1(50 MR HIERN, ON EBENACE^E. 



and front on the anthers which are longer than the filaments ; ovary wanting or rudimen- 

 tary and hairy. 



9 . Flowers rather larger than the male, solitary, subsessile, pentamerous or tetramerous ; 

 calyx hairy on both sides, 5- winged (in D. Wightiana, Wall. !) by the patent projection of the 

 margins of the lobes ; staminodes 8 or 10 ; styles 2 bifid somewhat hairy ; ovary 4 ! ( 8) -celled, 

 densely hairy ; cells 1-ovuled. Fruit globular or ovoid, somewhat hairy or glabrescent, usually 

 4-celled and 4-seeded, about 1 in. long ; albumen of seed somewhat ruminated ; according to 

 Roxburgh 2 8 seeds ripen ; fruiting calyx nearly flat about in. across. 



Neilgherries and Serramallee Hills, India, R. Wight! (D. dubia); Adjeeghur, and Bisrum- 

 gunge ghaut, Boyle (D. Roijlii); Belgaum, Dr Ritchie! 1108; Calicut!, Hb. Wight! 1723, 

 Subbulpore, 1727, 1721, 1725; Hb. Griffith!, 3630,3626(1); Bababoodun Hills, Mysore, Mr 

 Law!; common in dry forests in Madras, according to Major Beddonie. The ebony tree of 

 Malabar and Coromandel. Mysore, a small shrub, common, Dr Brandis!, May 1868. 



It is only the centre of large trees that is black and valuable, and the quantity found 

 varies with the age of the tree. The outer portion of the wood is white and soft, and either 

 decays soon or is destroyed by insects which leave the black part untouched. The ripe fruit is 

 eaten by the natives in the Circars, but is astringent and not very palatable. The bark of 

 the tree possesses tonic and astringent properties, and in decoction proves useful in atonic 

 diarrhoea, dyspepsia and diseases of debility. [See E. J. Waring, Pharmacopoeia of India, 

 p. 132 (1868).] 



Cfr. D. decandra, Lour. 



6. DIOSPYROS DECANDRA, Loureiro, Fl. Cochinch. p. 227 (1790). 



D. foliis ovato-lanceolatis vel ellipticis, apice obtuse acuminatis, basi plus minus angustatis, 

 alternis, tenuiter coriaceis, leviter pubcscentibus, petiolatis ; floribus femineis sub- 3-nis, cymosis, 

 4 o-meris; corolla urceolatd; staminodiis 10, glabris; ovario 6 8-loculari; fructibas subglo- 

 bosis edulibus. 



Alph. DC. Prodr. VIII. p. 238. n. 85 (1844), non Boj. 



A large tree with rather patent branches, producing excellent heavy timber, white but 

 marked with many black veins and sometimes with black heart-wood. Leaves thinly 

 coriaceous, slightly pubescent, especially on the midrib, which is somewhat depressed on the 

 upper surface, of nearly the same brown colour (in the dry state) on both sides, alternate, 

 elliptical or ovate-lanceolate, shortly and obtusely acuminate at apex, more or less narrowed 

 at base? 2 3 in. long (besides petiole $ f in. long) by T ^ 1 in. wide ; venation as in D. 

 melanoxylon. 



9 . Inflorescence rufous-hairy, more or less glabrescent ; peduncles axillary, ranging up 

 to | in. long or rather more, bearing 3 or more flowers on short pedicels. Flowers whitish. 

 Flower-bud depresso-ovato, in. long by -fa in. thick; calyx deeply 4 5-fid, enclosing the 

 young corolla, with valvate (?) deltoid lobes whose sides are somewhat revolute ; corolla 

 shortly lobed, glabrous inside, tube urceolate, lobes obtuse, reflexed in full flower; staminodes 

 glabrous, 10 according to Loureiro, short, inserted at the base of the corolla. Ovary 6- or 

 8-celled and -ovuled; ovules pendulous. Style short, lobed at apex. Fruit compresso-rotund 

 or subglobose, subglatrate at least in part, 6 8-celled in the cases examined, about 1 in. in 



