MISOHODON ZEYLANIOUS. (Nat. order Euphorbiacese.) 



M. ISCHODON, l%w. — GEN. CHAK. Dioecious, calyx of both sexes imbricate 6- (rarely 4-5-) parted, petals wanting or 1-4 present much, 

 .smaller than the calyx-lobes. Male, stamens (rarely 4-5-7) inserted round the base of the 3-lobed rudiment of an ovary, which is imbedded in the disk ; 

 filaments elongate free at the base opposite the calyx-segments when equal in number, anthers 2-celled dehiscing longitudinally (cells at length divaricate) 

 affixed nearly at the apex. Female, disk thick annular more or less lobed conspicuous, ovary 3-(rarely 4-) lobed, 3-(rarely 4-) celled, cells 2-ovuled, the 

 ovules pendulous from a thick placenta, stigmas subsessile as many as the cells of the ovary connate at the base, dilated at the apex, somewhat recurved 

 simple or somewhat 2-lobed, capsule 3-(rarely 4-) coccous, seeds ovoid slightly compressed ecarunculate and exarillate, solitary in the cells, furnished with a 

 conspicuous hook at the apex, testa smooth castaneous, cotyledons oblong, radicle short. A tree, leaves opposite or 3-5-verticellate penniveined entire, 

 flowers small in axillary panicles. Thw. in Hook. Kew Journ. of Bat. 1854, p. 299, t. 10-5. 



MlSCHODON ZEYLANICUS. (Thw.) A large tree, young branches tetragonous minutely pubescent, leaves glabrous 

 except when very young, 3-5-verticellate, entire oblong obtuse or emarginate at the apex, narrow towards the base, 4-15 inches long by 

 1-5 inches broad, minutely reticulated; petioles pubescent \ to 1\ inch long. Male, panicles pubescent axillary about 3 inches long 

 bracteated, the glomerules many-flowered, pedicels short, stamens about 3 times as long as the calyx, filaments and anthers hairy, 

 female panicles or racemes shorter than the male but somewhat elongating in fruit, ovary hairy, capsule glabrous 10-15 lines in 

 diameter, seed brown, hooked at its apex. Thw. I. c. ; — DC. Prod. xv. p. 1124. (Wrong as to the number of the ovules.) 



This fine tree is common in Ceylon in the vicinity of Colombo and near Kandy ; ike young leaves are of a beautiful red color ; it is 

 known by the name of Tamana. The timber is excellent. It seeds abundantly, and is most readily propagated from seed, and has been introduced 

 into this presidency. I do not know that it occurs in our southern provinces, but I have a specimen of doubtful origin. 



Analysis. 

 The figure represents branch of female tree in fruit. 



1. Portion of a male panicle magnified. 



2. A male flower open, showing 6 sepals and 1 petal, 6 stamens each opposite one of the sepals, and the abortive 3-lobed ovary, 



3. Male flower, side view, showing 6 stameus. 

 4, 5. Male flowers with 4-5 stamens. 



6. Anther, front view, cells somewhat divaricate, filament and anther-cells hairy. 



7. Anther, back view, filament attached nearly at the apex at the back. 

 8- Female inflorescence. 



9. Female flowers, petals sometimes present, ovary 3-lobed seated on a thick disk, styles short thick recurved. 



10. A 6. cleft female calyx open. 



11. Female flower with a 4-lobed ovary and 4 styles. 



12. Ovary cut vertically, ovules 2 in each cell attached to a thick placenta pendulous from rather above the apex of the axis. 



13. Ovary cut trausversely, 3-celled, each cell 2-ovuled. 



14. A 4-lobed ovary cut transversely. 



15. A fruit with 3 cocci. 



16. A fruit with 4 cocci. 



17. Val ves of the fruit after it has burst. 



18. A seed showing the hook at the apex. 



19, Seed cut vertically, showing^the embryo lying in albumen, (All drawn from flowers in spirits.) 



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