THE CHAULMOOGRA TREE AND RELATED SPECIES. 23 



GYNOCARDIA ODORATA. 11 



Gynocardia odorata was first mentioned as C haulmoogra odorata 

 by Dr. William Roxburgh in his catalogue Hortus Bengalensis (2£, 

 p. 48) in 1815, but by name only. It was described as Gynocardia 

 odorata four years later by Robert Brown. It was long considered 

 to be the source of the true chaulmoogra oil. This species is a native 

 of Sikkim, Assam, and Chittagong. It was observed by the writer 

 between Siliguri and Darjiling along the Himalayan Railway up 

 to an elevation of 4,000 feet; also in the Dibru and Berjan forest of 

 northwestern Assam (PI. XII). It is by far the most common tree 

 in the Chittagong Hill tracts. 



Gynocardia odorata is dioecious, and a number of trees must be 

 planted together in order that fruits may be obtained. 



It is known by the following native names : Sibi-turpu (Miri and 

 Abor tribes), sibi-tulpi (Abor), tiki-sidik (Miri), taki-pomju-asing 

 (Miri),takik-chagne (Duff), soh-pheeling (Khasi), chaulmoogra (in 

 Bengal and Chittagong) , and lemtam (in Assam) . The Mikir names 

 of what is possibly a second species of Gynocardia are thibong-kok 

 and thibong-ko. 



This tree is easily recognized even when not fruiting or flowering 

 by the lenticellate trunk and by the foliage, which is oblong, with 

 the petioles not thickened at the apex, as are those of Taraktogenos 

 kurzii. Even in very young plants and, in fact, in freshly* germi- 

 nated seedlings, the lenticellate bark is noticeable. The fruits of 

 Gynocardia odorata are borne on the trunk and on the main branches 

 (PI. XIII) , while those of Taraktogenos kurzii are borne on the ends 

 of the smaller branches. The seeds of Gynocardia are entirely dif- 

 ferent from those of Taraktogenos kurzii; the cotyledons are not 

 foliaceous and have a lateral radicle instead of a basal one. The 

 oil of Gynocardia odorata seeds is quite distinct from true chaul- 

 moogra oil. It contains neither chaulmoogric nor hydnocarpic acid 

 and is not optically active, as is the case with Hydnocarpus and 

 Taraktogenos oils. The fruit flesh of Gynocardia odorata is of an 

 entirely different consistency, being gelatinous, slimy, and powerfully 

 fragrant. Monkeys are very fond of the flesh of this fruit, and 

 it is exceedingly difficult to find mature fruits which have not 

 been opened by them (PL XIV). Seeds of Gynocardia odorata 

 were collected in the Dibru reserve and forwarded both to Hawaii 

 and Washington, D. C, packed in a manner similar to those of 

 Taraktogenos kurzii from Kyokta. They arrived in splendid condi- 



" Gynocardia odorata R. Br. (23, p. 05). Specimens collected by the writer are 

 deposit"! in t)i<- United State* National Herbarium : Rock No. 875. U. S. N. II. No. 

 1,090,015; Kock No. 884, U. S. N. II. Not. 1,000,010 to L,000,018. 



