42 



16. STERCULIACE^. 



[Sterculia, 



2. S. urens, Roxb. Fl. Ind. III. 145 ; Fl. Br. I. 1. 355 ; Dalz. & Gibs. 

 Bomb. Fl. 231 fBedd. Fl. Sylv. 32 ; Brandis For. Fl. 33. Karat, handol, 

 saldawar, M. ; Kurda, kalaurij Vern ; Kud in the Satpudas of Khan- 

 desh ; Karai, hada, Guz. 



Tropical Himalayas from the Ganges eastwards, E. and W. Peninsulas, 

 Southern India and Ceylon. In the Deccan districts, in dry deciduous 

 forests, often associated with Boswellia in the Khandesh S^tpud^s ; near 

 the coast on rocky soil in the Konkan and North Kanara. Fl. Jany. Fr. 

 Apl.-May. A moderate sized tree, usually with an irregular, gnarled, 

 short trunk. Bark smooth, shining, thick, greenish-white, the thin papery 

 rhytidome scaling off like birch bark. Wood very soft, reddish brown, 

 with an unpleasant smell. Pores large, oval, filled with gum. Medullary 

 rays broad. Weighs about 40 lbs. to the cubic foot. A white gum exudes 

 from the bark (^katila gum), used medicinally by the natives as a sub- 

 stitute for gum tragacanth. The seeds are roas-ted and eaten by the 

 Gonds of the Central Provinces. 



3. S. villosa, Eoxb. Fl. Ind. III. 153 ; Fl. Br. I. 1. 355 ; Brandis For. 

 Fl. 32 ; Dalz. & Gibs. Bomb. Fl. 22. Sarda, sarde, M. ; Savaya^ chauri, 

 K. 



Tropical Himalaya, ascending to 2,500 ft. N.-W. India, Bengal, W» 

 Peninsula from Gujarat southwards to N. Kdnara and Malabar. Fl. Dec. 

 Jany. Fr. H. & B. S. Wood grey, soft, light and spongy. Annual rings 

 prominent. Pores large, in a line along the edge of the annual ring. 

 Med. rays broad, harder than the white tissue between. Bark used for 

 elephant timber-dragging, ropes ; also for sacks in S. India. A pellucid 

 gum exudes from scars in the bark. 



4 S. guttata, Roxb. Fl. Ind. III. 148 ; Fl. Br. I. 1. 355; Bedd. 

 Sylv. t. 105 ; Dalz. & Gibs. Bomb. Fl. 23. Koohur, goldar, koketi, chakro, 

 M. ; Happu savaga, K. 



Ghats of the W. Peninsula from the Konkan to Malabar, E. Peninsula 

 Malacca and the Andamans ; Ceylon. Throughout the forests of the 

 Konkan and North Kanara, usually in or near moist evergreens. New 

 flowers and ripe fruit about Jan. and Feb. Bare of leaves from Jan. to 

 May. Bark yields a strong fibre, adapted for cordage and the manufac- 

 ture of paper. 



5. S. colorata, Roxb. Fl. Ind. III. 146 ; Fl. Br. I. 1. 359 ; Bedd. Fl. 

 Sylv. 32 ; Dalz. & Gibs. Bomb. Fl. 23. Kowsey, M. ; BJiaikoi, khavas, 

 khanshi, Vern. 



Forests of E. Bengal, W. Peninsula, Burma and Ceylon ; throughout 

 the Presidency in deciduous forests, nowhere abundant. Fl. Mar. -May. 

 Fr. May-June. Bark grey, scaly, thick ; inner bark mottled white. 

 Wood soft, whitish with concentric bands of lighter tissue. Med. rays 

 broad, wavy. Bark yields a fibre. 



6. S. alata, Roxb. Fl. Ind. III. 152 ; Fl. Br. I. 1. 360. S. Haynii 

 Bedd. Fl. Sylv. t. 230. Tattele or Talbe mara, K. 



