June 1, 1864] THE TECHNOLOGIST 



THE TIMBER TREES OF CEYLON. 487 



VeRBENACEjE. 



Premna latifolia, Roxb. — A small tree found at Kaduwella, Caltura, 

 and Trincomalie. "Wood white, firm, and used for many economical 

 purposes in India. Agrees in character with the teak-tree and others of 

 the same order. 



P. tomentosa, Willd. " Boo-sini," S. ; " Kolcutty Teak-marum," T. — 

 Common up to an elevation of 3,000 feet. A small, hard tree. Wood 

 hard and close-grained, of a brownish yellow colour ; well fitted for 

 ornamental purposes, and worthy of attention as a fancy wood. 



The well-known bazaar drug, known by the natives for perhaps 

 one or two hundred years, under the names of " Siritekku," "Gunta- 

 baringa," &c, was first identified by me as a species of this genus, the 

 Premna berbacea of Roxburgh. 



Callicarpa tomentosa, Linn. " Eella," S. ; " Kaat-komul," T. — A 

 small tree or large shrub, very common, up to 4,000 feet. Wood white, 

 spongy, and used for making charcoal in India. Bark occasionally used 

 instead of Betel. 



Gmelina Kheedii, Hooker. "iEtdemata," S. ; " Koommy-marum," 

 T. — A small tree, common, up to 5,000 feet ; said to resemble teak in 

 colour, weight, and qualities, and to be one of the best woods in India 

 for resisting the effects of water and the attacks of the teredo. It is 

 applied to all kinds of purposes — for bullock-yokes, picture-frames, decks 

 of small boats, Venetian blinds, sounding-boards, panels, grain-measures, 

 foundations of wells, &c, &c. 



Vitex altissima, Lin. fil. " Milila-gaha," S. ; " Kaat-milla," T. — A 

 common forest tree, up to an elevation of 3,000 feet. No timber tree is 

 better known in Ceylon and applied to more useful purposes, where a 

 hard, tough, and durable wood is required. The woods known in Ceylon 

 as " Kaha " (yellow), " Sapu " (light), and " Mee-an " (buffalo's horn), 

 " Milila," are simply varieties of this timber, having the colours and 

 qualities indicated. 



V. pinnata, Linn. ; V. pubescens, Vahl. — A native of the mountainous 

 parts of the Circars, Chittagong, &c. Wood, when old, of a chocolate 

 colour, exceedingly hard and durable, which renders it useful for many 

 purposes. 



V. leucoxylon, Linn. — A small tree, not common. No notice of its 

 timber. 



Avicennia officinalis, Linn. — Not uncommon on the coast. A pre- 

 paration made from the ashes of its wood used by dhobies for washing 

 cotton cloths, and by painters to mix with their colours to make them 

 adhere. The bark is used for tanning, but the wood is untried. 



NyCTAGINACEjE. 



Pisonia oleracea.W. Ferguson ; P. alba, Span. ; P.morindifolia, Wall. 

 — The Bombay lettuce-tree, with cream-coloured leaves, which are eaten 

 by the natives ; now a common ornamental plant in Ceylon. The wood 



