Bassia.] XLVIII. SAPOTACE^. 291 



Anamallays, and the Circars, with lanceolate leaves. The flowers are dried, 

 roasted, and eaten, and oil is pressed from, the seeds. 



The seeds of Bassia Parkii, Don., of tropical West Africa, yield the Shea 

 butter, used as food and for burning, and described by Mungo Park. 



2. MIMUSOPS, Linn. 

 Trees or shrubs ; leaves with prominent midrib, and numerous fine 

 parallel lateral veins. Flowers axillary, on recurved pedicels. Calyx- 

 segments 6-10, in 2 series. Corolla rotate, lobes 3 times or rarely twice 

 as many as calyx-segments, generally in .2 rows. Stamens 6-10, inserted 

 opposite the inner coroUa^lobes, and alternating with bifid or laciniate 

 staminodia ; anthers lanceolate, extrorse ; filaments attached to the back 

 of a broad connective. Ovary 6-8-celled, ovules attached near the base. 

 Seeds more or less compressed, testa hard and shining ; albumen copious, 

 cotyledons broad and flat. 



Leaves obovate-oblong, obtuse or emarginate ; staminodes bifid, 



glabrous I. M. indica. 



Leaves elliptic, obtuse; staminodes irregularly jagged, glabrous 2. M. Eoxburghiana. 



Leaves elliptic, short -acumiaate; staminodes lanceolate, densely 



hairy outside .... . . . . 3. M. Elengi. 



1. M. indica, A. DC. ; Prodr. viii. 205 ; Wight Ic. 1587.— Syn. M. 

 Kaulii,yT&\\.. Cat. 4149 (not Linn.); M. hexandra, Eoxb. of Bedd. Fl. 

 Sylv. p. 141, and probably also of Eoxb. Cor. PL t. 15, and Fl. Ind. ii. 

 238. Vern. Khir, khirni, Mrni, Hind. ; Rain, Bassi, Meywar ; Palla, 

 Tam. and Telugu. 



A large evergreen tree. Leaves coriaceous, shining, wholly glabrous, 

 sometimes approximate near ends of branches, blade 2-4 in. long, obovate- 

 oblong obtuse or emarginate, petiole ^-1 in. long. Flowers whitish, \ in. 

 across, iu axOlary fascicles of 3-6 flowers, peduncles shorter than petioles. 

 Calyx - segments 6, ovate, acute, shortly tomentose outside; edges hairy. 

 CoroUa of two circles, the inner consisting of 6-8 oblanceolate segments, 

 narrowed into a short claw, and alternating with 6-8 pairs of linear, sub- 

 coriaceous acute segments of the same length, forming the outer circle. 

 Stamens 6-8, exceeding half the length of corolla-segments, opposite to 

 the lobes of the inner circle, alternating with an equal number of flat, 

 bifid, more or less denticulate staminodia, which are as long as, or a little 

 shorter than the filaments. Fruit a yellow berry, generally 1 -seeded, size 

 and shape of an oHve. 



Indigenous in the forests of South India and Ceylon, of Central India (Banda, 

 Edgew.), and Guzerat. Commonly cultivated near villages in many parts of India, 

 as far west as Multan, Lahore, and Gujranwalla. Fl. Nov.-Dec. In North 

 India attains 50-60 ft., with an erect trunk. Bark dark grey or blackish, rough. 

 Numerous rigid, spreading branches, forming a large shady head. Wood red- 

 dish-brown, heavy, hard and tough, close- and even-graiued ; used for sugar-mill 

 beams, oil-presses, house-posts ; it is an excellent wood for turning. Weight 

 70 lb. Viue of P. 944 (Skinner ; Palla^wood, M. hexandra). The fruit is 

 eaten. 



The naming of this weU-known tree has been a matter of considerable diffi- 



