156 RhizophoracecB. \_Wtihea~ 



Forests in the moist region ; rare in the low country, and only re- 

 corded from the Singhe Rajah Forest ; common in the lower montane 

 zone and even extending above 5000 ft. Fl. Jan.-April; white. 



Endemic. 



The montane form has the leaves more coriaceous, smaller, \ in.,, 

 and proportionately broader ; but does not deserve to be made a variety. 



Wood red, rather heavy, hard but liable to split, medullary rays- 

 extremely wide, giving a very characteristic appearance. This beautiful 

 wood is often called ' Dawata' by the carpenters. 



5. WEIKEA, Spreng. 



A large shrub, 1. opp., with interpetiolar stip., fl. axillary ;; 



cal. free, cut nearly to the base into 5 segm. ; pet. 5, hypogynous r 



much cut; stam. about 30, hypogynous ; ov. quite superior,, 



3-celled with 2 pendulous ovules in each cell, style long, 



persistent, stigma 3-lobed ; fruit a fleshy capsule, 3-celled,. 



ultimately dehiscent septicidally; seeds 4-6, with a small aril, 



embryo straight in axis of endosperm. — Sp. 5 ; 1 in FL B. Ind. 



The structure of the flower is completely thalamifloral, hence Gardner 

 and others have referred it to Tiliacecs {Elcsocarpecs) and Moon to Elceo- 

 carpus itself (see also Arnott in Ann. Nat. Hist. iii. 23) which its pet. so 

 much resemble. 



W. zeylanica, Baill. Adans. iii. 38 (1862). Kannu, T. Pana, 5. 



Elceocarpus integrzfolius, Moon Cat. 42 (non Lam.). Anstrutheria* 

 zeylanica, Gardn. in Calc. Journ. Nat. Hist. vi. 344. Thw. Enum. 121. 

 C. P. 11 16. 



Fl. B. Ind. ii. 441. Calc. Journ. Nat. Hist. vi. t. 4. Bedd. Fl. Sylv. 

 t. 194. 



A large shrub, very much branched from the base, young 

 parts glabrous ; 1. if— 3 in. (or more) on short erect curved 

 petioles, broadly oval, rounded at base, obtusely acuminate, 

 entire, glabrous, shining above, bright apple green, rather 

 paler beneath, stip. interpetiolar, small, lanceolate, acute, 

 ciliate ; fl. f in., on short curved ped., solitary or rarely 2 or 3. 

 in axils, buds small, globular, completely enclosed for a long 

 period before expansion in 2 thick, cup-shaped, rounded, 

 ciliate bracts ; cal. -segm. oblong-lanceolate, acute, densely 

 silky outside, persistent, ultimately deflexed ; pet. with a long 

 claw, very deeply cut into linear segm., soon falling; fruit 

 nearly globose, tipped with long style, at length dehiscent by 

 3 valves. 



Low country, principally in the dry districts, where it is common ;. 



* In honour of Philip Anstruther, Colonial Secretary of Ceylon from 

 1846 to 1850, a gentleman much interested in Agriculture, Horticulture^ 

 and Botany. 



