100 STEBCULIACE^. [Steeculia. 



more in each carpel, often winged, sometimes arillate. — Tropics of" 

 both hemisplieres, abundant in tropical Asia. 



Follicles woody, opening when ripe. 



Panicles erect, follicles bristly . . , 1. 8. urens. 



Panicles drooping-, follicles dovv^ny . . 2. 8. villosa. 



Follicles membranous, opening before matu- , 



rity. 



Leaves glabrous ; flowers orange-scarlet . 3. 8. colorata. 



Leares tomentose beneath ; flowers yellow 4. 8. pallens. 



1, S. urens, Roxb. Fl. Corom. i, 25, t. 24 ; Fl. Ind. Hi, 145 ; W. Sf A. 

 Trod. 63 ; Bnyls III. 102 ; D. Sf G. Bomb. Fl. 23 ; F. B. I. i, 355 ; Brand. 

 For. Fl. 33 ; Watt E. D. Vern. Kuli, Tculu, Tcor (Merwara). 



A moderate-sized soft-wooded tree, 30-50 ft. high. Outer bark peeling 

 off like paper, whitish tinged with pink. Leaves 8-12 in. long, crowded at 

 the ends of the branches, palmately 5-lobed, glabrous above, tomentose 

 beneath, cordate ; lobes entire, caudate-acuminate ; petioles 6-9-in., to- 

 mentose : stipules caducous. Panicles erect, terminal, many-flowered,. 

 gland-pubescent. Bracts lanceolate, deciduous. Flowers less than -^ in. 

 across, greenish-yellow, mostly male. Calyx campanulate, 6-parted ; 

 lobes acute, spreading, glandular inside at the base, pubescent on both 

 sides. Stamerts 1.5-20, united into a short column. JPoZiic/es 5, spreading,. 

 woody, densely pubescent and armed with stiff stinging bristles, red 

 when ripe. Seeds oblong, dark brown. 



Tarai and Siwalik tracts westward to the Jumna ; also in Bundelkhand 

 and Gwalior, mostly on dry rocky bills associated with Boswellia. 

 DiSTEiE. : Bengal, and W. and S. India to Ceylon. The tree is leafless 

 during the winter, flowers from January to March. The inner bark 

 yields a strong fibre ; a white gum (hatira) exudes from the bark, and 

 the seeds are sometimes eaten roasted. 

 2. S. villosa, Roxb. Hort. Beng. 50; fl. Ind. Hi, 153; W. 4" A, Prod.. 



€3; Boyle III. 102; D. S^ Q. Bomb. Fl. 22; F. B. I. i.. 355 ; Brand. 



For. Fl. 32, t. X. ; Watt E. D. Vern. Godguddla, uddr (Oudh). 



A small or medium-sized tree, upwards of 50 ft. high. Baric pale grey 

 or brown. Young portions tawny-tomentose Branches marked with 

 large scars. Leaves 12-18 in. in length and breadth, crowded at the ends 

 of the branches, cordate, nearly glabrous above, tomentose beneath, 

 deeply palmately 5-7-lobed ; lobes oblong or ovate-oblong, abruptly 

 acuminate and often cleft at the apex ; petiole about as long as the blade ; 

 stipules broadly lanceolate, acuminate, deciduous. Panicl<?s 6-12 in. long,, 

 from the axils of the previous year's leaves, drooping ; branches many- 

 flowered, tomentose. Bracts linear, caducous. Flowers yellow, mostly 

 male, on slender pedicels. Calyx campanulate, with 5 ovate acute spread- 

 ing lobes, yellow, and tinged with purple or pink at the base, stellate- 

 hairy outside, glabrous inside. Staminal-column bearing 10 nearly 

 sessile anthers. Ovary globose. Follicles 2-7, sessile, spreading, l|-3' 



