Tbbminalia.j COMBRETACE^. 337 



A large tree with a buttressed trunk and smooth grey hark. Young parts 

 clothed with rust-coloured pubescence. Leaves 5-8 in, long, subopposite, 

 oblong or elliptic, obtuse or shortly acute at the apex, narrowed towards 

 the base and often cordate, sometimes slightly crenulate, hard, coria- 

 ceous, glabrous on both surfaces when mature, pale-brown beneath ; late- 

 ral nerves 10-15, arcuate; petiole short, with 2 glands near its apex. 

 Spikes terminal and axillary, usually panicled ; bracts Yevj small. Young 

 ovary pubescent. Fruit 1-2 in. long, ovoid or obovoid-oblong, with 5-7 

 hard coriaceous narrow wings marked with ascending striae. 



Forests of Eohilkhand and N. Oudh, Bundelkhand (Edgeworth), usually^ 

 on the banks of streams, planted as an avenue-tree in Dehra Dun.. 

 DiSTK IB. Bengal, C, and S. India to Ceylon, cultivated in the Punjab. 

 Flowers April and May, and the fruit ripens in the cold season. The- 

 bark and ashes are used in dyeing and tanning ; the gum, bark, leaves 

 and fruits are medicinal ; the heartwood is brown with darker coloured 

 streaks and very hard, but not very durable. 



4. T. tomentosa, W. &; A. Prod. 814; Brand. For. Fl. 225; F. B- J. ii, 

 4i7; Watt E. D. T. glabra, var. tomentosa, D. Sf G. Bomb. Fl. 91 ? Pen- 

 taptera tomentosa, Roxb. ; Fl. Ind. ii, 440. Vern. 8din, saj, asin (Bijnor),, 

 sadar (Bundelkhand). 



A tall deciduous tree with dark deeply cracked bark. Young parts rusty 

 pubescent. Leaves subopposite or the upper alternate, 5-9 in. long, 

 oblong or ovate, obtuse, unequal and somewhat cordate at the base^, 

 entire or rarely crenulate, coriaceous, glabrescent above, tomentosa 

 beneath or sometimes glabrous on both surfaces when mature ; petiole 

 short, with 2 glands near the base of the leaf, Floivers sessile, in erect 

 panicled spikes, 2-sexual, dull-yellow ; bracts lanceolate, longer than the 

 buds. Calyx-lobes ovate, acute, hairy inside. Fruit 1-2 in. long, with. 

 5 wings f -1 in. wide and transversely striated and crenulate. 



Common in all the forests within the area, often associated with sal.. 

 D 1ST RIB. Valleys of the outer Himalaya to Nepal and Sikkim, up to 

 4,000 ft., Punjab plain east of the Eavi, and through W., Cent, and S. 

 India to Ceylon ; also in Bengal and Burma. Flowers June- Aug., and 

 the fruit ripens between Feb. and April, The new leaves do not come 

 out till May or June, The bark and fruit are used in tanning. The 

 latter is classed as a tnyrobalan, but is very inferior to that of T. belerica 

 and T. Chebula. The bark is also used medicinally. The leaves afford 

 good fodder for cattle, and in the Central Provinces they are much used 

 for feeding the tassar silkworm. The dark-brown and streaked heart- 

 wood is largely used for building purposes, and it makes excellent fuel 

 and charcoal. The flowers are often attacked by an insect which pro- 

 duces galls in the place of fruit. 



T. Catappa,''Jjinn. (Indian Almond) is cultivated in gardens in the eastern 

 portion of the area. It is a large very handsome tree with buttressed 

 trunk, and the large leaves turn crimson before falling. The kernel is 

 eaten. The tree is wild in the Malay Peninsula. 



