280 POEEST TREES. 



Leaves — in tlie typical form — alternate, shortly 

 petiolate, glabrous, ovate-rotund to obovate- 

 rotund, apex blunt ; average blade 3 x 41 in. Fruit 

 in sessile pairs, bairy, tbe size of a pea, dull yellow 

 to reddish when ripe. 



This is a good avenue tree, but rather slow of 

 growth. Wood close-grained, moderately hard, and 

 nicely mottled ; used as fuel, but Watt suggests that 

 it might be utilised for doors, panels and such like. 

 Weight 40 lb. per cubic foot. Pounded into a poul- 

 tice, which is applied to the affected part, the leaves 

 and tender bark afford a good native remedy for 

 rheumatism. The milk-sap of the liber has a repu- 

 tation in the treatment of liver complaint. The tree 

 affords good shade to coffee, but is seldom met with 

 in the interior of the evergreen jungles. Ficus 

 retusa var. nitida, Thunb., only differs from the 

 above in form of leaf and quantity of aerial roots. 

 The latter are numerous, while the leaves are mostly 

 small, ovate to rhomboid-elliptic; average blade 

 1 J X 2^ in. Fruit slightly smaller than in retusa, 

 but the same otherwise. 



Cultivation-— F. retxisa, and the variety nitida, 

 are easily raised from both large and' small cuttings, 

 but in the treatment of the latter, a hot-bed is neces- 

 sary with plenty of bottom heat. It may be stated 

 here that small cuttings of nearly all the species 

 of Ficus can be quickly rooted in this way. 



547 Ficus Talboti, King. 

 Vis.— King Fie. PI. 63. 



This species has not been reported nor seen, but 

 the _" Forests of Canara" are said, by Dr. King, to 

 be its habitat. It is a large evergreen tree with 

 shining leaves. Very near retusa, but differing in 

 the form and venation of the leaf. Uses unknown. ' 



548 Ficus nervosa, Roth Nov. sp. 338. 

 mg,-King Fie, PI. 65; Wight, Ic. t. 660. 



