184 SABIACE^. [Meliosma, 



2. MELIOSMA, Blume ; Fl Brit. Ind. ii, 3. 



Trees or shrubs, usually pubescent or tomentose. Leaves simple or 

 odd-pinnate. Flowers in branched terminal or in terminal and 

 axillary panicles, small, hermaphrodite ; bracts caducous ; bracteoles 

 and sepals 5-9, persistent, forming an unii^terrnpted whorl round the 

 much larger petals. Petals 5, 3 of them larger than the other two. 

 Stamens 5 ; 2 fertile and opposite the smaller petals ; filaments short, 

 flattened, incurved, expanded at the top into a cup which bears 2 

 globose cells, that burst transversely, springing back elastically ; the 

 other 3 stamens deformed and opposite the larger petals. Dish 

 cupular or annular, with 2*5 teeth. Ovartj sessile, usually 2-oelled ; 

 ovules 2 in each cell. Drupes small, oblique, subglobose ; stone 

 crustaceous, 1-celled. Seed globose, testa membvanoiis. — Species about 

 40, inhabiting Tropical Asia, the Malay Archipelago and S. America, 



M. simplicifolia, Wal^. Bep. i, 423; Brand. For. Fl. 116; F. B. I.ii, 5, 

 Milingtonia simpiicifolia, Boxb. ; FL. Ind. i, 103 ; W.^ A. Prod. 115. 



A large tree with pnberulous branchlets. Young parts rufous-pubes- 

 cent. Leaves 6-16 in. long, obovate or oblaneeolate, shortly acuminate, 

 narrowed into the petiole, entire or obtusely toothed when young, 

 membranous, glabrous or pubernlous benaath, with distinct raised nerves; 

 •petiole f-2in., swollen at the base. Flowers small, nearly sessile, arranged 

 in large lax spreading pubescent axillary and terminal panicles ; hracteoles 

 and sepals 6-6, ciliate, the outer ones setaceous, the inner broad and 

 acute. Drupe ^-^ in., globose, shining, purple. 



Terai lands of the northern portion of bbe Bahraich district of Oudlj 

 (Duthie's collector). Distrib. : Trop. Himalaya from Nepal to Sik- 

 kim, up to 4,001) ft., E. Bengal, Burma, S. India and Oeylon. 



XL.— ANACARDIACE^. 



Teees or shrubs ; juice often milky and acrid, Leaves usually 

 alternate, exstipulate, simple or compound. Inflorescence various. 

 Flowers small, regular, often l-sexual or polygamous. Calyx 3-5- 

 partite. Petals 3-5, alternate with the sepals, free, rarely 0. ^ Dish 

 usually annular, entire or lobed. Stamens as many as or twice the 

 number of the petals, sometimes fewer, inserted usually under the 

 disk. Ovary usually superior, 1- or 2-6-celled or (^in JBuchanania) of 

 5-6 free carpels; styles l'4i\ ovules solitary in each ceil, pendulous 

 from the top or wall or from an ascending basal funicle. Fruit 

 usually a 1-5-celled 1-5-seeded drupe. Seed exalbuminous. — Species 

 about 450, chiefly tropisal. 



