MYSOEE AND COOEG. 89 



There are two varieties, having white and red flowers 

 respectively. The latter are dedicated to Shiva, and 

 of all pea-flowers they are perhaps the largest and 

 prettiest. The tree shoots up very qnickly and af- 

 fords an excellent prop for the betel vine. The tender 

 leaves, pods and flowers, are popular native vege- 

 tables, while the root, gum, bark and flowers have 

 medicinal properties, of which the people avail them- 

 selves to some extent. 



Cultivation- — Propagated from seed and self- 

 productive where the surface soil is loose and un- 

 even. Li bete] gardens the tree is planted in rows 

 at intervals of 3 — 4 feet. The species requires a 

 somewhat moist situation. 



190 Erythriria indica, Lam. Kan. Warjipe, Halivana, 



Palivana. 



Fig.— Bot. Plates Ldl-Bagh Collection; Wight 



Ic. t. 68. 

 References. — Pharm. Ind. ; Diet, of Econ. Prod' 



of Ind. 



The Indian coral tree, 30 to 45 feet. Scattered 

 throughout the maidan forests and clinging to the 

 foot of the hills, occasionally cultivated for ornament. 

 Bark thin, grey, sparsely protected by small black- 

 ish prickles. Leaves deciduous during the cold sea- 

 son, large, 3-foliolate; preceded at the commence- 

 ment of the hot season by a gorgeous display of coral- 

 red flowers, which are visible from long distances in 

 certain lights. Often employed to form fences around 

 betel gardens and to train the vines over. The spe- 

 cies is admirably adapted for this work on account 

 of its rapidity of growth and the facility possessed 

 for its easy propagation by cuttings of all sizes. Al- 

 though very light — ^weighing only 20 lb. per cubic 

 foot — and open-grained, the wood is rather durable 

 and takes a good varnish. On the latter account it is 

 much used at Channapatna, as elsewhere, in the 



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