EHKETIA BUXIFOLTA 173 



of many flowerets. Calyx inferior, 5-cleft, very short. Corolla 

 6-7 times longer than the calyx, funnel-form, 5-lobed. Anthers 

 5, sessile, fixed in the throat of the corolla. Ovary very small. 

 Style filiform, same length as the stamens. Stigma truncate 

 and thick. Drupe globose, often oval, large, smooth, with ■ 

 thick, woody shell of a single compartment containing seeds as 

 described above. 



BORAGINACEiS. 



Borage Family. 

 Ehretia buxifolia, Roxb. (Oinnonea hetei-ophijl/a, Blanco.) 



NoM. VuLG. — Maf/H, Alayitgit, Tag., Vis. 



Uses. — The leaves dried in the shade are used in some 

 Visayan towns, in infusion to take the place of tea. The root 

 is used by the Hindoo physicians as an alterative. Dr. R. 

 Ross has employed it for that purpose in a decoction of 60 

 grams to 500 cc. of water ; 60 cc. a day of this preparation 

 gave him good results in secondary and constitutional syphilis. 

 The Mohammedans of India consider the root an antidote for 

 vegetable poisons. 



Botanical Description. — Small tree, 5-6° high, trunk 

 straight. Leaves alternate or bunched in .S's or 4's at the 

 nodes, lanceolate or spatulate, 3-toothed at apex, sometimes 

 serrate toward the apex, set with short, stiif hairs. Petioles 

 very short. Flowers axillary, in racemose panicles of a few 

 flowers each. Common peduncle long, pedicel short. Calyx 

 free, bell-shaped, persistent, divided almost to base into 5 nar- 

 row, downy parts. Corolla bell-shaped, 5 oval lobules. Sta- 

 mens 5. Ovary oval, within the flower. Style bifid. Stig- 

 mas simple, truncate. Drupe globose, with hard, slightly 

 furrowed putamen of 6 locules and solitary seeds. 



Habitat. — Malinta and many other parts of the Visayas. 

 Blooms in January. 



