I 



XYLIA DOLABRIFORMIS. (Nat. order Leguminosfe.) 



XyLIA. Senth.—GiES. CHAE. Flowers 5-merous sessile generally hermathrodite, calyx tubuloso-campanulate dentate, petals quite free to 

 the base, slightly imbricate at the side in the centre. Stamens 10 alternately a little shorter, free, exserted, anthers oblongo-orbicular, gland-tipped at the 

 apex (from the connective at the back) glands deciduous, pollen-grains numerous, ovary sessile many-ovuled, style filiform, stigma terminal small, legume 

 sessile broadly falcate, flatly compressed thick woody 2-valved, partitioned between the seeds inside ; seed transverse obovate compressed, funicle short 

 fleshy. A large tree unarmed, leaves bipinnate, pinnae 1-occasionally 2-pair, leaflets large few paired, glands between the pinnse and leaflets, and on the 

 petiole below the pinnee, stipules small linear deciduous, capitula globose, peduncles axillary sub-fasciculate, or racemose at the apex of the branches 

 flowers small yellowish or cream colored. Benth. in Booh Journ. Bot. iv. 417. 



i 

 A genus consisting of a single species, the long stalked glands to the anthers are always present in the bud, they are soon deciduous but 



can be detected on some of the anthers in the full flower. 



XYLIA DOLABRIFORMIS. (Benth.) A large tree, unarmed, leaves bipinnate, pinnte generally only 1 -rarely 2-pair, a 

 gland on the petiole near the base and 1 between each pair of pinnae, leaflets 2-6 (generally 3-4) pair with, or without an odd one on the 

 outside below the pairs, ovate-oblong acute with a gland on the petiole between each, pair, the leaflets are gradually larger upw ards, the 

 terminal pair being sometimes 9-10 inches long, peduncles 3-4 inches long, capitula about 1 inch in diameter, legumes 4-6 inches long 

 l|-lf broad, valves very thick and woody — Inga xylocarpa, DO- Prod. ii. p, 439, Mimosa xylocarpa, Roxb. Fl. Ind. ii. 543, Acacia 

 xylocarpa, Willd. 



This tree is widely distributed in the forests of the Madras Presidency, it is abundant and of large size in some parts of the Godavery 

 forests, and on the lover western slopes of the mountains in South Canara, Malabar and Travancore ; and in the forests at the foot of the South 

 Canara and Malabar ghats ii is oftenrery gregarious forming forests of itself to the exclusion of almost all other trees, but it is seldom of fine 

 growth when foy.nd in this state ; it is generally known by its Tamil name of Irool, and is called Konda tangedu in Teligu (the drears), Boja in 

 the Godavery forests, and Tirwa in Canarese (S. Canara); it flowers in March and April when destitute of leaves, and ripens its seed in August 

 and September, the wood is of a very dark red color fading to dark brown, heavy, hard, close grained, and not easily worked, when planed up the 

 surface has an unctuous feel and not very agreeable smell. A cubic foot unseasoned weighs 68-74 lbs. and 58 lbs. when seasoned a nd its specific gra- 

 vity is - 928, it is excellent for posts, railway sleepers, naves of wheels, and all purposes demanding great strength, and is in we for building pur- 

 poses. This tree is found in Birmah where it is called Pynkado and is known as the ironivood of Pegu and is said to last as long as teak, it is 

 used therefor knees in ship building, house and bridge posts, ploughs, boat anchors, the construction of carts, and other purposes. 



Analysis, 



1. Apex of a young branch shewing a leaf with 2 pair of pinnaj. 



2. A flower. 



3. The same calyx cut open, shewing the free petals slightly imbricate at the sides. 



4. Corol opened out. 



5. Anthers, front and back view, shewing the stalked gland arising from the connective at the back. 



6. Anthers from a bud. 



7. The petals. 



8. Ovary and style. 



9. Ovary cut vertically. 



10. The same cut transversely. 



18G 



