LOPHOPETALUM WIGHTIANUM. (Nat. order Celastrinese.) 



LOPHOPETALUM. Wight. — GEN. CHAR. Calyx scutelliform with a very broad fiat spreading base, lobes 5 very short rounded soon 

 obsolete petals 5 (rarely 4) orbicular, continuous with the disk, either furnished at the base with a membranaceous corrugated crest and covered near the 

 base with the projecting lobes of the disk, or rarely naked, and alternate with the lobes of the disk, disk 5-lobed thick fleshy covering the whole cavity of 

 the calyx, the lobes adnate to the base of the petals, stamens 5 (rarely 4) inserted on to the disk, filaments subulate short, anthers versatile oblong ; ovary 

 small continuous with the disk and sometimes immersed in it, 3 (rarely 4) celled contracted into a short style, stigma capitate, ovules numerous in a double 

 row in each cell, capsule coriaceous 3 (rarely 4) angled, 3 (rarely 4) celled dehiscing loculicidally, seed few or many, often winged, arillate, albumen fleshy. 

 Trees or shrubs glabrous, leaves opposite or alternate, exstipulate coriaceous entire or serrulate, cymes axillary and terminal, flowers often large. 



LOPHOPETALUM WlGHTIANUM. (Arnt.) A large tree, leaves elliptic oblong obtuse or slightly acute rounded 

 or subcordate at the base, entire coriaceous glabrous on both sides, 5-9 inches long by 2-4 broad, petioles about \ inch long, 

 cymes axillary and terminal shorter or nearly as long as the leaves, flowers 5-merous dull-reddish, 7-9 lines in diameter, calyx lobes very 

 short and broad in bud, nearly or quite obsolete in expansion, petals with a membranaceous corrugated crest, ovary continuous with 

 the disk but not immersed, fruit sharply triangular 3-celled, 3-4 inches long, seeds numerous imbricate compressed winged. Wight 

 Icones tab. 162. 



This tree inhabits the Western ghats of the Madras Presidency from Canara down to Cape Comorin, and is also found on the Bombay 

 ghats ; it grows to a very large size and is a very handsome tree. The drawing is taken from specimens collected in the moist forests in the plains of 

 South Canara (at Parapa), but it also ascends the ghats to cm elevation of 3000 feet ; it is called Balpdle in S. Canara, and its timber is mUch 

 esteemed by the natives. +» 



Analysis. 



1. A young bud. 



2. The same, more advanced. 



3. A flower, front view. 



4. The same, back view. 



5. Anthers, frout and back view. 



6. Ovary cut vertically. 



7. The same cut horizontally, 



8. A very young fruit cut open, petals and stamens still persistent. 



9. A winged seed (very immature,) 



lit 



