MR HIERN, ON EBENACE^E. 161 



diameter or perhaps larger, yellow, edible, pulpy, sweet but astringently so, 6 8-seeded, 

 strongly scented, not very pleasant to the taste. Fruiting calyx spreading, nearly as wide as 

 the fruit when young. Seeds bony, " compresso-ovate." 



The fruit according to Loureiro is brought to market for sale. 



N. Cochinchina. Loureiro ! A.D. 1774 (seen in Hb. Mus. Brit.). Local name Cay Thi. 



Very possibly D. melanoxylon, Roxb. ought to be united with this species ; but the leaves 

 in the latter are all alternate, so far as the specimen seen by me shews. 



7. DIOSPYROS SYLVATICA, Roxb. Coromand. p. 37. t. 47 (1795). 



D. foliis alternis, ovalibus, scepe acuminatis, basi angustatis, vix coriaceis, glabris vel sub- 

 glabris, breviter petiolatis ; fioribus masculis cymosis, <x>-nis, globosis, parvis, scepius 4-meris 

 interdum 3- vel 5-meris ; staminibus 13 22, glabris; floribus femineis solitariis pedunculatis, 

 scepe in ramulis junioribus racemose dispositis, 4 3-meris, globosis; staminodiis 4, glabris; 

 ovario 8- vel 6-loculari; fructibus globosis; albumine ruminato. 



Alph. DC. Prodr. vin. p. 231. n. 41 excl. var. /3 velutina (1844). 



Thw. Enum. Ceyl. PI. p. 178. n. 3 (1860). 



Bedd. Ic. PI. Ind. Or. (Part vn.) p. 25. t. 121 (1871). 



D. orixensis, Klein ex Willd. Sp. PI. iv. p. 110 (1805), Alph. DC. I.e. p. 230. n. 35, non 

 Wight. 



Native names : Tella-gada of the Telingas ; Nella-gada (Hb. Roxb.) ; Soodoo-Kadoombai- 

 reya-gass in Ceylon. 



A pretty large tree ; foliage turning black when dry ; branches spreading at 60 75, 

 glabrous or the young shoots pubescent. Leaves alternate, oval, pointed or acuminate, thin, 

 usually somewhat narrowed at base ; nearly or quite glabrous, 2 6 in. long by f 3 in. wide ; 

 petioles ^ ^ in. long, often puberulous ; midrib and veins depressed on upper side, but not 

 conspicuous ; lateral veins not very close. 



<J. Cymes axillary, several- or many-flowered, ^ in. long (excluding the flowers), 

 more or less shortly-pubescent ; ultimate pedicels short ; flowers small, T > 5 \ in. long, white 

 and fragrant when growing, 3 5-merous, usually 4-merous; calyx very short ^ ^ in. high 

 by Jjj in. wide, 3 5-fid, pubescent or ciliate, glabrous inside; corolla obconic-subglobular, 

 lobed at apex, nearly glabrous ; stamens 13 22, mostly in pairs and inserted at base of 

 corolla, glabrous (or rarely with a few short hairs) ; anthers about the length of the filaments, 

 dehiscing laterally from apex ; ovary rudimentary, somewhat hairy at apex or glabrous. 



9 . Flowers solitary, on peduncles ^ \ in. long, larger than the $ , 3 4- usually 4- 

 merous; staminodes 4, glabrous, alternating with the corolla-lobes; ovary 6- or 8-celled, 

 glabrous or hairy at apex ; cells 1-ovuled ; styles 3 or 4 ; fruit globose, glabrous or with a 

 few appressed hairs around apex, in. or more in diameter; fruiting calyx spreading, accres- 

 cent, f in. in diameter. Seeds 2 8 ; albumen somewhat ruminated. Wood very hard, used 

 for fancy work. 



VOL. XII. PART I. 21 



