WBIGHTEA TINCTORIA. (Nat. order Apoeynese.) 



WrIGHTEA. Br. — GEN. CHAR. Calyx 5-lobed, with 5 tolO scales inside at the base, corol-tube cylindrical usuallyshorfc, lobes spreading 

 contorted in the bud furnished at their base or below the middle with a corona of variously shaped erect scales either distinct or united in a ring. 

 Stamens inserted in the throat, filaments very short and broad, anthers sagittate exserted united or connivent in a cone round the stigma, no 

 hypogynous disk or scales, ovary of 2 carpels distinct or connate, but readily separable, ovules numerous, fruit long terete at length separating into 2 

 follicles, seeds oblong with a tuft of hairs at the end furthest from the hilum. Trees or shrubs, often with milky juice, leaves opposite, flowers in terminal 

 corymbose cymes appearing sometimes axillary after the development of one branch only of the fork, bracts small. — Balfouria, R. Br. 



^rV^RIGHTEA TINCTORIA. (Br.) A small tree abounding with milky juice, leaves membranaceous perfectly glabrous 

 or occasionally more or less pubescent elliptical-lanceolate with rather a blunt often long acumination, quite entire or with the margin 

 slightly erose, 3-10 inches long by 1-4 broad, petioles 2-3 lines long, cymes glabrous or slightly pubescent, bracts linear-lanceolate 

 caducous, flowers pure white fragrant, 1-1| inch across, calyx-lobes § as long as tube of corol, oblong obtuse pubescent on the outside 

 and ciliate and furnished inside at the base with 5-10 glabrous narrow linear scales which are § as long as the calyx, corol pubescent, 

 lobes obtuse, scales of the corona very numerous and of various lengths, some inserted with the filaments near the apes of the corol 

 tube, others collected in phalanges on the lobes of the corol and nearly equalling the anthers in length, all generally glabrous and thick- 

 ened towards the apex, anthers hairy at the apex and on the inside and generally slightly so on the back, stigma glutinous cap-like 

 and toothed at the contracted apex, follicles pendulous slender about 5 lines in diameter, 10-20 inches long, at first adhering at the 

 apex. — Wrightea tinctoria et Eothii, DC. Prod. viii. 406 ; — Wight Icones tab. 1319. Nerium tinctorium, Eoxb. Fl. Ind. ii. p. 4. 



This pretty little tree is most abundant in the jungles in every part of this Presidency, and ascends the mountains to nearly 4000/eei 

 elevation. The luood is beautifully white like ivory and close-grained, and cuts like soap on the lathe. An indigo is extracted from the leaves; the 

 tree is called in Teligu Tedlapal and in Tamil Paid, the glabrous variety is more common than the variety with puberv.lous leaves. 



Analysis. 



1. A flower bud showing the calyx about § as long as tube of corol, and corol lobes contorted in aestivation. 



2. A full flower, showing the anthers united in a cone round the stigma. 



3. Calyx, ovary and cap like stigma, the calyx with 10 glabrous scales. 



4. One of the scales from the inside of the calyx. 



5. Corol opened to show stamens and corona. 



6. A lobe of the corol, showing scales of the corona. 



7. Corona scales. 



8. Anther, inside view. 



9. Anther, outside view. 



10. Ovary cut vertically. 



11. The same cut transversely. 



12. Portion of a follicle opened, to show the seeds. 



13. A seed. 



14. The same, testa removed, 



15. The seed, transverse section, showing much folded cotyledons. 



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