CALYCIFLOR.^ 207 



{Crotolaria j'uncea) are used in making ropes, &c., 

 which are more lasting than those made of pat or Jute. 

 The well-known dye, indigo, is yielded by nil {Tndigo- 

 fera sumatrana). The valuable timber shishoo is 

 obtained from the shishoo tree {Dalbergia Sissoo). 

 The stems of shola {^schynomene aspera), a water- 

 plant, are used as a substitute for cork, as floats for 

 fishermen, and for various ornamental purposes; the 

 leaves of it are somewhat sensitive. The leaves of 

 Smithia ciliata, a common herb of the Pareshnath Hills, 

 are also sensitive. The red seeds of kunch {Adrus 

 precatorius) are used as small 

 weights by jewellers. The 

 flowers of palte-madar {Ery- 

 thrina indica), apara-jita {Cli- 

 toria 76r«fl^e«!),bak-phul {Ses- 

 bania grandiflora), and palash 



(Butea frOndOSa) are very p;g. ,,8.— Telegraph Plant or Gora 



showy; the first and third are chand (Z)^s«.<,rfmm «,.ra«ir) 

 ornithophilous or bird-pollin- 

 ated and the last entomophilous. The first is also 

 a good example of a tropophyte. The automatic or 

 nutation movement of the two lateral leaflets of the 

 trifoliate leaves of the Telegraph-plant, ban-chandal 

 or gora-chand {Desmodium gyrans) (fig. 178), a com- 

 mon weed in waste shady places, is a very interesting 

 phenomenon; alkushi (Mticuna pruriens) is a climber 

 which is dreaded on account of the stinging hairs 

 which cover its pods. M. monosperma is also a kind 

 of alkushi of East Bengal (fig. 179)- 



Sub-order 2. C^salpimece.— Flowers slightly irre- 

 gular. Petals 5, unequal, imbricate, the upper one 

 inside and enclosed by the others. Stamens usually 

 10, free, some often abortive. 



The common plants are sondal or Indian Labur- 



