217 



very peculiar being deeply channelled longitudinally, and rather 

 smooth along the ridges. The leaves resemble those of F. fragrans, 

 but are more undulated. The flowers fewer and larger, the berries 

 yellow. The stem is in large trees but little branched, forming a 

 straight stout solid mass of timber, but in more open places it is 

 apt to branch low down when young like F. fragrans. It is more 

 of a forest tree than that species, and occurs in Singapore and 

 Negri Sembilan and also in Sumatra. The wood resembles that of 

 common Tembusu, but is more compact and resinous with a strong 

 odour, and shows no concentric lines. Weight 34 lbs. 6 ozs. It is 

 very durable. An old stump in .the Botanic Gardens which must 

 have been felled upwards of fifty years ago, and which bears on the 

 top trees of Kumpas of considerable size has a considerable portion 

 of the wood still perfectly sound, possessing when cut the resinous 

 odour and the yellow colouring of fresh wood. The timber is very 

 much valued on account of its durability and great size. It is used 

 in building for house beams, bridges and planks. 



F. Wallichiana, Renth. 



A rather smaller tree though tall, and very different in appear- 

 ance from the other species. It occurs on hills at about 2000 feet, 

 especially in Penang. The wood is very heavy and darker in 

 colour than the other kinds. A very fine compact wood. Weight 

 68 lbs. 



F. fastigiata, Bl. Malebera Malbira. 



This is a very different style of tree from any others of the 

 group. It is of no great size, about 30 or 40 feet tall with few 

 spreading branches, and very large ovate leaves with prominent 

 veins. In habit it more resembles Terminalia catappa than any- 

 thing else here. The flowers are flesh colour, an inch across, in 

 large corymbs and the fruit is a greenish berry with minute seeds. 

 The bark is rough and brown not very thick and young trees have 

 thorny processes on the stems. It grows in damp swampy spots 

 near tidal rivers from Johore to Penang. The wood is of a dirty 

 yellowish colour with very close narrow rays, and scattered pores 

 partitioned. Weight 41 lbs. 6 ozs. 



It has a great reputation for resisting water, and if the trunks 

 are used with the bark on resist the teredo, so that it is very valu- 

 able for wharfs and piles. It is of fairly rapid growth but is be- 

 coming scarce as the usual habitats are getting built over on other- 

 wise occupied. It would be worth planting in such places as were 

 not required for building etc. to supply piles etc. 



Bignoniacex. 

 An order scantily represented in the East Indies. 



Stercospremum chelonoides, Dc. 

 T ree about 60 feet tall, rather scarce in the Peninsula. 

 Wood fairly heavy, dirty white, rings well ma ked, pores in rows 

 parallel to the rings fairly large, rays fine and close " Wood mo- 

 derately durable elastic easy to work, it is used for building and is 

 good for furniture, used for canvas in Assam and tea-boxes in 



