MAHWAH OR MADKUCA. 



301 



There are no filaments : but the antherce, which are 

 in number molt commonly twenty-fix, long, fcabrous, 

 and fpear-headed, are inferted in rows, on the infide 

 and upper part of the tube of the corolla. 



The jly I 'e is long, round, and tapering, and projects 

 about an inch bevond the corolla. It is fuccecded by a 

 drupe, with a thick peri carpi um, bilocular, containing 

 two feeds or kernels, covered with a dark brown fkin. 

 There are often, however, three of thefe in three fepa- 

 rate divifions. 



The flowers rife in bunches from the extremities of 

 the fmaller branches, and have each a pedicle of about 

 an inch and a half long. Thefe are moftly turned down- 

 wards, whence the corollas more eafily drop off. 



The tree, when full grown, is about the fize of a com- 

 mon mango-tree, with a bufhy head, and oval leaves, a 

 little pointed. Its roots fpreading horizontally, are funk 

 but little in the earth. The trunk, which is often of a 

 confiderable thicknefs, rifes feldom to any great height, 

 without giving off branches : it is, however, not uncom- 

 mon to fee it fhoot up clear to the length of eight or ten 

 feet. The wood itfelf is moderately hard, fine grained, 

 and of a reddifh colour. 



By incifion, the tree affords a refmous gum from the 

 bark. 



The flowers are of a nature very extraordinary, differ- 

 ing effentially from thofeof any other plant with which 

 I am acquainted, as they have not in any refpecl the 

 ufual appearance of fuch, but rather refemble berries ; 

 and I, like many others, had long cdrtceived them to 

 be i\\e fruit of the Mdhxvah. The tree drops its leaves 

 in the month of February ; and early in March thefe 



flowers 



