90 K)EEST TREES. 



manufacture of lacquered-ware articles. Being white 

 and soft, it is also used for making ornamental boxes, 

 scabbards, trays, drums, masks and panels. It is the 

 onucM wood of Madras. Cattle are supposed to be 

 fond of the tender foliage, but the young shoots are 

 rather densely covered with prickles. Erythrina 

 indica var. diha has pure white flowers, but in all 

 other respects it is identical with the specific 

 form. 



Cultivation. — An exceedingly hardy tree which 

 seems to do equally well in moist or dry land. It is 

 also of easy propagation by seeds and cuttings. Not 

 of very long duration. As a fine flowering tree, it is 

 "WeU adapted for pleasure grounds, where it become^ 

 a conspicuous object in the month of March. 



191 Erytlirina stricta, RoxB. £aM. KicHge, Keechaga 

 Fig.— Bedd. Fl Syh. i. 175. 



References.—^/, of Brit. Ind. ; Diet, of Econ. 



Prod, of Ind. • 



This is a larger tree found on the outskirts of the 

 evergreen belt, and at intervals across the plains of 

 Mysore. Trunk and branches rather profusely cover- 

 ed with whitish prickles. Leaves as in the last 

 named. Flowers crimson. To determine between 

 "E. indica and M. stricta, it is necessary to study the 

 morphology, in each species, of the calyx, keel-petals 

 and fruit. The latter contains only 2 — 3 seeds in the 

 species under notice. Wood very soft and light, 

 occasionally used as deal. In Manjarabad it is also 

 used " for making bowls, pig trougl^ and rough doors 

 for native houses " Graham Anderson. 



Although abundant in Coorg, this tree is less known 

 and less utilised than Erythrina indica. It requires 

 about the same treatment in cultivation and is easily 

 multiplied by seeds and cuttings. 



192 Erythrina ovalifolia, Eoxb 



A medium sized ;tree of the open hill tracts. 



