PYGEUM CEYLANICUM. (Nat. ord. Rosacea, Tribe PrunesB.) 



PYQEUM. (Gsertn.) Gen. PI. I. p. 610. — GEN CHAR. Flowers sometimes polygamo-dioecious, calyx deciduous, tube broadly campanulata 

 or spreading, teeth 5-6 (rarely more or none) small, petals as many, usually resembling the calyx-teeth inserted into the j a ws of the tube of the calyx, 

 stamens 12-20 inserted with the petals, filaments filiform, anthers didymous, ovary superior sessile of a single carpel attenuated into a terminal style, stigma 

 peltate, ovaries 2, pendulous, fruit dry coriaceous or drupaceous usually as broad as or broader than long with a smooth kernel, containing a single seed, 

 cotyledons very thick, radicle superior. Trees, leaves alternate simple entire coriaceous, stipules small very deciduous, racemes axillary or lateral solitary 

 or fascicled, flowers small. (Polydontia, Blume Bijd. 1.104. Polystorthia, Bl. Fl. Jav. Prwf. VIII.) 



-t YGEUM OEYLANICUM. (Gaartn.) A gigantic tree, leaves from elliptic, very obtuse at both ends, to sub-orbicular gla- 

 brous, when dry of a rusty brown beneath, 4-7 inches long by 2-3 broad, petioles £ inch long, racemes shorter than the leaves, axillary 

 solitary, covered with short adpressed haira, flowers small, petals 5 reflexed, externally hairy round the margin, drupe shortly tomentose 

 at length subglabrous. — Gcert. Frut. i. 218. t. 46. Polyodontia? Walkerii. Wight III. i. 203. Pygeum acuminatum, Coleb. Linn, 

 Tram. XII. 360. t. 18. 



This tree is common on the Anamallays, and I have also met with it on the Shevaroys and on the Pulneys and Tinnevelly ranges- in the 

 Anamallay sholas at an elevation of 4,000 feet it grows to an immense size and occasionally has very large buttresses, 1 have seen trees much' over 20 

 feel in girth with an enormous spreading head. Nothing is known of its timber in this Presidency, it is reddish colored and apparently adapted for 

 cabinet purposes, and the tree has no native name ; it is also found in Ceylon, where it is called Galmora; the seed when bruised has a strong smell 

 of prwsic acid. 



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