Mastixicu\ Cornacea. 287 



embryo narrow, in copious fleshy endosperm, radicle very long. 

 — Sp. 8 ; 6 in Fl. B. Ind. 

 Placed in Olacacea by some authors. 



Stam. and pet. 4 . . . . '. . . 1. M. tetrandra. 



Stam. and pet. 5 2. M. arborea. 



1. IMC. tetranda, Clarke in Fl. B. Ind. ii. 745 (1879). XMCaha- 

 tawara, 5. [Plate XLVII.] 



Bursinopetalum tetrandmm, Wight, Thw. Enum. 42. C. P. 2441. 



Fl. B. Ind. ii. 745. 



A large tree, bark smooth, pale, twigs numerous, stout, 

 puberulous ; 1. 3-4 in., oval or lanceolate-oval, acute at base, 

 caudate-acuminate, obtuse at apex, entire, glabrous, rather 

 stiff, dark green, pale beneath, petiole \ in., channelled above ; 

 fl. small, about \ in., on very short pubescent ped., in lax, 

 terminal, corymbose panicles ; cal.-segm. broad, shallow ; pet. 

 4, ovate, acute ; stam, 4, fil. very short ; style very short ; fruit 

 I or |- in., ovoid-oblong, crowned with small cal.-teeth and 

 style, cylindrical, smooth. 



Var. /3, Thwaitesii, Clarke, I. c. Diya-taleya, S. C. P. 2542. 

 Young parts glabrous, 1. crowded, smaller, if-2 in., erect, 

 rounded or very obtuse at apex, rather coriaceous ; panicles 

 small, few-flowered, glabrous. 



Moist region up to 4000 ft; rather rare. Deltota ; Ambagamuwa. 

 Var. /3, montane zone, 4000-7000 ft. ; rather common. Fl. March-May; 

 pale green. 



Endemic. 



Var. /3 ought perhaps to be regarded as a distinct species. Wood red, 

 rather heavy, liable to split. The leaves have a resinous odour and dry 

 black, and the bark yields a scented resin. The inflorescence is some- 

 times monstrous, the flowers being converted into short twigs, set with 

 minute imbricated bracts. 



2. IMC. arborea, Clarke in Fl. B. Ind. ii. 746 (1879). 

 Bursinopetalum arboreum, Wight, Thw. Enum. 42. C. P. 637, 2440. 

 Fl. B. Ind. ii. 746. Wight, Ic. t. 956. 



A large tree, twigs very stout, glabrous, marked with leaf- 

 scars ; 1. 4-8 in., oval or obovate-oval, tapering to base, rounded 

 or very shortly acuminate at apex, margins often revolute, 

 glabrous, coriaceous, petiole \- 1 \ in., broad, flattened above; 

 fl. \ in. wide, on very short ped., in threes at ends of branches 

 of stout, terminal corymbose panicles, bracts small, lanceolate, 

 acuminate ; cal. glabrous, segm. triangular, acute ; pet. 5, 

 ovate-oblong, acute, with an inflexed thickened apex ; stam. 

 5 ; disk large, prominent ; style short, conical ; fruit about 

 1 J in., oblong-ovoid, cylindrical, truncate, smooth, purplish- 

 green. 



