Bassia.'] 



54. sapoTace;!:. 



207 



Forests of Central India 1 — 4000 ft. altitude ; from West Bengal to the 

 Western ghats and Kumaon Terai. Common in the dry forests through- 

 out the presidency, also in the Konkan and North Kdnara forests, but. 

 nowhere abundant in them. Fl. Mch.-Apl. Fr. June-July. 



A large tree. Bark thick, dark-coloured, fissured and cracked ; inne^ 

 bark red, milky. Wood reddish-brown, moderately hard, annual rings 

 indistinct. Pores moderate sized, in short radial lines. Medullary rays 

 fine, numerous and joined by very fine b^rs of white tissue. Weighs about 

 66 lbs. to the cub. ft. Not much in demand. The flowers are an im- 

 portant article of food and are much employed in the manufacture of 

 spirits in Central India. 



2. B. longifolia, Linn. Mant. 563 ; Fl. Br. T. 3. 544 ; Dalz. & Gibs, 

 Bomb. Fl. 189 ; Bedd. Fl. Sylv. t. 42 ; Brandis For. Fl. 290. The Mowa 

 tree of South India. I2?pi, moraro, K. ; Molia^ M, 



Western Peninsula, on the ghats from the Konkan southwards to 

 Ceylon. Common in the moist forests o£ the Konkan and North Kdnara ; 

 often along the banks of rivers and nalas ; takes the place of B. latifolia, 

 in the moist forests of the southern parts of the presidency. Fl. Nov.-Dec. 

 Fr. ripe May-June. 



A large or moderate sized tree. Bark dark-brown, scaly ; inner bark 

 red, milky. Wood red, moderately hard, close-grained. Pores, medul- 

 lary rays and cross-bars of white tisrue similar to those of B, latifolia. 

 Weighs 61 lbs. to the cub. ft. Used for carts, furniture and boat building. 

 A useful timber, ^ - • ■ 



3. B. malabariea, Bedd. Fl. Sylv. 140; Fl. Br. T. S. 544. mi% 



North Kanara, Malabar and the Anamallays up to 4000 ft. alt. 



Common in the southern parts of North Kanara along the banks of 

 rivers and in moist forests from near the sea-level to 2000 ft. elevation. 

 Fl. Nov.-Dec. Fr. ripe May -June. 



A moderate sized tree. Bark dark-coloured, scaly. Wood light red, 

 moderately hard, smooth, similar in structure to the woods of the two fore- 

 going species. The pores, rays and cross-bars are, however, smaller and 

 finer. Weighs 42 lbs. to the cub. ft. 



5. DICHOPSIS, Thw. 



Trees ; shoots riisty-tomentose. Leaves petioled^ coriaceous. 

 Flowers fascicled, axillary. Calyx-lobes Q, 2-seriate_, outer 3, valvate, 

 inner 3^ imbricate. Corolla-lobes 6. Stamens 12-18, 1-seriate or the 

 alternate a little high-er up ; anthers lanceolate, connective produced, 

 acute or bifid ; staminodes 0. Ovary villous, usually 6 -celled. Berry 

 1-2'Seeded. Seed exalbuminous. 



D. elliptica, Benth. in Gen. Plant. 11. 658; Fl. Br. I. 3. 542. Basda 

 ellijptica, Dalz. & Gibs. Bomb. Fl. 139 ; Bedd. Fl. Sylv. t. 43. Indian 

 Gutta-percha Tree. Fanchotij palla^M, 



