 XLVI. VERBENACEAE 



the end of April (Burma) to July. The fruit is a succulent ovoid or oblong 

 drupe, 0-9-1 -2 in. long, yellow when ripe, with a leathery shining pericarp, 

 a sweetish pulp, and a hard bony stone. The stone (Fig. 294, a) is 0-6-0-9 in. 

 lon<^, ovoid, pointed at one end, usually 2-celled and 2-seeded, but sometimes 

 1- or 3-celled and seeded. About 40 stones average 1 oz. in weight. Seed-year 

 records in Chittagong and in the Santal Parganas show that the tree seeds 

 well as a rule every year. The germinative poAver of fresh seed is high, but if 

 stored for a year a considerable proportion of the seed loses its vitality : 

 a sample of fruit-stones tested at Dehra Dun, which gave 90 per cent, of success 

 when fresh, gave only 30 per cent. Avhen kept for one year. The highest 

 percentage obtained from fresh fruit-stones was 112, often two and sometimes 

 three seedhngs emerging from one stone. The fruits are eagerly devoured by 

 cattle and deer, and the stones are spread by their agency. 



Germination (Fig. 294, b-f). Epigeous, resembhng that of the teak. 

 The stone of the drupe opens by means of one or two lateral valves, the radicle 

 emerging first and the cotyledons issuing shortly after. The stone is either 

 left on or in the ground, or is carried up over the cotyledons, falling with their 

 expansion. 



The seedling (Fig. 294). 



Roots : primary root long, at first thin, afterwards thickening consider- 

 abh', terete, tapering : lateral roots moderate in number and length, fibrous, 

 distributed down main root or more plentiful in its upper part. Hypocotyl 

 distinct from and thicker than root, 0-3-0 -7 in. long, terete or obscurely 

 quadrangular, white turning green, finely pubescent. Cotyledons : petiole 

 0-1-0-2 in. long, channelled or flattened above, finely pubescent with capitate 

 hairs : lamina 0-5-0-7 in. by 0-3-0-4 in., elliptical or ovate, emarginate. entire, 

 somewhat fleshy, yellow turning green, finel}^ pubescent with capitate hairs, 

 midrib deeply impressed on upper surface, lateral veins less distinct. Stem 

 erect, more or less quadrangular near the nodes, green, fijiely pubescent with 

 capitate hairs ; internodes 0-5-3 in. long. Leaves simple, opposite, exstipulate. 

 Petiole 0-3-1-5 in. long, channelled above, green, glabrous or finely tomentose. 

 Lamina 1-5-3 in. by 1-2-3 in., broadly ovate, acute or acuminate, widely 

 <lentate or sinuate, base cordate, cuneate, or obtuse, with glands near the 

 l)etiole, green above, glaucous beneath, glabrous or lower surface glabrescent 

 or finely pubescent with capitate hairs on the principal veins ; lateral veins 

 3-5 pairs, including two prominent basal lateral veins. 



Under favourable conditions the growth of the seedling is rapid, more 

 jiarticularly from the second year onwards. Although able to struggle against 

 weeds more successfully than manj^ other species, it responds to weeding by 

 more rapid growth and increased vigour ; it also benefits by irrigation. On 

 stiff soil its development is poor. Among damp weeds the seedlings are apt 

 to rot during the rain. 



The season's growth ceases about November, the leaves fall in December- 

 .liuniary. and the new leaves begin to appear in February-March (northern 

 India). I^Vom May onwards in the second season the growth is rapid. The 

 axillary buds of the stem usually commence to sprout in the first season, and 

 in vigorous plants side branches may reach several inches in length ; in the 

 second year strong side branches are developed. 



The seedling is fairly hardy as regards drought and frost. In frosty 

 locahtu's the leaves are often touched, the shoots escaping, but in grass the 



