N. 0. CUPULIFER^. 1213 



oblong, 4-celled ; filament short. Females in small ovoid spikes 

 at the ends of lateral branchlets, consisting of very short joints, 

 one flower under each tooth of the annular sheath. Perianth of 2 

 large scales enclosing the ovary, which, as the seed ripens, grow 

 out into 2 large woody valves, more or less hairy, supported 

 before maturity by the tooth of the sheath. Ovary 1-celled, 

 with 2 pendulous ; ovules, only one of which developes into a 

 seed. Style short, dividing into 2 long filiform, garnet-coloured 

 branches. Fruit a woody, globose cone, fin. diam. ; testa 

 aduate to the walls of the achene, which terminates in a long 

 membranous wing. Albumen ; embryo straight, radicle 

 superior ; cotyledons flat. The tree is monoecious the male and 

 female flowers are sometimes, found on the same branch, but 

 (as often happens with monoecious trees) some trees habitually 

 bear male and other female flowers only. (Brandis). 



This is one of the most interesting plants in the vegetable 

 kingdom as regards its morphological peculiarities as well des- 

 cribed by Brandis. 



Uses : — The bark, according to Dr. Gibson, is an excellent 

 and often readily available astringent in the treatment of 

 chronic diarrhoea and dysentery. In infusion it is employed 

 as a tonic. 



N. 0. CUPULIFERiE. 



1198. Betula utilis, Don Prod., h.f.b.i., v. 599. 



Syn. :~ Betula Bhojpatra, Wall. 



Sans. : — Bhurj apatra. 



Vera. :— Bhejpattra (H.) ; Burj, Burzal, bhuj phurz (Pb. ) ; 

 Shak or shag, pad, phatak, takpa (Ladak, Lahoul, Piti, and 

 Kanawar); Phuspat (Nepal); Bhurjpatra, bhojpatra (Bomb., 

 Cutch and Guzerat). 



Habitat : — Temperate Himalaya, from Kashmir to Sikkim 

 and Bhotan. 



A moderate-sized, deciduous tree, often gregarious, 40-50 feet 

 or even 60ft., or shrub at high altitudes. Bark smooth, shining, 

 reddish-white or white, with white, horizontally oblong lenticels, 



