^yS LEGUMINOS^. [Bauhinia. 



A shrub, with ash-coloured bark and slender zigzag downy branches. 

 heaves broader than long, 1^-2 in. across, clef t less than half-way down 

 into 2 obtuse lobes, mucronate in the sinus, truncate at the base, 7- 

 nerved, shining and glabrous above, pubescent and whitish beneath ; 

 Xyetiole ^-f. in., swollen at both ends ; stipules setaceous. Floioers large, 

 usually in short-peduncled leaf-opposed pairs ; hracteoles linear, persist- 

 ent. iJalyx limb ^ in. long, spathaceous, splittinsr down to the funnel- 

 shaped tube, finely pubescent. Petals 1^—2 in, long, ob ovate -spathu- 

 late, yellow, the upper with a red blotch on the face. Stamens 1(>, all 

 fertile. Ovary distinctly stalked, densely tomentose ; style long, 

 straight. Pod. 4-5 in. long and i in. or more wide, dehiscent, finely 

 pubescent, becoming glabrous when ripe. Seeds 10—16, flattened, dark- 

 brown, shining. 



Bundelkhand. Distbib. G. & S. India to Ceylon, Malay Penins. and 

 Islands ; also in China and Trop. Africa. The flower-buds, and other 

 parts of the plant are used medicinally. The leaves are used at Hindu 

 religious ceremonies. 



2. B- racemosa, i.amh, Kncycl. i, 390 ; W. ^ A. Prod. 295 ; D. Sc Q. 

 Bomb. Fl. 82 ; Brand, For. Fl. 159 ; F. B. I. ii, 276 ; Watt E. D.-Vern. 

 Kachnal, gurial, ashtd (Oudh), jhanjhora jhinghora and jpdpri (Dehra Dun 

 •and Saharanpur), mahauli (Bundelkhand). 



A small crooked tree, with thick rough brownish bark and drooping 

 branches. Leaves 1^—2 in., broader than long, deeply cleft, slightly 

 cordate at the base, V-O-nerved, coriaceous, more or less densely grey- 

 pubescent beneath. Racemes terminal and leaf-opposed, 3-6 in. long ; 

 rachis downy ; pedicels ^-5 in. ; bracts subulate, deciduous ; buds lanca- 

 ,olate Calyx-limb about 3 times as long as the turbinate tube, spath- 

 aceous, 5-toothed, finally reflexed. Petals oblanceolat3, pale-yellow, as 

 long as the calyx-limb, ^^tamens 10, all perfect. Pod stalked, 6-12 in, 

 by |-1 in. wide, falcate, firm, not distinctly veined, torulose indehiscent. 

 Seeds 12-20. 



Forests of Dehra Dun and Siwalik range, N. Oudh, Merwara. Distrib. 

 Outer Himalaya from the Ravi eastwards, ascending to 5,000 ft. in 

 Kumaon, extending from Behar to Ceylon, Burma and the Malay 

 Islands, also in China. Flowers March to June. The bark yields a 

 useful fibre, it is used also for torches and slow matches. The leaves 

 are made into cigarette covers (bidis), and are also used medicinally. 

 The tree is regarded as sacred by the Hindus. 



3. B. malabarica, Roxb. Hort. Beng.31; Fl. Ind.ii, 321; W. Sf A. 

 Prod. 294; D. & G. Bomb. Fl. 82 ; Brand. For. Fl. 159 ; F. B. I. ii, 277 ; 

 Watt E.D, — Vern. Amli, imli, khat jpdpri, Ichatta jhinjhora. 



A small or medium-sized tree with brownish bark. Leaves broader than 

 long, with 2 obtuse lobes reaching about | of the length, slightly 

 cordate, glabrous and'glaucous beneath, 7-9-nerved, acid. Racemes 1^- 

 2 in. long, dens 3, sometimes 2 or 3 together in the axils ; pedicels |-1 

 in., slender, ascending ; bracts triangular, deciduous ; buds obovoid. 

 Calyx clothed with brown tomentum ; limb 5-cleft, twice as long as 

 the cylindrical tube. Petals spathulate, little exserted. Stamens 10 



