BASSIA LATIFOLIA. (Nat. ord. Sapotacea.) 



JjASSIA (Linn.) End. Gen. PI. p. 741. — GEN. CHAR. Calyx 4-6 parted divisions in 2 series, corol bypogynous cainpanulate, limb 5-14 parted 

 erect, stamens inserted on to tbe inside of the tube twice or thrice as many as the divisions of the corol in 1-3 series, filaments very short, anthers extrorse 

 or introrse, erect subsagittate 2-celled dehiscing longitudinally ; ovary 5-8 celled, ovules solitary in the cells erect or pendulous, style simple exserted, 

 stigma acute undivided, berry 4-5 celled, seeds solitary in the cells, embryo exalbuminous, cotyledons fleshy. Trees, leaves alternate entire, peduncles 

 axillary one flowered. 



BASSIA LATIFOLIA. (Willd.) A good sized tree, trunk straight but short, covered with smooth ash-colored bark, 

 branches numerous, the lower ones spreading horizontally, leaves alternate petioled crowded about the extremities of the branches 

 oblong rigid smooth above, somewhat whitish below, 4-8 inches long, 2-4 broad, petioles round, about an inch long, stipules subulate 

 downy ; flowers numerous crowded from the extremities of the branchlets on peduncles about one inch long, at all times bent down- 

 wards, calyx 4 leaved, corol limb 7-14 parted, ovary hairy 6-8 celled with one seed in each cell attached to the upper part of the axis, 

 berry the size of a small apple ; seeds 1-4, very rarely more. Roxb. Fl. Ind. ii. p. 526. 



This tree is found all over the Presidency, and in Bengal, Bombay, and Mysore, but more often in a cultivated state than wdd ; it attains 

 a height of 50 feet and a girth of 12 feet, it does not ascend to any great elevation; the timber is hard, strong and durable, not easily vjorked, close, 

 even grained and of a reddish browi color. A cvMc foot unseasoned weighs 77 to 80 lbs., and 66 lbs. when seasoned; its specific gravity is 1'056. It 

 is used for the naves of wheels, framivg and pannelling of doors, luindotos and furniture, and for country vessels ; it is soon attacked by white 

 ants. The tree is called Mohioa in Hinduslanee, Edt lllipi in, Tamil, and Ippi in Teligoo ; it flowers in the hot season, and the flowers are sweet 

 tasted and are eaten raw by the natives, and deer and jackals are very fond of them. An ardent spirit, not unlike whisky, is distilled from them in 

 many parts of the country. The seeds yield by expression a large quantity oj oil, which concretes immediately it is expressed,, and retains its con- 

 sistency at a temperature 0/95°, It is coarse but used by the poorer classes in lamps, for the adulteration of ghee, and for frying cakes, and is used 

 for making soap. 



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