Semecarpus.] XXIX. ANACAEDlACEiE. 125 



N.W.P. ; Bhdla, Oudh ; Koka, hhallia, C.P. ; Koliolca-maiToli, Gonds, 

 Satpura Eange. 



Young brandies, inflorescence, petioles, and under side of leaves clotiied 

 witli a short, somewhat harsh, tomentum of simple hairs. Leaves approxi- 

 mate near extremities of branches, oblong-obovate, 9-18 in. long, rounded 

 at the top, with rounded or cordate base, on a short, thick, half-round 

 petiole. Flowers nearly sessile, fasciculate, the fascicles arranged in erect 

 compound terminal panicles. Bracts lanceolate, the lower branches of 

 panicle in the axils of leaves. Petals oblong, 3-4 times the length of 

 calyx, spreading, glabrous, greenish yellow. Filaments subulate from a 

 somewhat dilated base. Drupe obliquely oval or oblong, about 1 in. 

 long, smooth, shining, purplish black when ripe, hypocarp orange. 



Locally abundant in most parts of India, its north-western limit somewhat 

 beyond the Sutlej river ; ascends in the outer Himalaya to 3500 ft. Decidu- 

 ous, old leaves shed in February, new foliage issues in May. The flowers appear 

 at various times, generally soon after the leaves ; the fruit ripens from Novem- 

 ber to February. A moderate-sized tree, attaining 30 ft. (but often smaller), 

 with an erect trunk 4 ft. girth. Bark 1 in. thick, dusky grey, blackish, with 

 irregularly quadrangular plates, separated by narrow longitudinal and shallow 

 irregular cross furrows or wrinkles, in old trees rough with exfoliating scales. 

 Inner surface of bark red, exuding a juice which blackens on exposure. Wood 

 ash-coloured, reddish white, or brown, even- but open-grained, weight 42 lb. 

 per cub. ft. Sap- and heart-wood not distinct. The wood is full of an acrid 

 jjijce, which causes swelling and irritation ; timber-cutters object to felling it 

 unless it has been ringed for some time. Cracks in seasoning, is not durable, 

 and is not much used. Bark adstringent, used in dyeing. 



A brown, nearly insipid gum exudes from the stem. The leaves serve 

 as plates. The ripe fruit is collected : the hypocarp is eaten ; fresh, it is 

 acrid and adstringent — ^roasted, it is said to taste somewhat like roasted apples,, 

 and when dry somewhat like dates. The pericarp is full of acrid juice, which! 

 is used in native medicine. A black varnish is prepared from it, and HHsed| 

 with lime-water it is iised forjmarkingjjgjton. The oil of the seeds, mixed 

 with the milk of JEnphoriia, is maSe intobirdlime by the wild tribes of the 

 Satpura range in the Central Provinces. 



5. MANGIFERA, Linn. 



Trees with alternate, petiolate, simple, entire, coriaceous leaves. Flowers 

 polygamous, in terminal panicles. Calyx 4-5-parted, imbricate, deciduous. 

 Petals equal number, imbricate with prominent thick longitudinal nerves. 

 Stamens 4-5, inserted on a more or less prominent disc ; 1 stamen only 

 perfect, much larger than the others. Ovary sessile, 1 -celled, oblique, 

 with a lateral simple style and 1 ovule, attached to- the side of the cell 

 above its base. Fruit a large fleshy drupe, with a fibrous kernel, 1 -seeded. 

 Testa thin, chartaceous, no albumen; cotyledons fleshy, plano-convex, often 

 unequal and lobed ; radicle inferior. 



1. M. indica, L. ; Eoxb. Fl. Ind. i. 641 -,^7. & A. Prodr. 169 ; Bedd. 

 Fl. Sylv. t. 162. The Mango-tree. Sans. Amra, ; Malay, Manga. — Vern. 

 Am, ambi, dmri. Local name, Marlca-marrah, Gonds of Satpura range. 

 Thayetben, Burm. 



A laro-e evergreen tree, glabrous; leaves generally 6-12 in. long, dark 



