162 



E US YCE . 



F. trilepis, Miq. in Ann. Mus. Lugd. Bat. iii. 228, 294, Wall. Cat.— F. caudal*/, 

 Wall. Cat. 4494B.— F. h'nata, Wall. Cat. 4554.— i? clavtfructus, King MSS. ? 



A small glabrous tree or bush. Leaves membranous, petiolate, sometimes slightly inequi- 

 lateral, lanceolate, ovate-lanceolate or elliptic, rarely oblaneeolate, gradually narrowed upwards 

 to a more or less lengthened sharp acumen; edges entire, not revolute; base cuneate or much 

 narrowed, rarely rounded, 3-nerved; lateral primary nerves 7 to 12 or even 14 pairs rather 

 horizontal, prominent, and, as well as the minute distinct reticulations, dark coloured on the 

 wer surface; length of blade 3 to 5'5 in.; petioles -5 in. to 1 in. and (in some luxuriant 



no* 



ecep 



specimens) nearly 2 in. long; stipules lanceolate, convolute, glabrous, -4 to *6 in. lo 

 Eeceptacles glabrous, sessile, or shortly pedunculate, from the axils of leaves or of the sc 

 of fallen leaves, sub-globular or ellipsoid or truncate-ellipsoid when young, clavate 

 mature, about *3 in. across; umbilicus always rather prominent; basal bracts 3, broad, united 

 peduncle absent or from 15 in. to *2 in. long. Male flowers present in both sets of 

 tacles, pedicellate, most numerous near the mouth, but occasionally scattered in the recep 

 tacles containing gall flowers, few and confined to the neighbourhood of the mouth in the 

 receptacles containing fertile female flowers, di- or tri-androus. Female and gall flowers 

 with similar perianth of 3 fleshy, ovate-lanceolate pieces ; the gall ovary ovoid, crustaceous • 

 acheneof fertile female rotund, minutely wrinkled; its style longer and more lateral than 

 that of the gall flower. 



On the lower slopes of the outer ranges of the Himalaya from Hazara to Bhotan , the 

 Khasia and other hill ranges of Assam, at elevations of from 1,500 to 6,500 ft. 



Rather variable, but not more so than might be expected in a species of such wide 

 distribution. The forms may be divided into two series, according as the receptacles contain 

 a larger or smaller proportion of fertile female flowers : 



Series I.— Eeceptacles ovoid or clavate ; male flowers few ; galls Jeio or absent ; fertile 



females numerous. 



Var. 1 . forma typica. Leaves elliptic or ovate-lanceolate, with rather a broad base ; 



receptacles shortly pedunculate, ovoid; fertile female flowers rather 

 numerous. Central and Eastern Himalaya, Assam. 



Var. 2. trilepis. Receptacles ellipsoid, truncate when young, clavate when mature 



containing mainly fertile females. Central and Eastern Himalaya. 

 F. binata, Wall. ; F. trilepis, Miq. ; F. clav/fructus, King MSS. In the 



receptacles of this variety I have not found many fertile male flowers; 

 rudimentary male flowers without anthers are, however, rather numerous 

 near the mouth, while gall flowers are very few in number. The above 

 two varieties are thus practically the female forms of the species. 



Series II. — Receptacles sub-globular ; male and gall flowers numerous ; fertile female 



flowers few or absent. 



Var. 3. gemella. The leaves narrower than in the typical form ; the receptacles 



sessile. Distribution the sniae as in var. 1. — F, gemella, Wall. 



