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DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF FICUS 
FROM TRAVANCORE. 
By T. F, Bourpibion, F.1.8., CONSERVATOR OF ForEsTs, TRAVANCORE, 
(With a Plate.) 
(Read before the Bombay Natural History Society 
on 16th January, 1900.) 
URTICACEA. 
Ficus Rama VARMA, sp. nov. 
A fast-growing tree of immense size, wholly glabrous, with irregularly 
shaped trunk and wide-spreading branches. Leaves erect, shining, dark 
green when old, very pale when young, broad ovate, acuminate, 6 ms. 
to 1 ft. long by 4-6 ins. broad, coriaceous, edge straight or undulate : 
base cordate or rounded: basal nerves 3: distinctly penniveined : 
nerves prominent 10-16 pairs, anastomosing at the edge of the 
leaf. Petiole moderately stout 1-4 in. long. Stipules in pairs 
from 1-6 in. in length. Receptacles in pairs in the axils of the 
leaves, subglobose or somewhat 3-sided on one inch peduncles, each 
from #-1 inch diameter, green, smooth. Base of the receptacle 
supported by 3 triangular bracts. Male and female flowers inter- 
mixed with many lanceolate bracteoles in the same receptacles. Male 
flowers numerous, scattered, pedicelled, monandrous, sepals 4 broad, 
anther large ovoid, almost sessile. Female flowers sessile or shortly 
pedicelled, naked, but with bracteoles often adhering, style elongate, 
stigma simple. Fruit 1 inch diameter, green when ripe, dotted with 
yellow spots. 
A very handsome forest tree growing toa height of 100 ft. with a 
diameter of stem of 4 ft. or more, inclined to branch, and occurring 
on the hills of Travancore at elevations between 1,000 and 4,000 ft., 
in evergreen forest, I have not noticed it in the low country. It is 
fairly abundant throughout Travancore. In general appearance it 
resembles, when growing among smaller trees, the Banyan (7. Benga- 
lensis), but it is at once distinguished from that tree by the absence of 
aerial roots, by the brighter appearance of its leaves, and by its enor- 
mous “ stipules.” Botanically, this tree is nearest to J. callosa, from 
which it differs in habit and appearance, in ts binate and not solitary 
