52 CAPPABIDEM. [CfiATiEVA, 



C. religiosa. -Porst.f. Prod. 35 ; Boyle 111.72 $F. B. Li. 172; Brand 



For. PI. 16; Watt E. D. Capparis trifoliata, Bosoh. FU Ind. %x. 571. 



Vern. Brarna, hildsi, hdrna (Saharanpur). 



A small spreading unarmed tree. Leaves deciduous, appearing with the 

 flowers, long-petioled ; leaflets 3-6 in. long, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 

 acuminate, entire, glabrous, pale;beneath. Flowers 2 in. m diam., in 

 corymbose clusters at the ends of the new growths, greenish-yellow, at 

 length purplish. Petals ovate or oblong, obtuse or acute ; claw half aS 

 Ion'' as the limb. Stamens longer than the petals. Berry 1-2 m.,lon a 

 thickened woody gynophore ; pericarp hard, marked with white specks. 

 Seeds nearly smooth, black. 



Occurs generally as a planted tree within the area, flowering in April 

 and May. It may, however, be truly wild on the Siwalik range, as sup- 

 posed by Edgeworth. It is believed to be indigenous in Malabar and 

 Kanara/but plantedlin other parts of India and in Ceylon. The bark and 

 leaves are used medicinally, and the viscid pulp of the fruit is some- 

 times mixed with mortar to form a strong cement. In the Fl. Brit. 

 Ind. the following two varieties are mentioned :— 



Vab. 1. Nurvala, BuchrHam. (sp.); W. Sf A. Prod. 23; D. J^ G. 

 Bomb. Fl. 8 ; leaflets ovate-lanceolate, taper-pointed ; berry ovoid. 



Vab. 2. Boxburghii, E. Br. {sp.) ; W. 8; A. Prod. 23; D. S^ ^- ^omb. 

 Fl. 8 ; leaflets small, ovate-lanceolate, abruptly acuminate ; berry 

 globose. This is the variety usually met with in Upper India. 



5. CAPPARIS, Linn. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. i. 173, 

 Small trees or climbing shrubs, usually armed with a pair of stipular 

 thorns at the base of the petioles. Leaves simple, rarely 0. Flowers 

 often showy. Sepals 4, free, in 2 series.^ Petals 4 sessile, imbri- 

 cate. Stamens many, inserted on the disk at the base of the long 

 ffynophore. Ovary stalked, 1-4-celled. Stigma sessile. Ovules many, 

 on 2-6 parietal placentas. Fruit fleshy, rarely bursting by valves. 

 Seeds many, imbedded in pulp. 



Cavvaris sj^mosa, L., the * Caper plant ' of commerce, is found wild in 

 hot valleys of the Himalaya, also in the Punjab, Smdh and other parts 

 of India, but not within the area of this flora. 

 A dense shrub or small tree with reddish- 



brown or scarlet flowers in oorymbs . . 1. C. aphyUa, 

 A small tree with white flowers in terminal 



corymbs or racemes . . . . 2. C. grandts. 



Climbing shrubs with white or purplish 

 flowers. 



Flowers in simple umbel-like corymbs, , . 



white ^'^' ^marxa. 



Flowers supra- axillary in a vertical line, 

 white or purplish . . . • .4.0. horrida. 



