GLTJTA TRAVANCORICA (Nat. ord. Anaoardiaceas.) 



GrLUTA (Linn.) Qen. PI. 1. 421.— GEN. CHAR. Flowers hermathrodite, calyx spathaoeous, splitting irregularly, caducous, petals 5 rare- 

 ly 4-6 attached to the base of the torus spreading imbricate, torus stipitiform, stamens 4-6 equal inserted on to the torus above the petals, filaments free, 

 ovary stipitate, depressed globose oblique 1 celled, style lateral or terminal filiform stigma simple, ovule pendulous from the fuuicle which rises from the 

 base of the cell, fruit baccate pedicellate, with a rough brownish rind, seed shaped to the cell, cotyledons very large connate fleshy, radicle very Bmall 

 obtuse incurved. Trees, with caustic juice, leaves alternate towards the apex of the branches shortle petiolate simple oblong coriaceous, panicles axillary or 

 terminal. (Syndesmis, Wall, in Roxb. PI. Ind. ii. p. 314. Stagmaria, Jack, Mai. Misc. Ex- Hook, Comp. Bot. Mag. 1. 267.) 



VALUTA i-KAVANCOKICA (Bedd.) A very large tree, leaves crowded about the apex of the branches alternate entire elliptic 

 attenuated at both ends to obovato-elliptic, 4-6 inch long by 1| : — If broad, glabrous ou both sides, petioles very short dilated, pauiclea 

 terminal and from the upper axils crowded canescent with very short adpressed pubescence, calyx sub-entire or irregularly and slightly 

 5-toothed, splitting irregularly and early caducous, bracts ovate cymbiform, petals 5 imbricate, fruit depressed transversely oblong 

 •with a rough brownish rind, about 1 inch long and 1^ to 1| broad. 



Mr. Athol MacQregor, now the Collector oj Malabar, first brought this tree to my notice as a valuable timber tree growing on the South 

 Tinnevelty mountains and known as the Shen kurani. It is the first species of the genus found on the continent, though about 6 species inhabit 

 the Archipelago, its timber is reddishin color, weighs 40 lbs. the cubic joot when seasoned, has a fine grain, takes agood polish and is well suited 

 for furniture. The tree is most abundant in the dense moist forests on the Tinnevelty and Travancore chain of ghats above Paupanassum and 

 grows to a very large size, trees having beenobseroed up to \5feet in girth and of immense heigh! ivith a very straight stem. 



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