ti. 0. LAUItlNE.E. 1105 



It gives a dark indigo-blue coloration with Erdtnann's reagent, a pale rose-red 

 Avith pure sulphuric acid, and a reddish-brown with nitric acid. A base, 

 which seems to be identical with laurotetaniue, is also found in the varieties 

 of Tetranthera, Notophccbe, Aperula, Actinodaphne and Illigera pulchra. It 

 is also possible that Laurotetaniue is the alkaloid discovered in 1886 by 

 Eijkman in Haasia squarrosa, Z. et M. (Meded. uit S'Lands Plantentuin, vii, 

 p. 77-10l.)-(Pharmacog. Ind. III., 2l2.) 



The seeds yield a solid white fat called in Java Tang kala fat. The fat 

 melts at 42° and has acid values ranging from 33 to 8*8 ; specific gravity at 

 4L°, 0°1734 ; saponification value, 268-2 ; iodine value 2'28 ; Reichert-Meissl 

 value, V47 ; Hehncr value, 76-1. The fat appears to contain olein 2'6, laurim 

 96-0 per cent. (A. Schroeder, Archiu. Phavm., 1905, 243, 628.) 



1093. L. polyantha, Juss., h.f.b.i.,v. 162. Roxb. 

 735. 



Vern. :— Meda, gwa, singraf, sangrau, marda, kat marra, 

 kakuri, kerauli, patoia, katmoria, papria, katmedh, kari, 

 rand-kari (Hind.) ; karkawa, karka (Delira Dun) ; Boro kukrir- 

 chita (Beng.) ; Pojo (Santal) ; Sualu (Assam) ; Huara (Kachar) ; 

 Ratmanti, kadmero (Nepal) ; Suphut (Lepcha) ; But, mugasong 

 (Michi) ; Bolbek (Garo) ; Mend ah, kari, kjera, toska, leja. (Gond.); 

 Leinja (Kurku) ; Rian, gwa, liarein, bark = meda lakri (Pb.) ; 

 Ranamba (Mar.) ; Nara mamudi, nara (Tel.). 



Habitat : — From the Punjab and the Salt Range along the 

 foot of the Himalaya, eastwards to Assam, and southwards to 

 the Satpura Range. 



A middle-sized evergreen tree. Bark dark-grey, smooth 

 when old, exfoliating in corky scales. Wood olive-grey, soft, 

 not durable, is readily attacked by insects. Branchlets under- 

 side of leaves and inflorescence, with soft brown or rust- 

 coloured pubescence. Height of tree 20-40ft. Branches rather 

 stout. Leaves extremely variable, the largest (Ava ; Wallich) 

 16 by 9in., usually rusty brown when dry, rarely green, 

 glossy above ; nerves strong beneath, 8-10 pair, joined by 

 parallel transverse veins, petioles J-lin. Male flower heads 

 £-!in. diam. before opening in sessile or nearly sessile clusters. 

 Flowers 5-6 in each head, sessile or on short hairy pedicels. 

 Involucre of 5 rounded membranous bracts. Fruit ^in. ovoid, 

 long seated on the persistent base of the perianth. Ovary in 

 139 



