DOONA ZEYLANICA. (Nat. ord. Dipterocarpese.) 



DOONA. Thw.— GEN. CHAR. Tube of the calyx in flower very short actuate to the torus, divisions imbricate, in fruit the tube not enlarg- 

 ing, 3 of the divisions enlarging into large erect wings ; 3 small, all connivent at the base round the fruit, stamens 15, anthers oblong with the cells equal, . 

 connective produced into a terminal process, ovary 3 celled, cells 2 ovuled, style subulate, stigma small, fruit indehiscent generally 1 seeded, seed ovoid, 

 cotyledons extremely contortuplicate, radicle superior. 



Glabrous trees, resiniferous, stipules small deciduous or inconspicuous, leaves entire ooriaoeous penninerved, panicles axillary or terminal, 

 flowers rather small. — Thw. Hoolc. Kew. Journ. iv. p. 7 ; — Benth. and Booh. Qen. PI. p. 193. 



DOONA ZEYLANICA. (Thw.) A lofty tree, trunk straight, much branched towards the upper part, bark rough and 

 cracked, branches terete and smooth, leaves penniveined with numerous intermediate reticulations lanceolate dark-green above, paler 

 beneath, rounded at the base, tapering towards the apex into a rather long acumination with an abrupt point, 2-2J inches long by f 

 of an inch wide, petioles \ inch long grooved along the upper surface, panicles furnished with small brown deciduous bractes, calyx 

 pale-green tinged with red, the 3 enlarged leaves becoming a deeper red, petals pale rose darker at the tips, filaments united about \ 

 way up. Thw. I. c. 



This is the famous Boon tree of Ceylon, called also shingle tree by the planters ; it is very abundant in the Central Provinces of that 

 island up to 4,000 feet elevation, and the timber is highly prized J or building purposes and for shingles; the tree yields a large quantity of 

 colorless gum-resin from its trunk and branches, which when dissolved in spirits of wine or turpentine makes an excellent varnish. 



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