230 XLV. LEGUMINOStE [Spatholobus 



long as tube, standard twice the length of calyx, emarginate. Pod ferrugineous- 

 tomentose, stalked, 3-5 in. long. 



Subhimalayan tract from the Jumna eastward, Central and South India. Burma. 

 Common in deciduous forests, where it does much damage. Fl. C.S. A distinct variety, 

 canescent, not velvety, is S. clenudatus. 



2. S. acuminatus, Benth. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. ii. 194. — Syn. Butea acuminata, 

 Wall. ; Kurz, F. Fl. i. 365. 



A woody climber, stem as thick as a man's arm, leaflets elliptic-oblong, 

 acuminate, 2-4 in. long, shining above, nearly glabrous beneath. Fl. \ in. 

 long, in ample panicles with slender ramifications, calyx teeth obtuse, half the 

 length of tube. Pod sessile, silky pubescent, lustrous, 2-3 in. long. 



Lower Burma, Andamans. Fl. H.S. Also Malay Peninsula. 



Other Indian species. 3. S. purpureus, Benth.; Pram in Journ. As. Soc. Beng. vol.66 

 (1898), 414. Evergreen forests of North Kanara. Leaflets coriaceous, glahrous, shining 

 on hoth surfaces, elliptic-oblong. Fl. dark purple. Pod 4 in. long, glahrous, seedless 

 portion curved, shining. 4. S. crassifolius, Benth., Khasi hills, Silhet, and Penang. 

 Youngest shoots and inflorescence ferrugineous-puhescent, leaves thickly coriaceous, 

 numerous shorter intermediate nerves between the secondary nerves, which are not 

 very prominent. The following species are described by Dr. Prain in Journ. As. Soc. 

 Beng. vol. 66 (1898), 414-416. 5. S. squamiger, Prain, Pegu. 6. S. roseus, Prain, 

 Martaban and Upper Burma. 7. S. Listeri, Prain, Chittagong. 8. S. merguensis, Prain, 

 Mergui Archipelago. 9. S. riparius, Prain, Thaukyegat, near Toungoo, Tenasserim. 

 10. S. Pottingeri, Prain in Journ. As. Soc. Beng. vol. 67, 286. Kachin hills. 



16. BUTEA, Boxb. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. ii. 194. 



Trees, shrubs, or large climbers, with trifoliolate leaves. Leaflets stipellate 

 the 2 lateral opposite. Secondary and tertiary nerves very prominent. Fl. 

 large, bright orange, scarlet or red, fascicled, in axillary or terminal racemes 

 Standard acute, recurved. Upper stamen free, the others connate beyond the 

 middle, anthers uniform, obtuse. Pod coriaceous, oblong, lower portion flat 

 indehiscent, upper 1-seeded, dehiscent. 3 Indian species. 



1. B. frondosa, Boxb. Cor. PI. t. 21 ; Bedd. Fl. Sylv. t. 176.— Syn. B. 

 monosperma (Lam.) Taubert, in Engler und Prantl, iii. 3, 366. Vern. Dhak, 

 Hind. ; Palcis, Hind. Mar. ; Khakdd, Gruj. ; Muttuga, Kan. ; Moduga, Tel. ; 

 Pauk, Burm. 



A moderate-sized deciduous tree, trunk crooked and irregular; a red astrin- 

 gent gum issues from incisions in the bark. Young shoots tawny-tomentose. 

 Leaflets coriaceous, hard, the terminal from a cuneate base obovate obtuse, 

 often emarginate, generally as long as broad, 4-6 in. long, the lateral smaller, 

 oblique-ovate. Flowers appear before the leaves, 2 in. long, pedicels 1 in. 

 long, twice the length of calyx. Petals clothed outside with grey silky 

 pubescence, keel much curved, acute, 5-6 times the length of calyx. 



Common throughout India and Burma, often gregarious. In the N.W. Himalaya 

 ascends to 3,000 ft. In Travancore not common, and confined to the drier districts. 

 The old leaves are shed in February, the tree is covered with bright orange red fl. 

 in March and April, before the fresh leaves appear. 



2. B. superba, Boxb. Cor. PI. t. 22. Vern. Palasvel, Mar.; Paukmce, 

 Burm. 



A gigantic climber, stems as thick as a man's leg. Leaflets acuminate, 

 chartaceous. Flowers larger than those of B. frondosa, of a gorgeous orange 

 colour, on pedicels three times the length of calyx. 



Central and South India, Burma. Fl. March, April. 



3. B. minor, Ham. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. ii. 195. 



A large shrub, at times climbing, leaflets 6-15 in. long, scabrous above, 

 silky-tomentose beneath, the terminal largest. Fl. 1 in. long, dull red, petals 



