MANUAL OF THE NILAGIRI DISTRICT. 



99 



1st Tract. — The drciduons Forests of the Slopes. — These are o£ CHAP. VI. 



much tlie same character as the dry forests of the lesser hills and 



plains of the Presidency. The trees are all more or less decidu- ^"^*' 

 ous in the dry months of January, February, and March, but Deciduous 

 the forests are never entirely bare, like the woods and forests in slopes! "^ 

 Europe in the winter. Many trees, such as the Erijthrinas, Butea 

 frondosa, the three Dalbergias, Schleichera tri/juga, Stereospermum 

 xylocarpum, Odina Wodier, Terminalla Beleriea, and others burst 

 into flower in February, and leaf themselves rapidly afterwards, 

 before many other trees have finished shedding their leaves ; but 

 still these tracts have a very forlorn appearance at this season, 

 and fire often sweeps through them greatly to the disgust of 

 the Foresters. In these tracts a very great proportion of the 

 tropical trees of this Presidency are to be met with, and about 

 the lowest portions, very many of the tropical shrubs and weeds, 

 which do not belong at all to our alpine flora, such as the weeds 

 amongst Gap'parids, the small Milhworts {Pohj galas), the herbs 

 and shrubs of Malvacem, the Grewias and herbs of Tiliaceoi, 

 Zizyphus (several species), Vitis (several species), Cardiosper- 

 mum, leguminous weeds and herbs, most of the Cucurhitacece, 

 m&nj oi the Comjjositm, Convolvidacece, Scrophulariacece, Amaran- 

 tacem, Gommelynacece, and a large proportion of the sedges and 



The trees most characteristic of these tracts are as follows : — —character. 



istic trees. 



Hardwickia binata. 



Xylia dolabriformis. 



Acacia — many species. 



Albizzia odoratissima and amara. 



Terminalia tomentosa, paniculata, Bele- 



rica, and chobula. 

 Anogeissus latifolius. 

 Careya arborea. 



Lagerstroemia microcarpa and Regina. 

 Adina cordifolia. 

 Stephegyne parvifolia. 

 Stereospermum xylocarpum, 

 Tectona grandis. 

 Gmelina arborea. 

 Phyllanthus emblica. 

 Sponia Wightii. 

 Bambusa arundinacea 1 t> v 

 Dendrocalamus strictus/ I^amboos. 



Dillenia pentagyna. 

 CocMospermum gossypium. 

 Kydia calycina. 

 Bombax Malabaricum. 

 Sterculia foetida, urens, \'illosa, and 



colorata. 

 Erioloena liookeriana and quinquelo- 



cularis. 

 Boswellia serrata. 

 Garuga pinnata. 

 Cedrela Toona. 

 Chloroxylon Swietenia. 

 Elseodendron glaucum. 

 Schleichera trijuga. 

 Buchanania latifolia. 

 Mundulea suberosa. 

 Butea frondosa. 



Dalbergia latifolia and paniculata. 

 Pterocarpus marsupium. 



These tracts yield many of the most valuable timbers of the —valuable 

 Presidency, of which the following may be said to be the most *'""^^^^* 

 important : — 



Cedrela Toona (WTiite Cedar). 

 Chloroxylon Swietenia (the Satinwood). 

 Schleichera trijuga (Puva). 

 Dalbergia latifolia (the Blackwood or 



Rosewood), 

 pterocarpus marsupium (Vengay). 

 Hardwickia binata (Acha). 

 Xylia dolabriformis (Irul). 



Albizzia odoratissima (Karangilli). 

 Terminalia tomentosa (Matti). 

 Lagerstroemia microcarpa (Venteak), 

 Tectona grandis (Teak). 

 Gmelina arborea. 

 Phyllanthus emblica (Nelli). 

 Santalam album (Sandalwood) » 



