Greiria] 



X.X.I. TIIjIACEijE! 



J)3 



androgynopliore and ovary. Leaves more or less distinct^ dentate, rarely 

 lobed, base generally oblique, with 3, rarely 4 or 5 basal nerves. PL in 

 pedunculate, generally umbelliforni cymes. Sepals valvate, often coloured on 

 the inside, deciduous. Petals shorter than sepals, in most species with a thick 

 base (claw), bearing on the inside an area, generally papillose, surx^ounded by a 

 densely villous, semicircular or circular rim. Stamens as a rule x, free, 

 together with the ovary on a raised more or less costate torus (androi>;yuophore 

 or gonophore), the ridges of which alternate wdth the petals, the lower part 

 glabrous, the upper hairy or tomentose. Ovary 2 or 4-celled, in most species 

 tomentose, style 1, ovules as a rule 8. Stigma generally broad, more or less 

 distinctly 5-lobed. Fruit a drupe, often deeply lobed, with 1— i pyrenes, which 

 are 1- or few-seeded, the endocarp often osseous, surrounded by a fibrous meso- 

 carp. Over 100 species, tropical and sub-tropical, from Africa" to Queensland. 



A. PL bisexual, petals with a distinct claw. 



(a) Peduncles mostly solitary, leaf opposed, i-arely terminal or axillary, blade 

 of petals twice the length of claw. 



1. G. oppositifolia, Eoxb. ; Wight Ic. t. 82 ; Brandis, P. PL t, 12. Yern. 

 Katar^ Pusht. ; Dhaman^ Fharan^ Bhbnal^ IJiid, BeliM^ ISTorth- West Himalaya. 



A middle-sized tree, wood white, with small irregularly shaped heartwood. 

 Leaves 2--4 in., ovate, acuminate. Peduncles single, leaf opposed, 1-1 in. long. 

 Pedicels 1-8, bupported by linear deciduous bracts. Sepals |~l*'in. Petals 

 shorter than sepals, yellowish red, blade linear, twice the length^of claw. Drupe 

 deeply 2-4 lobed, fleshy. Pruit olive-green, then black, with scattered hairs. 



Suleiman range, Baluchistan (3,500 ft.), Salt range. Himalaya, extendini> pahtwaid 

 to Nepal and ascending to 6,000 ft. The leaves are shed in March, tlie new leaves come 

 out m April and May. PL March, June. 



2. G. populifolia, Vahl; Trimen Handb, Ceylon t. 18. Yern. Gango^ 

 Gangerun^ Eajputana. 



A shrub with stiff divaricate branches, bark white, wood yellowish-white, 

 tousrh. Branchlets and 

 leaves slightly rough with 

 short stellate hairs. 

 Leaves broadly ovate, 

 sometimes obovate, coarse- 

 ly dentate, blade |~2 in., 

 petioles slender, \-\ in. 

 long. Peduncles slender, 

 generally leaf opposed and 

 solitary, with 1-3 large 

 white flowers. Sepals 

 f in., blade attached to 

 back of claw. Gronophore 

 glabrous, with 5 densely 

 villous teeth. Ovary gla- 

 brous as a rule. Drupe 

 shining, orange, of 2-4 

 distinct globular lobes, 

 each with a 2-celled stone. 



Dry and arid regions of 

 ISforth-West India, Smd and 

 the Deccan. Salt range, foot 

 of ISTorth - West Himalaya, 

 ascending to 2,000 ft. PL 

 July-December. Dry country 

 of Oeylon, western Asia, 

 Egypt, tropical Africa. 



Fig. 46.— Grewia populifolia, YahL J. 



