N. 0. LINEJ3. 227 



Habitat : — Hilly parts of the Western Peninsula ; Ceylon, 

 dry country. 



A shrub or small tree. " Bark dark brown, thick, rough. 

 Wood very hard. Sapwood white; heartwood^dark reddish- 

 brown, with a pleasant resinous smell ; takes a beautiful polish. 

 Pores very small, very numerous, often in radial strings or 

 patches in lighter tissue. Medullary rays short, very fine, 

 uniformly distributed " (Gamble). Leaves cuneate, l-2in. long, 

 dull, not shining, glaucous-brown beneath, when dry; stipules 

 triangular, long, acuminate. Pedicels about as long as the 

 petiole. Flowers greenish-white, axillary generally in fascicles 

 of 1-4, bisexual, pentamerous. Calyx 5-lobed. Petals with a 

 scale, generally bifid at the top of the claw. Stamens 10. 

 Styles 3, combined nearly at the apex, longer than the stamens. 

 Stigmas clavate. Drupe oblong, triangular, 3-celled, 2 of the 

 cells long, abortive ; apiculate, bright scarlet when ripe, support- 

 ed by the persistent sepals and stamens. 



Parts used : — The leaves, wood and bark. 



Uses : — Dr. Bidie says that " during the Madras famine the 

 leaves were largely eaten by the starving poor, and as there 

 is nothing in them structurally likely to satisfy the pangs of 

 hunger, it seems probable that they contain some principle like 

 that of E. Cocoa." 



Subsequently, the leaves were examined by Dr. Waddel, 

 Officiating Professor of Chemistry, Calcutta Medical College, for 

 alkaloid, but he could not discover any. (Vide I.M.G., September 



1884.) 



According to Dr. Moodeen Sheriff, an infusion of the wood 

 and bark is stomachic, diaphoretic and stimulant diuretic ; 

 useful in some slight cases of dyspepsia and continued fever, 

 and also in dropsy as an adjuvant to some other and more active 

 medicines. The leaves are refrigerant. 



Dr. Bidie mentions the powder as used medicinally as a 

 substitute for sandal wood. 



The pulp beaten into a liniment with gingelly oil is used as 

 an external application to the head. 



