ALANGIUM LAMARCKII. (Nat. order Cornaceje.) 



AlANGIUM. Lam.— GEN. CHAR. Flowers hermathrodite, calyx-tube turbinate often sulcate, limb 5-10 toothed or truncate, petals 5-10 

 strap-shaped at length reflexed or revolute, valvate, stamens equalling in number or 2 or 4 times as many as the petals, filaments filiform or flat more or 

 les3 villous, anthers linear elongate, cells narrow adnate to the connective dehiscing along the sides, disk cushion-shaped depressed in the centre lobed or 

 crenulate, ovary 3-celled, style narrow clavate or filiform, stigma clavate or capitate 4-many-fid or many lobulate lobes conduplicate, ovule 1 pendulous 

 from the apex of the cell, berry crowned with the limb of the calyx, seed oblong, testa thin, albumen ruminate easily crumbled, cotyledons foliaceous 

 contortuplicate, radicle elongate cylindric thick. Trees or shrubs unarmed or spinescent, leaves alternate petiolate entire, flowers rather large fascicled in 

 the axils. 



AlANGIUM L/AMAECKII. (Thw.) Varying in size from a large shrub to a considerable tree, branches often spine- 

 scent, leaves from linear-oblong to ovato-lanceolate obtuse at the apex or acute or acuminate, often velvetty beneath, 4-6 iuches long by 

 10 lines to 2 inches broad, petioles about -| inch long, petals 6-10, stamens twice as many as the petals, filaments hairy at the base, 

 flowers whitish or purple fragrant solitary c r aggregated in the axils of the leaves, drupe tomentose with a purplish rind filled with red 

 pulp. Thw. En. PI. Zey. p. 133. A. decapetalum, Lam. A. hexapetalum, Lam, A. tomentosum, Lam. 



This is generally only a large shrub or small tree in the plains; but it grows to a considerable tree on our mountains, it is very common 

 throughout the Peninsula and in Bengal, it is very abundant in some of the Locomotive Fuel Reserves hi this Presidency, and is an excellent plant 

 for this purpose as it yields a first class fuel, and groivs most admirably from coppice. The tree is called Akola in Hindustanee, Ddugu in 

 Teligu, Alangi in Tamil (hence its botanical name), Ankola in Canarese and Eepaata in Ceylon. The vjood is strong, very close and even 

 grained, of a dark brown color, easily worked, and gives a smooth glossy surface and is capable of sustaining a great weight. A cubic foot 

 unseasoned weighs 55-60 lbs. and 49 lbs. when seasoned, and its specific gravity is "784, and it is well suited for ornamental work. In Gumsur a 

 sort of wooden bell attached to the neck of cattle is made of this 'wood, which is said to be peculiarly adapted for producing sound. The sap-wood 

 is white, close and even grained, and nearly as strong as the heart ; the fruit is eaten but is not agreeable, the root and leaves are used medicinally. 



Analysis. 



1. A flower bud. 



2. Au open flower showing 8 reflexed strap-shaped petals (they vary from 6 to 10) aud 16 stamens. 



3. A flower, petals and stamens nearly all removed, shewing the calyx (7-toothed in this instance), the disk, style and stigma. 



4. An anther highly magnified, shewing the filament very hairy at the base and the narrow adnate cells. 



5. A flower cut vertically, shewing the insertion of the petals and stamens and the 1-celled ovary with the solitary pendulous ovule. 



(All drawn from fresh specimens.) 



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