280 



74. MYRTSTICE.?;. 



[Myridica, 



1. M. laurifolia, Hook, f. & T. Fi. Ind. 1G3 ; Fl. Br, 1. 5. 103 ; Bcdd . 

 Fl. Sylv. t. 267. M. Beddomei^ G. King. Ann. Cal. Gard. III. 291. 



Jaijkai, K. ; Jayphal, M. 



Western Peninsula on tlie ghats from N. Kanara to Cape Comorin, 

 Ceylon. 1500—4000 ft. 



Very common in the evergreen forests of the southern ghats of Tl^'orfch 

 Kanara ; also on the Konkan ghdts. Fl. Nov.-Dec. Fr. June- July. 



A moderate-sined tree. Bark smooth, inner red, juicy. Wood reddish- 

 grey, moderately hard, smooth, compact. Pores small, in short radial 

 lines. Medullary rays very fine, wavy, uniform, closely packed and dis- 

 tinct. Numerous concentric lines of light coloured tissue cross tho rays 

 at unequal distances apart. Weighs 52 lbs. to the cub. ft. 



Fruit brown, minutely pubescent and with one longitudinal furrow. 



2. M. malabariea, Lamk. in Act Par. 1788, 162; Fl. Br. I. 5. 103 ; 

 Dalz. & Gibs. Bom. Fl. 4 ; Bedd. Fl. Sylv. t. 269 ; King Ann. Cal. Bot. 

 Gard. III. 288. Jangli jaiphal^ ranjaiphal, Vern. 



Western Peninsula on the ghdts, from the Konkan to Malabar, 



In the evergreen forests of the Konkan and North Kanara ghdts ; com- 

 mon in the Kumta taluka forests. Fl, Nov.-Mch. Fr. 0. and H. seasons. 

 A moderate- sized tree. 



Bark smooth, with small lenticular spots, no rhytidome ; inner with much 

 red juice. Wood reddish-grey, moderately hard. Pores moderate-sized, oval, 

 not numerous. Medullary rays fine. Weighs 39 lbs. to the cub. ft. Used 

 for building purposes. The yellowish mace (ramputri) completely covers 

 the nutmeg {ramphul). Both are exported from North Kanara to 

 Bombay. 



3. M. magnifica. Bedd. Fl, Syl. t. 268 ; Fl. Br. I. 5. 104. 



South Travancore in the plains. North Kanara near Malamani on the 

 Gairsoppah ghat in evergreen forests. 



A large evergreen tree. When young the trunk is furnished with 

 immense aerial roots which start from the trunk at about 20 ft. from the 

 ground and are about J in. thick at the ends. These roots give the tree 

 the appearance of a mangrove on a large scale ; they afterwards develop 

 into buttresses. The lea-ves are lanceolate, acute, 2 ft. long by 8 in. broad, 

 shining, glabrous above, silvery beneath, with about 24 pairs of fairly 

 prominent nerves, curving upwards and looping within the margin. Bark 

 smooth, filled with much red juice. 



4. M. Parquhariana, Wall. Cat. 6795; Fl. Br. 1. 5. 108; Bedd. 

 Fl. Sylv. t. 270. M, canarioa, BgM. MSS. King Ann. Oal. Bot, Gard. 

 III. 289. 



Western Peninsula from the Konkan to the Wynaad and Tinnevelly, 

 Malacca, Penang and Singapore. Not observed by me in North Kanara. 



