DIALIUM OVOIDEUM. (Nat. ord. Leguminosee.) 



DlALIUM. Linn. — GEN. CHAR. Calyx tube very short, segments 5 much imbricate herbaceous or petaloid, petals or 1-2 small, 

 staineus 2 rarely 3 free, filaments short, anthers oblong erect affixed at the base, cells dehiscing longitudinally, ovary sessile at the bottom of the calyx, or 

 un a stipe adnate to the calyx tube, 2-ovuled, style short subulate, stigma terminal small, legume ovato-orbicular, slightly compressed or ovoid-globose 

 indehiscent, exocarp hard or fragile, endocarp generally pulpy. Seed 1, more or less compressed albuminous, cotyledons fiat foliaceous or slightly fleshy, 

 radicle short straight subincluded. Trees unarmed, leaves unequally pinnate, leaflets few generally alternate coriaceous, or submembranaceous, stipules 

 small or inconspicuous, flowers small in axillary or terminal cymose panicles, bractes and bracteoles deciduous. — Codarium, Soland. Arouna, Aubl. 



DlALIUM OVOIDEUM. (Thw.) A very large tree, leaflets 5 lanceolate, retuse at the apex, glabrous above, sparingly and 

 very minutely puberulous beneath, 2-3 inches loug |-1| broad., petiolule tumid 2 lines long, panicles terminal adpressedly incano-pilose 

 longer than the leaves, bracteoles lanceolate soon deciduous, flowers white about 3 lines long a little longer than the pedicels, sepals 

 ovate-lanceolate, petals none, anthers extrorse, ovary sessile on an inconspicuous ring-like disk, stigma obtuse, legume ovoid dark 

 brown velutinous sparingly compressed subsessile, 7-8 lines long by 5-6 lines broad, seeds 1-2 roundish compressed striated shining 

 yellowish or reddish-brown, 4 lines long. Thw. En. PL Zeyl. p, 97. 



A valuable timber tree, only found in Ceylon (districts north o/Kandy, at no great elevation), called Oal-Seyembala ; the zuood is strong 

 and handsome, and well adapted for ornamental furniture ; the fruit has an agreeable acid flavour, and is sold in the bazaars. 



Analysis. 



1. A very young flower-bud, showing the 2 bracteoles which are early deciduous. 



2. A flower. 



3. The same open, showing the 5 sepals, 2 stamens, and the ovary. 

 4 & 5. The same, sepals removed. 



6. Anthers. 



7. Ovary cut vertically. 

 S. A fruit branch. 



9. Fruit cut vertically, 

 10. A seed. 



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