408 DICTIONARY OF POPULAR NAVIES TEAK 



was found too heavy for general use ; it is adapted, however, 

 for steam- vessels, as it stands a great degree of heat. 



Teak Tree, Indian [Tcdona grandis), native of India, ex- 

 tending eastward to Burinah and islands of the Indian Ocean. 

 It is a magnificent timber-tree of the Verbena family (Yqy- 

 benacese) ; the wood is hard and very durable ; a specimen is 

 exhibited in the Kew Museum said to be 2000 years old. It is 

 largely imported into this country, and used for shipbuilding 

 and railway carriages. Its young branches are quadrangular, 

 with opposite ovate or elliptical leaves, about 6 or 8 inches in 

 length, and very rough on the upper surface, which renders 

 them useful for polishing ; they also yield a red dye, which is 

 to be seen by the upper surface of the young leaves becoming 

 of a red colour on being bruised. An oil called Teak-wood Oil 

 is extracted and used for varnishing and polishing wood, etc. 

 The Indian teak-forests are now under Government protection. 

 An allied Indian tree of tlie same family is Gmeliiia arhorea ; 

 it also has hard wood, winch is used in India for similar purposes 

 to teak, but it is a much smaller tree. 



Teak Tree, New Zealand ( Vitex littomlis), a large tree of 

 the Verbena family (Verbenacese), native of ISTew Zealand, 

 attaining a height of 50 or 60 feet, and of large diameter ; it 

 has digitate leaves, and very hard and heavy wood that is used 

 for purposes under water. It is known by the native name 

 Puriri. 



Teazle {Dipsacus Fullonum), a biennial plant of tlie Teazle 

 family (Dipsacese) ; its flower-stems attain a height of 4 to 

 6 feet, having large, opposite, lanceolate, stiff leaves, wdth their 

 broad bases united, forming a reservoir which holds vrater. The 

 flowers are small, growing in compact, cylindrical heads, about 

 4 inches in length and 1 inch in diameter. The flowers (florets) 

 are separated by scales, which when the head is ripe become 

 very hard, each furnished with a horn-like point, turned down- 

 wards at a right angle to the apex of the scale. The circum- 

 stance of the outward direction of the horn or bristle, as it mav 

 be called, makes the teazle-head of great importance to the fuller, 



