168 XXXI. LEGUMINOsi:. [Entada. 



common peduncle, from the axils of the former leaves, on 2-3 year-old 

 brancMets. Pods ligneous, of an immense size, 2-4 ft. long, 3-4 in. broad, 

 constricted between the seeds, consisting of 10-30 1 -seeded, flat, rounded 

 joints, the valves separating from the more durable thick rim. Seeds 

 flat, ovate or nearly orbicular, brown, shining, testa very hard. 



South India, Eastern Bengal, Nepal, Burma, Ceylon, Indian Archipelago, 

 Fiji Islands, Queensland. West Indies (probably the same species, the seeds 

 carried by the Gulf Stream to the western shores of Europe). El. March-May; 

 fr. Dec, Jan. The seeds are eaten, cooked or roasted ; children play with them, 

 and they are made into snuff-boxes and other articles. 



2. ADENANTHERA, Linn. 



Flowers bisexual, pentamerous, pedicelled, in slender axillary or panicu- 

 late racemes. Calyx campanulate, with short teeth. Petals free or 

 connate at the base. Stamens 10, free ; the anther-ceUs adnate to a broad 

 coq.nective, bearing a deciduous gland at the top. Ovary sessile or short 

 stipitate, with numerous ovules in 2 rows, a filiform style, and a small 

 terminal stigma. Legume linear, 2-valved, the valves often contorted 

 after opening. Seeds thick, with a hard red or bi-coloured testa. 



1. A. pavonina, Linn. ; Eoxb. Fl. Ind. ii. 370 ; W. & A. Prodr. 271 ; 

 Wight 111. t. 84; Bedd. Fl. Sylv. t. 46.— Sans. KueJiandana. Vern. 

 Thorlagunj, Mar. 



A large tree, glabrous or pubescent, unarmed. Leaves 1-3 ft. long, 

 abruptly bipinnate, pinnae opposite, 4-6 pair; leaflets alternate, elUptic- 

 oblong, obtuse, 4-12 pair. Eacemes paniculate, cylindrical, pedunculate, 

 about 4 in. long. Flowers small yellow, fragrant, on slender pedicels. 

 Legumes linear, twisted, about 9 in. long. Seeds shining, hard, bright 

 scarlet, compressed, but convex on both sides, oval or orbicular. 



South India, Burma, Bengal. Known to extend as far as Khandeish and 

 Guzerat on the west side of India, and as far as Sikkim on the east side, but will 

 probably be found in the forests of Gorakhpur, Oudh, and Central India south 

 of the Satpuras. El. March- May ; seeds ripen Aug.-Oct. 



Trunk erect, bark rough, dark-coloured. The wood is described by Skinnejf 

 as follows : " Heartwood hard and durable, when fresh-cut of a beautiful coral- 

 red colour, and sometimes marked with stripes of a darker shade ; after expo- 

 sure it turns purple, resembling Rosewood; weight 56 lb. P. = 863." The seeds 

 are worn as ornaments, and used as weights (about 4 grs.) by goldsmiths and 

 jewellers. Oil is expressed from them. 



3. PIPTADENIA, Benth. 



Characters of Adenanthera, but pods linear, flat, not contorted; seeds 

 flat. Flowers sessile. 



1. P. Oudhensis.— Syn. Adenanthera Oudhensis, J. L. Stewart, MSS. 

 Vern. Genti, gainti, Oudh. 



A moderate-sized tree, armed with large conical prickles. Glabrous, inflor- 

 escence only pubescent. Leaves abruptly bipinnate, pinna 2 pair, common 

 petiole about 3 in. long, with a large, flat, circular gland at the base of 

 the lowest pair ; secondary petiole 1 in. long, bearing 1 pair of sessile. 



