380 LXII. LAURINE^. [Tetranthera. 



blade 5-10 in., petiole J-2 in. long, main lateral nerves 8-12 pair, joined 

 by prominent reticulate veins. Flower-beads yellowish., in pedunculate 

 umbels or corymbs, generally as long as petiole, or a little longer, partial 

 peduncles shorter than common peduncle, flowers 8-12, rarely less, on 

 slender pedicels ; involucre of 4 rounded concave membranous bractsj ^ 

 in. long ; involucre, pedicels and peduncles grey-tomentose with soft long 

 hairs. Perianth-segments very irregular, generally wanting. Filaments 

 hairy, with long soft hairs. Berry subglobose, ^ in. diam., black and 

 almost dry when ripe, supported by the thickened club-shaped pedicel 

 and base of perianth. 



Common in the shady parts of the Oudh forests, scarce in the Central Pro- 

 vinces, abundant in Kamaon and Garhwal, ascending to 4500 ft., often in Sal 

 forests, not uncommon in the outer Himalaya to the Ravi. Panjab Salt range, 

 ascending to 2500 ft. South India, Ceylon, Bengal, Burma, Indian Archipelago, 

 China, North Australia, and Queensland. Fl. June-July, the leaves are re- 

 newed AprU-May. Numerous forms of this extremely variable tree have' been 

 described ; a marked variety from Garhwal (T. Thomson, June 1845), Patlidoon 

 and Lalldang (April 1863, D.B.), has elliptic -lanceolate leaves, clothed with 

 dense grey tomentum, but there are intermediate forms which undoubtedly 

 belong to T. laurifoUa. A similar variety has been found in Canara (Dr 

 Ritchie, May 1853). T. tommtosa, Roxb. ; DC. Prodr. xv. i. 177 ; Wight Ic. 

 t. 1834, of South India, the leaves of which resemble this variety, has solitary 

 flower-heads, and is quite different, though DalzeU, Bomb. Fl. 222, seems to 

 make it synonymous with apetala. 



Attains 40-50 ft. and a girth of 4-5 ft. Bark 1 in. thick, dark grey or brown- 

 ish, somewhat excavated by the exfoliation of dark, rough scales, not marked 

 by cracks or furrows. Inner bark brown, viscid, and glutinous. The leaves 

 when bruised have a smell of cinnamon. Wood greyish brown, close- and 

 even-grained, durable, not very hard, no distinct heartwood. Medullary rays 

 fine, numerous, pores small, numerous, surrounded by patches of white 

 tissue. The bark, of this and of the next sp., is sold and exported to the plains 

 under the name of Meda-lakri, given medicinally and applied externally (bruised 

 and mixed with goat's milk) on sprains and bruises. 



2. T. monopetala, Eoxb.— Tab. XLV.— Cor. PI. t. 148 ; Fl. Ind. iii. 

 821. — Syn. T. maerophylla, "Wall. Vern. Meda (maida) lahri, plains * 

 North India ; Crwa, Pb. ; Singraf, sangran, marda, hat marra, kakuH, 

 Icerauli, patoia, K.W.P. ; Katmona (the male), jscepna (the female tree), 

 Ganges above Hardwar (Hardwicke As. Ees. vol. vi. 378) ; Randkani, 

 katmedh, Oudh ; Mendah, Gonds of Balaghat ; Ungdung, Burm. 



A middle-sized evergreen tree, branchlets, under side of leaves, and in- 

 florescence with slight, often rust-coloured pubescence. Leaves alternate, 

 elliptic-oblong, acute, blade 4-8 in., petiole |-1 in. long, main lateral 

 nerves 8-10 pair. Flower-heads whitish, pedunculate, in sessile or sub- 

 sessile axillary clusters, peduncles shorter than petioles, flowers 5-6 on 

 short hairy pedicels ; involucre of 5 rounded concave membranous bracts, 

 ^ in. long. Perianth 5-6 cleft, membranous. Stamens 9-13; filaments 

 hairy, the inner shorter with a pair of kidney-shaped glands at the base. 

 Berry ovoid, | in. long, black when ripe, supported by the spreading, some- 

 what enlarged base of the perianth. 



