Goriaria.] XXIX. ANACAKDIACE^. 129 



is said to cause thirst or, colic. Nearly allied to it is G. myrtifolia, Linn., a 

 shrub of South Europe and North Africa, the leaves of which are used for tan- 

 ning and dyeing leather, and the fruit of which is poisonous. 



Oedbr XXX. MORINGEiB. 



Soft-wooded trees, with alternate, imparl- bi- or tri-pinnate leaves ; the 

 pinnse and leaflets opposite ; leaflets entire, caducous. In the place of stip- 

 ules, glands at the base of petioles and pinnas. Flowers large, bisexual, 

 irregular, white or red,- in axillary panicles. Calyx cup-shaped, with 5 de- 

 ciduous, somewhat unequal, petaloid segments. Petals similar to calyx 

 segments, unequal, the upper one ascending. Disc lining inside of calyx, 

 with a short free margin. Stamens inserted on the edge of disc, 5 perfect 

 stamens opposite to petals, and alternating with 5 (sometimes 7) filaments 

 without anthers ; anthers attached on the back, oblong, 1 -celled. Ovary 

 stipitate, lanceolate, 1 -celled, with 3 parietal placentse, and a simple slen- 

 der style ; ovules numerous. Capsule pod-shaped, rostrate, 3-6-angled, 

 torulose, 1 -celled, 3-valved, with numerous seeds, emlDedded in the fungous 

 substance of the valves. Seeds with a straight embryo without albumen. 

 —Gen. PI. i. 429 ; Eoyle lU. 180 ; Wight 111. i. 186. 



1. MOBINGA, Juss. 

 (Only genus, the characters those of the order.) 



1. M. pterygosperma, Gartn. ; W. & A. Prodr. 178; "Wight lU. t. 

 77-; Bedd. Fl. Sylv. t. 80. — Syn. Hyperanthera Moringa, Eoxb. Fl. 

 Ind. ii. 368. Horseradish-tree. Sans. Sohhanjana. Vern. Soanjna, 

 sanjna, smjna, mjna, shajna, North India ; Swanjera, Sindh ; Saihan, 

 sejan, munga, mulaka, C.P. 



Young branches, inflorescence, petioles, and young leaves clothed with 

 short, grey, velvety pubescence. Leaves near the extremities of branches, 

 generally tripinnate, 1-2 ft. long, on long sheathing petioles ; pinnae op- 

 posite, 4-6 pair, the lower 3-4 pair bipinnate ; pinnulse opposite, 6-9 pair, 

 the four lower pairs generally with 3-7 leaflets, the rest consisting of single 

 leaflets ; leaflets on short slender petiolules, ovate or obovate, entire, pale 

 beneath, lateral nerves indistinct. Petioles of pinnse and pinnulse articu- 

 late, with a linear hairy gland between each pair of pinnse, pinnulse, and 

 leaflets. Flowers strongly honey-scented, in numerous lateral panicles at 

 the ends of branches ; .bracts linear, shorter than pedicels. Petals linear- 

 spathulate, white, with yeUow dots at the base. Ovary and base of fila- 

 ments hairy. Pods pendulous, 9-18 in. long, with 9 rounded longitudinal 

 ribs ; seed trigonous, winged at the angles. 



Commonly cultivated throughout India and Burma, in the N.W. Himalaya to 

 1500 ft., introduced in other tropical and subtropical countries (Jamaica 1784). 

 Wild in the lower Himalaya and Siwalik tract from the Chenab to the Sar- 

 dah, also in the Oudh forests. Most of the old leaves shed in Dee. and Jan. ; 

 the fresh foliage appears in March and April ; the flowers issue between Jan. 

 and AprU, generally before the leaves are out ; the pods ripen from April on- 

 ward, and, unless pulled off, remain long on the tree. 



I 



