18 VII. BIXINE^. [Bixa. 



Yoimg shoots and inflorescence rusty-piiberulous._ Leaves cordate, 

 acuminate, entire or angular. Flowers in terminal panicles, large, 1-2 in. 

 across, white or pink. Capsule ovoid, covered with long bristles. 



Indigenous in America, but long cultivated in India. Mowers in summer ; 

 the fruit ripens in the cold season. A small tree with few branches, the leaves 

 approximate at the end of the branches. The Arnotto (annotto) or pulp sur- 

 rounding the seeds, is employed to tinge butter, and as a dye. Exported Irom 

 Guiana, Brazil, and the West Indies. 



3. FIiACOURTIA, Commerson. 



Flowers dioecious. Sepals 4-5, small, imbricate. Petals none, Male 

 flowers -with numerous stamens ; anthers short, versatile. Female flowers 

 with a 2-5-ceIled ovary on an annular, lobed disc. Styles 2 or more ; 

 stigmas notched or 2-lobed. Fruit a berry with few seeds, each surrounded 

 by a distinct shell of hard woody endocarp. Cotyledons orbicular. 



1. F. RamontcM, L'HMt. ; Hook. Fl. Ind. i. 193 ; "Wight Ic. t. 85. 

 — Syn. F. sapida, Eoxb. PI. Cor. t. 69 ; W. & A. Prodr. 29 ; Eoxb. Fl. 

 Ind. iii. 835. Sans. Swadu Tmntaka. Vern. Kukai, hakoa, Ttangu, Icandei, 

 Panjab ; Bilangra, bhanher, Tcandi, kattdr, KW.P. ; Katti, Oudh ', Kaikun, 

 Mairwarra ; KanJr, Kdiiki, bildti, C.P. 



Armed ; leaves alternate, shortly petiolate, varying much in shape, 

 ovate-oblong ovate obovate or suborbicular, obtusely serrate or crenate, 

 generally tomentose beneath, glabrous above. Flowers small, greenish 

 yellow, in short racemes, or panicles with short side-branches. Styles 

 5-11, united at base. Fruit dark red or black, about | in. long. Seeds 

 8-16, generally in two layers, one above the other. This species, as 

 defined in Flora Indica (1872), comprises the two old species F. Ra- 

 montcM and sapida ; the forms vary extremely, and require further study. 

 Very remarkable is a tomentose form (var. ocaidentalis) from Behar, the 

 Dekkan, Oudh, Eohilkhand, and the Panjab. 



Throughout India, mostly on dry rocky hills, and in open bare warm locali- 

 ties ; cultivated in Bombay. The leaves fall in January and February, ana the 

 tree remains bare until the new foliage appears in spring, sometimes in March, 

 but usually in May ; the young leaves are first red, afterwards light green. 

 Fl. from November-March, usually after the fall of the leaves ; the fruit ripens - 

 May-June. 



Generally a large shrub, but under favourable conditions grows into a mode- 

 rate-sized tree, with a short trunk up to 4 and 5 ft. in girth, with straggling 

 branches, generally thorny, the thorns being either terminal, forming the end 

 of leaf-bearing branchlets, or axillary, being naked thorny branches without 

 leaves. Bark of stem light or dark grey, or nearly black, somewhat rough, with 

 exfoliating scales. 



Sapwood and heartwood conform ; close, fine, and even-grained ; when dry, 

 weighs about 50 lb. per cub. ft. Does not warp, is durable, and ntit attacked 

 by insects. Combs are made of it; it is employed in turnery and for agricul- 

 tural implements, and though' not large, it is occasionally used for building. 

 Young twigs and leaves are lopped for cattle-fodder. The fruit is eaten. 



F. sepiaria, Eoxb., a thorny shrub, thorns long, usually 'bearing fl. and fruit, 

 has been found in Kamaon (Madden). 



