852 LYTSRACEM. [Latvsonia. 



■Common in all the forest tracts within the area. Disteib. Throughout 

 the greater part of India, ascending to 5,000 ft. on the Himalaya ; also in 

 Baluchistan, Trop. Africa, Madagascar and China, Flowers Feh. to 

 April. The flowers and leaves are used in dyeing and tanninsr, and they 

 as well as the hark are also medicinal. The wood is chiefly used for 

 fuel. The length of stamens and style in this plant vary in a similar 

 manner to that of Lythrum Salicaria, (See Oliver's First Book of 

 Indian Botany, p. 213.) 



3. LAWSONIA, Linn. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. ii, 573. 



A glabrous erect shrub with round branches, sometimes spinous. 

 Ticaves opposite, entire, lanceolate. Floioers rather small, in large 

 terminal panlcled cymes ; bracts small, deciduous, Calyx-tuhe ex- 

 ceedingly short ; lobes 4, ovate. Petals i, obovate, wrinkled, in- 

 serted at the top of the calyx-tube. Stamens usually 8. inserted in 

 pairs between the petals, or sometimes only 4. Ovary free, 4-celled 

 (or 4-celled at the base) ; style very long, stigma capitate ; ovules many, 

 placentas axile. Capsule coriaceous, globose, essert, irregularly break- 

 ing up, ultimately 1-ceIled. Seeds many, angular, pyramidal, smooth, 

 packed on a central placenta. — A single species. 



Ii. alba. LamK ; W. ^ A. Prod. 307 : D. Sr G. Bomh. Fl. 97' ; Brand. For 

 Fl.238; F.B.I.ii,573; DC. L'Orig.Pl. Cult. 109; Field 4" Gard. Crops 

 Hi, 54; Watt E. B. L. inermis, Roxh. FJ. Ind. ii, 258 ; Royle 'III. 213.-YeTn. 

 Mehndi. (Henna). 



A shrub ahout 6 ft. high, with greyish- brown hark and angular hranchlets. 

 Leaves |-H in- long, sessile or nearly so, narrow to the hase, coriaceous. 

 Flowers ^ in. across, sweet-scented. Calyx pinkish; lohes y^o- iii., ovate, 

 persistent. Petals ohlong, wrinkled, greenish white. Capsule about the 

 size of a pea. 



Extensively cultivated within the area as a hedge-plant, and of ten occurring 

 in a semi- wild state. Distbib. Cultivated throughout India, and pro- 

 bably introduced originally from Persia. Flowers during the greater 

 part of the year. The leaves yield a well-known dye, and various parts 

 of the plant are used medicinally. The plant is also prized for the sake 

 of its fragrant flowers. 



4. LAGERSTRCEMIA, Linn. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. ii, 575. 



Trees or shrubs. Leaves opposite, distichous (or the uppermost 

 alternate), entire, oblong or ovate. Pa nicies axillary and terminal, 

 usually 3-chotomous ; peduncles 2-bracteate at their apex ; pedicels 2- 

 bracteolate. Floicers often large. Calyx-tuhe funnel-shaped, smooth 

 grooved angular or subalate ; lobes 6 sometimes 7-9, ovate, subacute. 



