Carissa.] 



59. APOCYNACE;«. 



223 



Wild in most parts of India in the drier zones, from the Himalayaft 

 to Ceylon, on the dry hills of the Deccan. Common in the Dharwar 

 and Bolgaum districts, on dry stony ground. Fl. C. S. Fr. Ang.-Sept. 

 A small thorny, evergreen sometimes prostrate shrub. Wood hard, 

 smooth, close gi'ained. Annual rings distinct. Used for turning and 

 combs. Fruit smaller and much sweeter when ripe than that of 0» 

 Carandas. 



3. C. macrophylla, Wall. Cat. 1679; Br. I. 3. 631. G. lanceolata, 

 Dalz. & Gibs. Bomb. Fl. 143. C. Dalzelln, Bedd. Fl. Sylv. 156. West- 

 ern ghats from the Konkan southwards to Courtallum. Common in 

 the evergreen forests along the Konkan and North Kanara ghats, 

 abundant near the coast on the hills about Karw^r. Fi. Jany.-Feb. 

 Fr. ripe June. The large plum-like fruit is very palatable. 



4. C. suavissima, Bedd. MSS. Fl. Br. 1. 3. 632. 



North Kanara and Konkan ghats, in evergreen forests : a fine lofty 

 climber. I am of opinion that this species is the same as G. macrophylla^ 

 and differs only in the glabrous cymes and climbing habit. Fl. and Fr. 

 at the same time as C macroi^hyllai Wall. Fruit 1 inch in diameter, 

 black when ripe, sweet tasted, contains much milky juice. 



2, RAUWOLFIA, Linn. 



Glabrous shrubs. Leaves whorled, rarely opposite. Calyx 5- 

 divided. Corolla salver-shaped, tube inflated above the middle, pilose 

 within. Stamens included in the inflated part of the corolla-tube. 

 Disk large^ cup- shaped or annular. Ovary 2- celled, ovules 2, collateral 

 in each cell. Fruit a didymous drupe, usually 1-seeded. 



A small shnib, corolla tube slender ... ... 1, R. serpentina. 



Large shrub or small tree. Corolla -tube broad, in- 

 flated at the top ... ... 2. R. densiflora. 



1. R. serpentina, Benth. in Gen. Plant. II. 695; Fl. Br. L 3. 632. 



Ophioxylon serpentinum., Linn. ; Dalz. & Gibs. Bomb. Fl. 143; Bedd. FL 

 Sylv. 156. Harki^ M. 



Tropical Himalaya, Sikkira, Assam, Pegu and along the ghats from 

 the Konkan to Ceylon. Throughout the moist forests of the Konkan 

 and North Kanara. Fl. May. Fr. June. An under-shrub : drupes often 

 didymous, endocarp rugose. 



2. R. densiflora, Benth. in Gen. PI. 11. 697 ; FI. Br. 1. 3. 263. 



B. decurva, Hook. f. Fl. Br. I. 3. 633. Ophioxylon neUgherrense^ Dalz. & 

 Gibs. Bomb. Fl. 144 0. densiflorum, Bedd. Fl. Sylv. 156. Fl. H. S., 

 also in Sept. Fr. R. S. 



Khasia Mountains, 1 — 4000 ft. altitude, Western ghats from the 

 Konkan southwards. Ceylon up to 6000 ft. In the moist forests of 

 the ghats from the Konkan southwards, common in the forests of the 

 Supa sub-division of North Kanara. B. decurva^ Hook f., is in my 

 opinion, only a variety of R. densiflora, Bcntli. Fruiting specimens 



