208 MB HIERN, ON EBENACE^E. 



78. DIOSPYROS EBENUM, Koenig in Physiogr. Salsk. Handl. I. p. 176 (1776). 



D. ligno duro in centra nigro, foliis alternis, ovalibus vel oblongis, apice obtuse acumi- 

 natis, basi obtuse angustatis, tenuiter coriaceis, reticulatis, glabris, breviter petiolatis ; floribus 

 masculis subsessilibus, breviter cymosis, scepius 3-5-ms, tetrameria, calyce campanulato, ciliato, 

 breviter 4<-lobo, corolld tubulosd, media constrictd, glabrd, 4-fidd, staminibus 16 32, fila- 

 mentis 8 ; floribus fernineis solitariis, staminodiis 16 geminatis vel paucioribus, ovario 8- 

 loculari, glabro vel appresse pubescente, calyce fructifero aucto, tubo campanulato margine in- 

 tus elevato, lobis patentibus vel reflexis, fructibus subglobosis, glabris vel appresse pubescentibus, 

 seminum albumine non ruminato. 



Alph. DC. Prodr. vin. p. 234. n. 63 (1844); Ettingsh. Blatt-skel. Dikot. p. 89. t. 37. f. 13 

 (1861); Linn. fil. Suppl. PL p. 440 (1781); Koxb. drawings; Beddome, Fl. Sylvat. Madr. t. 65 

 (1870) ; Wight. Ic. t. 188. (1840). 



D. glaberrima, Rottb. in Act. Hafn. 1783. vol. II. p. 540. t. 5. 



D. melanoxylon, Willd. Hb. n. 19243; Sp. pi. iv. p. 1109. n. 8 (1805); non Roxb. 



D. reticulata, Wall. ! List, p. 159. n. 4120 E. (182832), non Willd. 



D. Ebenaster, Spach, Hist. Teg^t. IX. p. 407 (1840), t. 135 (1846), non Retz. 



D. nigricans, Dalz. in Kew Journ. Bot. iv. p. 110 (1852); Bedd. Ic. PI. Ind. Or. (vil.) 

 p. 25, excl. t. 124 (1871) ; non Wall. 



D. assimilis, Bedd. Report Forests of Madras for 186667, p. 20. t. 1 (1867). 



A large tree with glabrous branches. Leaves glabrous, alternate, oblong or oval, 

 obtusely communicate or retuse at apex, somewhat narrowed at base, thinly coriacious 

 2 7 in. long by f 2| in. wide, with petioles \ J in. long ; net-veined, of same colour on 

 both sides. 



(5. Flowers 3 15 together, subsessile, on short pubescent cymes which about equal the 

 petioles, about fjin. long in bud; Bracts small, caducous. Calyx funnel-shaped, about 

 in. long, shortly 4-lobed, nearly or quite glabrous outside with ciliated margins, hairy 

 inside; lobes rounded. Corolla tubular, constricted at middle, glabrous, 4-fid, with imbri- 

 cated lobes. Stamens 16, unequal, more or less in pairs, glabrous, inserted at base of 

 corolla, or ranging up to 32 on 8 filaments ; ovary rudimentary or wanting. 



9. Flowers solitary, with 2 bracts at base, shortly stalked. Calyx much longer than 

 in the <J, deeply 4-fid with an elevated callous marginal ring round its mouth. Stami- 

 nodes 16, in pairs, or fewer. Style 1 ; stigmas 4 ; ovary 8-celled, glabrous or appressedly 

 pubescent. AJbumen of seeds not ruminated. Fruit depresso-globose or subglobose, \ in. 

 long, or globose and \ 1 in. in diameter, glabrous or appressedly pubescent. Fruit-calyx 

 about | 1 in. across, with spreading or reflexed lobes, receiving the base of the fruit by 

 the cup-shaped tube which has an elevated circular margin felted inside. 



East India, Koenig ! ; Chorla Ghaut, Dalzell (called Kar& mard in S. Canara) ; Assam, 

 Griffith!; Ceylon, Columbo, Ferguson!, Thwaites ! 1912, 1913, 2437, 2439; East Bengal, 

 Griffith! 3621; Malacca, Griffith! 3635 "Cayoo Arang, Ebony Wood," Main gay ! 971. 

 " Flowers 4 5 merous ; Satiny-black. Leaves shining above. Flower yellowish ;" Wight 

 1714; Wallich! List n. 4120; Sumatra and Molucca IsL ex Miq. Fl. Ind. Bat. II. p. 1048 

 (1856) ; New Caledonia, Vieillard ! 898, Thiebault ! 344. 



