336 COMBRETACE^. [lEEMiNiLiA. 



medicinally, as also the oil extracted from the kernels. It is eaten 

 greedily by all kinds of animals, both wild and domesticated ; and the 

 kernels are largely eaten by natives. The wood is used for various pur- 

 poses. In N India it is usually steeped for some time in water in order 

 to make it more durable when used for house-building. 



Eoxburgh describes and figares his T. helerica as having 2 opposite glands 

 on the upper side of the apex of the petiole ; this form, however, must be 

 very rare, as no one except Eoxburgh appears to have collected it. 



2. T. Chetoula, Betz. Ohs. v, 81 ; Boxh.; Fl. Ind. ii, 433 ; W. Sf A. Prod, 

 313; Boy lei a. 210; B.SfG.Bomh. Fl. 91 ; Brand. For. Fl. 223, t.xxix. 

 F. B. I. ii, 446 ; Watt E. D.—Yern. Har, hararh. 



A large deciduous tree with thick dark-brown bark. Young parts rusty- 

 pubescent. Leaves 3-6 in. long, distant, mostly subopposite, ovate or 

 elliptic, usually acute, rounded or subacute at the base, more or less 

 hairy when young ; lateral nerves arcuate, prominent ; 'petiole not 

 exceeding 1 in,, with 2 or more glands at its apex on the upper side. 

 Spikes terminal, often panicled ; bracts conspicuous, exceeding the 

 flower-buds, caducous. Flowers all 2-sexual, sessile, dull-white or yel- 

 low, strong- scented. Oalyx-lohes triangular, clothed with brown woolly 

 hairs inside. Filaments far exserted. Drupe 1-1^ in. long, ovoid, or 

 obovoid from a cuneate base, glabrous, more or less £-ribbed when dry. 



Forests of Dehra Dun and Saharanpur, Kohilkhand, N. Oudh and Bundel- 

 khand. Distbib. Outer Himalaya, ascending to 5,000 ft., plains of 

 PunjalD and Bengal, Burma, Siam, Malay Islands, and from C. India to 

 Ceylon. Flowers April- June, and the fruit ripens daring the cold season. 

 In Northern India the tree does not attain to any great size, but large 

 trees, up to 100 ft. in height, are often met with south of the Nerbudda, 

 The most important^product of this tree isithe dried fruit, which con- 

 stitutes the black myrobalan of commerce, one of the most valuable of 

 Indian tanning materials. The fruit is also much valued for medicinal 

 purposes. The kernel is eaten, and the leaves afford good fodder for 

 cattle. 



Of the 6 varieties described in the Fl. Brit. India, var. 2 (T. citrina of au- 

 thors partly) differs from the type only in having the young ovary quite 

 glabrous. It is common in N. India from Kumaon to Bengal, also in 

 Chota Nagpur. Var. 5, gangetica, Boxh.; Fl. Ind. ii. 437 (sp.); Boyle ill. 

 210, differs by having the branchlets, both surfaces of the adult leaves, 

 and the inflorescence covered with brown silky hair. Sir George King 

 believes that specimens collected by him in Dehra Dun and on the Siwalik 

 range may belong to this variety. According to Edgeworth it is culti- 

 vated in N. W. India, and Eoxburgh {Fl. Ind. I.e.) says that it is a native 

 of the banks of the Ganges, where it blossoms and ripens its fruit. 



3. T. glabra, W. Sf A. Prod. 314 ; D. Sf a. Bomb. Fl. 91. T. Arjuna, Bedd. 

 Fl. Sylv. t. 28 ; Brand. For. Fl. 224 ; F. B. I. ii, 447 ; Watt E. D. T. Urjan, 

 Boyle III. 209. Pentaptera Arjuna, Boxh.; Fl. Ind. ii, 438. P. glabra, Boxh.; 

 I.e. 440. P. angustifolia, Boxh. I. c. 437.— Vern. Arjan, arjun, Tcowa (Bundel- 

 khand). 



