104 XXVII. SAPINDACE^>. {JEsculus. 



Leaflets 5-9, generally unequal, the centre leaflets longer, 6-9 in. long, 

 glabrous, oblong, acuminate, sbarp-serrate, petiolule ^-1 in. long. 15-20 

 alternate, arcuate, lateral nerves on either side of midrib. Thyrsus 12-15 

 in. long, composed of numerous scorpioid cymes on short peduncles; 

 pedicels and calyx covered with grey, mealy pubescence. Calyx tubular, 

 frequently splitting as the flower opens, with 5 short, obtuse, unequal 

 teeth, one obcordate, larger than the others. Petals 4, white and yellow, 

 clawed, lamina obcordate ; 2 petals narrower than the rest. Stamens 7 ; 

 filaments filiform, longer than petals. Disc unilateral. Capsule ovoid or 

 obovoid, 1-2 in. long, brown when ripe, reddish brown when young, 

 somewhat rough outside, but not echinate. Seeds dark brown or black. 



Wild in Kaffiristan at 7000-8000 ft., in the forests on the Tians-Indus hills 

 north-west of Peshawar, and common in many parts of the North- West Hima- 

 laya at 3400-9000 ft, from the Indus to Nepal. Never entirely hare of leaves. 

 Flowers appear about April and May, when the tree, loaded with the large up- 

 right panicles of variegated blossoms, presents a very striking appearance. The 

 fruit ripens between July and Oct. 



The North Indian horse-chestnut is not a gregarious tree, but is often found 

 in large numbers, particularly in moist and shady valleys. The trunk is short, 

 attaining large girth (12-15 ft., occasionally 25 ft.) Numerous large boughs, 

 spreading into a broad, depressed, close, umbrageous crown 40-50 ft. high, much 

 resembling in habit the common horse-chestnut. The bark of trunk and large 

 boughs is thick (j-1 in.), the inner half light-yellowish brown, soft and brittle, 

 the outer darker brown and mofe fibrous. Outer surface giey or dark brown, 

 divided by numerous long shallow furrows into long quadrangular plates, often 

 winding spirally round the trunk. When old, the outer layers partly peel off 

 upwards in long strips, leaving exposed a smooth grey surface. The wood is 

 light brown, soft, open-grained, not much valued, but used in the hiUs for 

 building, for water-troughs, platters, packiug-cases. Has been found to answer 

 well for tea-boxes. The Tibetan drinking-cups are sometimes made of this 

 wood. 



The twigs and leaves are largely lopped for winter fodder in the Himalaya 

 and Kaffiristan. Cattle and goats feed on the fruit. The seeds contain an abun- 

 dance of starch combined with a bitter principle. In times of scarcity they are 

 used as food, ground and mixed with flour, after having been steeped in water 

 for some time. i, 



Closely allied to this species is A. pundiiana, WaU., A. assamica, Griff., the 

 horse-chestnut of Sikkim, Assam, and the Kasia hills ; also found by me in 

 the Thoungyeen forests of Tenasserim, with larger, more coriaceous, ohovate- 

 oblong leaves, nearly sessile, and the thyrsus composed of long-pedunculate 

 scorpioid cymes. 



^sculus Hippocastanwin, Linn., the common horse-chestnut, which has been 

 cultivated in Europe ever since the sixteenth century (1576 in Vienna), has 

 echinate capsules, 4 or 5 broad petals, larger leaflets, woolly when young, with 

 double serratures, and prominent lateral nerves. The common horse-chestnut 

 is supposed to be indigenous in India (Boissier Fl. Orient, i. 947). Of this, 

 however, there is as yet no proof, and its original home is unknown. It is found 

 in Persia and the Caucasian region, but not really wild. 



2. SCHLEICHER A, Willd. 



Trees with alternate pinnate leaves, without stipules. Flowers fasciculate, 

 polygamous. Calyx small, 4-6-cleft. Petals none. Stamens 6-8, longer 



