THE POISONOUS PLANTS OF BOMBAY. 237 



stomata under the microscope on account of this prominent network 

 of veins or nerves. Knrz agrees with me in the view that 

 the venation is markedly coarse on the under-surface. Dalzell and 

 Gibson, who were particularly familiar with the Bombay specimens 

 also say that the leaves are whitish and tomentose beneath. 



Petiole — Short, varying in length from 1 to 2 inches, rounded or 

 half-rounded, stout, not winged, densely puberulous. 



FLOWERS — Polygamous or dioecious ; small, £ to ^ inch in 

 diameter ; subsessile, fascicled ; the fascicles arranged in erect com- 

 pound terminal panicles. 



Inflorescence — In large terminal tomentose panicles ; the lower 

 branches of the panicles issuing from the axils of terminal leaves. 

 The panicles are stout, equalling or shorter than the leaves, branching 

 into numerous spikes. The panicles of the male tree much more slender. 



Bkacts — Many, small, lanceolate, fugacious. 



Bracteoles — Present but fugacious. 



Estivation — Imbricate. 



The above is a description of the flowers generally. It would be 

 useful to note the differences in the male, female and hermaphrodite 

 flowers individually. 



FEMALE and HERMAPHRODITE FLOWERS, says Kurz, 

 " are 1 to 3 lines long, racemulose and nearly twice longer than the 

 clustered, almost sessile, male flowers. Pedicels very thick and 

 tomentose." He further adds that both male and female flowers form 

 a terminal ample robust tomentose panicle of the length of the leaves 

 or shorter. 



Calyx — 5-fid ; segments deciduous. 



Corolla — Greenish-white, or tl greenish-yellow." (Brandis.) 



Petals — Five ; "valvate-imbricate" (Kurz). 3 to 4 times the length 

 of the calyx ; oblong, slightly pointed at the apex, inserted under the 

 margin of the disk ; sessile, glabrous, very spreading. 



Disk — Broad, annular, between stamens and ovary. 



Stamens — 5, alternate with the petals ; inserted on the margin of 

 the disk ; imperfect or sterile in female flowers ; equal ; distinct. 



Filaments — Subulate from a somewhat dilated base ; of the length 

 of the petals. 



Anthers— Yellow j ovoid or elliptical 



