176 



43. LYTHRACE^. 



[Lagerstrcemia, 



2. L. microcarpa, Wgt. Bedd. Fl. Sylv. t. 30. i. lanceolata, Wall., 

 Fl. Br. I. 2. 57(3 ; Braudis For. Fl. 240. L. parviflora ; Dalz. & Gibs. Bom. 

 Fl. 98. Benteak. BiU nandi, K. ; Nana, M. 



Western peninsula from Bombay southwards to Travancore. Through- 

 out the presidency in deciduous forests, common, attains a large size in 

 North Kanara. I have retained Wight's and Beddome's name for our 

 Nana tree, which has invariably a small capsule with patent calyx- lobes 

 and is otherwise a very distinct species. Fl. Mch.-Apl. Fr. Nov.-Jany. 



A large tree with smooth, white bark, peeling off in large strips ; inner 

 bark white, fibrous '25 in. thick, in concentric rings ; the layer nearest the 

 the cambium turns black on exposure. Wood reddish, moderately hard, 

 strong, tenacious and elastic. Pores large to small, often crowded in the 

 spring wood, showing the annual growth, enclosed in and sometimes con- 

 nected by white tissue. Medullary rays fine, numerous, equidistant. 

 Weighs about 46 lbs. to the cub. ft. Used for building purposes, coffee- 

 cases, boxes, etc. Soon decays on exposure. 



3. L. Flos-Reginse, Retz. Obs. V. p. 25 ; Fl. Br. I. 2. 577 ; L. reginm, 

 Bedd. Fl. Sylv. t. 29 ; Dalz. & Gibs. Bomb. Fl. 98 ; Brandis. For. Fl. 240 ; 

 Gamble Ind. Timb. 202. Mole ddsdl, K. ; Bondara, taman, M. 



E. Bengal, Assam, Burma, and the West Coast. On the North 

 Kanara and Southern Konkan ghats along the banks of nalas and rivers, 

 sometimes planted as an ornamental tree. Fl. H. S. Fr. K. S. 



A large tree. Bark smooth, white, scaling off in thin plates, inner 

 white, fibrous. Cambium soon turning dark coloured. Wood shining, light 

 red, hard. Annual rings marked by a belt of large pores. Pores of all sizes 

 connected by wavy lines of light coloured tissue. Medullary rays fine, an 

 extremely fine. Weighs about 45 lbs. to the cub. ft. An excellent timber, 

 used for gun carriages, ship building, carts, &c. 



L. indica, Linn. DC. Prod. III. 93 ; Fl. Br. I. 2. 575. Cultivated for 

 its flowers in gardens throughout the presidency, a native of China. 



4. SONNEKATIA. Linn. f. 



Trees growing near the sea. Leaves opposite, entire, thick. 

 Flowers large, solitary or in 3-flowered cymes. Calyx thick, 

 coriaceous, the tube adnate to the base of the ovary, lobes 4-8, 

 valvate. Petals 4-8 or 0. Stamens many, on the calyx-tube, 

 inflected in bud. Ovary nearly free, 10-1 5-celled ; style long, 

 stigma, capitate. Fruit large, supported by the persistent calyx. 

 Seeds many, curved, angular. 



Calyx-lobes 4. Petals 1. S. apeiala. 



Calyx-lobes 6. Petals 6 2. ^. acida. 



2. S. acida, Linn. f. Suppl. 252 ; Fl. Br. I. 2. 579 ; Dalz. & Gibs. 

 Bomb. Fl. 98 ; Brandis For. Fl. 242 ; Bedd. Fl. Sylv. 118. Ohipi, K. 



