282 fOEEST TEBKS. 



References,— F/. of Brit. Ind. ; Bid. of Ecan. 

 Prod, of Ind. ; Pharm. Lid. ; Brand. For. Fl. 

 415. 



The sacred peepul o£ India. A lofty tree, 70 to 

 100 feet, with whitish bark and glabrous, shining 

 leaves, attached to long flexible petioles. Being 

 suspended somewhat in the manner of a flag, the 

 leaf is easily moved by the slightest current of air, 

 and the rustling sound proceeding from an isolated 

 tree, often when there is no apparent wind, is not 

 unlike the patter of falling rain. Indeed it is 

 supposed that, the sound ' distinctly heard for a day 

 or two, indicates the near approach of rain at a 

 season when it is usually much needed. The leaves 

 are deciduous in the beginning of April, but trees 

 are seldom quite bare for more than ten days, and 

 when timely rain falls, for less than a week. When 

 it first appears, the young foliage is copper- 

 coloured. 



Leaves alternate, long petiolate, coriaceous, shin- 

 ing on the upper side, minutely tuberculate when 

 dry, underneath, ovate-rotund, apex narrowed 

 into a long slender acumen, base broad, rounded to 

 truncate ; average blade 41 x 6^ in. Fruit in sessile 

 pairs, axillary, smooth, depressed-spheroidal or 

 slightly 3-angled, the size of a black currant, pur- 

 plish when ripe. ' 



The species is held in great veneration by the 

 Hindu people, who cherish it beyond all other trees 

 believing, as they do, that it embodies the sacred 

 triad Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Parts of the tree 

 are used on the occasion of ceremonials, investitures, 

 and domestic occurrences ; vows are made to it and 

 it IS mvoked for male issue and other supposed 

 blessings. In the latter practice, it is not unusual to 

 see pious women walking around the tree many 

 times, muttering incantations the while. Pilgrims 

 on the march take off their' shoes on approaching a 



