776 XLVI. VERBENACEAE 



Coppice growth is also rapid. A stool in a coupe fourteen years old in 

 the Gorakhpur district, United Provinces, had produced three coppice-shoots 

 42 ft. high and 3 ft., 2 ft. 3 in., and 1 ft. 8 in. in girth respectively, while domi- 

 nant sal coppice shoots near it had a maximum height of 35 ft., and averaged 

 1 ft. 6 in. in girth. In the Koderma forest, Hazaribagh, Mr. Haines in 1916 

 measured a coppice-shoot eleven years old with a girth of 1 ft. 6 in., the 

 maximum girth o" sal coppice-shoots near it being I ft. 3 in. 



3. VITEX, Linn. 



A genus containing about 15 Indian species of trees or shrubs with opposite 

 digitately 3- or 5-foliate leaves ; it includes some useful timber trees. Silvi- 

 culturally this genus has as yet received little study. 



Species 1. F. Negundo, Linn. ; 2. V. aUissima, Linn. f. ; 3. V. pubescens, 

 Vahl ; 4. V. peduncularis, Wall. ; 5. V. Levcoxylon, Linn, f . ; 6. V. glabrafa, 

 R.Br. 



1. Vitex Negundo, Linn. Vern. Shiwdli, Hind. ; Marwan, Pb. ; Nirgud, 

 Mar. ; Nochi, Tarn. ; Vavili, Tel. 



A deciduous shrub with 3- or 5-foliate leaves, very common, and often 

 gregarious, throughout the greater part of India, extending into dry regions 

 and ascending to 5,000 ft. in the outer Himalaya. Abundant in open waste 

 places, and as a hedge plant along roads and between fields. It is a useful 

 plant for afforestation work, producing root-suckers and growing readily from 

 cuttings. It is not usually browsed. The twigs are used for wattle-w^ork and 

 rough basket-work. Growth, according to Gamble, 7 rings per inch of radius, 

 giving a mean annual girth increment of 0-9 in. 



2. Vitex altissima, Linn. f. Vern. Bidgi, mairole, Kan. ; Mayilei, Tarn. 

 A large or very large tree with a dense crown, quadrangular branchlets, 



and 3 -foliate, rarely 5-foliate leaves. Bark grej', scaly, yellow and fibrous 

 inside. Wood greyish brown, hard, close-grained, much in demand for build- 

 ing, furniture, &c. The tree is an important one in western and southern 

 India, and is common both in evergreen and in deciduous forests of the Western 

 Ghats, as. well as in open dry forest in parts of the Deccan and Travancore ; 

 also in Ceylon. Flowers, April-May : fruits, July-August, The fruit is a small 

 purple di'upe. The tree stands a moderate amount of shade, especiall}- in 

 youth ; it produces root-suckers. Growth, according to Gamble, 8 to 9 rings 

 per inch of radius, giving a mean annual girth increment of 0-7 to 0-78 in. 



3 Vitex pubescens, Vahl. Syn. V . arborea, Roxb. Vern. Nemali adiigii, 

 Tel. ; Myladi, Tam. ; Kyetyo, Burm. 



A moderate-sized to large tree with quadrangular branchlets and 3- or 

 o-foUate leaves. Wood very hard and close-grained, durable and useful. 

 Forests of southern India, extending north on the east side to Orissa ; Sylhet, 

 Burma in upper mixed deciduous forests, Andamans. In southern India it is 

 common chiefly along the banks of streams. Growth, according to Gamble, 

 8 to 10 rings per inch of radius, giving a mean annual girth increment of 0-63 

 to 0-78 in. 



A tree referred to by Mr. A. Rodger ^ under the name of kyungaukmve 



' Working Plan for the Tagaung Working Circle, Ruby Mines Division, 1912, pars. 14 and 15. 



