212 



55. EBENACE^. 



{Biospyros, 



wood in old trees. Fruit globose j in. in diameter, calyx with 4 spread- 

 ing, almost woody lobes. Seeds rugose, shining, brown; albumen 

 ruminate. 



D. microphylla, Bedd. Fl. Sylv. 145; FL Br, I, 3. 559. Dula^ 

 huri hoonchal, K. 



Western ghats, from North Kanara to the Mysore and Anamallay hills. 

 In the evergreen forests of North Kanara ; common on the Yellapur 

 ghats. Fl. H. S. Fr. 0. S. Large tree 80—100 ft. high, and 3 ft. 

 in diam., buttressed at the base. The leaves have a strong resemblance 

 to those of boxwood. Bark dark, scaly ; inner red, fibrous, soft. Wood 

 reddish grey, moderately hard and smooth. Pores moderate sized, some- 

 times in radial lines with intervals between the pores. Medullary 

 rays very fine and indistinct, cross bars also indistinct. Weighs 46 lbs. 

 to the cub. ft. Timber not used in North Kanara : quickly decays on. 

 exposure. 



8. D. Chloroxylon, Koxb. Fl. Ind, II. 538 ; Fl. Br. I. 3. 560 ^ 

 Dalz. & Gibs. Bomb. Fl. 140 ; Brandis For. Fl. 297 ; Bedd. Fl. Sylv. 143. 

 JSensi^ Yern. (Surat, Nasik) ; Ninai, M. 



Deccan peninsula to Orissa, common about Surat and in the Nasik 

 district, not observed in the Konkan or North Kauara. Fl. June. 

 Fr. Jan. -Feb. Fruit small, globose, J in. in diameter. A small tree, 

 sometimes spinescent. Wood hard, durable and yellow-coloured, 

 Brandis. 



9. D. melanoxylon, Roxb. Fl. Ind. II. 530; Fl. Br. I. S. 564,- 

 Brandis For. Fl. 294 ; Bedd. Fl. Sylv. t. 67. D. exsoulpta, Ham. Dalz. 

 & Gibs. Bomb. Fl. 1 42 ; Bedd. Fl. Sylv. t. 66. D, Tupru, Buch. Ham. 

 Joar. 1. 183 ; Fl. Br. I. 3. 563 ; Balai, K. ; Timhurni, Tendu.M. ; temru, 

 Vern. ; Tamrug. Guz. Goromandel Ebony. 



Deccan peninsula to Ceylon. Common in the dry deciduous 

 forests of the presidency. Fl. Apl.-May. Fr. ripe December. Fruit 

 when quite ripe with an edible pulp. A moderate-sized tree. Rhyti- 

 dome formed of thick plates of hard, black, cinerous tissue, separated by 

 thin whitish, corky layers. I have found trees 16 inches in diameter 

 giving 8 iu. of ebony. Sapwood reddish, tough and dural^e. Pores 

 few, small, in short radial lines. Medullary rays very fine, equidistant 

 with wavy cross bars of lighter coloured tissue. Weighs 64 lbs. to the 

 cub. ft. The ebony is in irregular jet black masses, sometimes with 

 purple streaks. Used for carving, &c., the white wood for building 

 purposes, carriage shafts, &c. 



10. D. erumenata, Thw. Enum. 179. Bedd. Ic. PI. Ind. Or. T. 162, 

 For. Man. 145. Talb. Jour, Bo. Nat. Hist. Soc. XI. 693. t. 14. Kan 

 tumrif K. 



A very large tree with a cylindrical trunk 1 00 — 150 ft. high, and 4 — 5 ft. 

 in diameter at the base. Bark thin, scaly, cinerous.: Wood reddish, 

 close-grained, tough, hard. Pores few, J^medium-siz^ed, Medullary raya 



