NO. 53. — 1902.] TREES AND FLOWERING PLANTS. 



195 



Timber excellent for house-building, beams, and other 

 weight-supporting purposes, durable. 



The bark is astringent, and used in medicine by the 

 natives. 



[Rather common.] 



193. — Mimusops hexandra. 



Palu, S. ~6 ; Palai, T. uidso. 

 Trim. Cey. Flor., vol. III., p. 86, 



A very large conspicuous tree with gray-brown deeply- 

 furrowed thick bark and few large main branches. Leaves 

 small, broad, oval, acute at base, rather bi-lobed at apex, 

 smooth, shortly stalked, with pellucid minute veining. 

 Flowers pale yellow, with 18 petals, in leaf axils, numerous,, 

 on short stalks. 



A typically dry-zone tree. Abundant about Embilipitiya 

 in the Kolonna Korale, extending along the Southern 

 Province boundary towards the Giruwa Pattuwa, and also 

 northwards to Diyenna. Not found wild in the Western 

 Province. 



A magnificent timber, dark dull red, hard, very close, 

 tough, and durable. Weight, from 68 to 80 lb. per cubic 

 foot. An excellent wood for heavy work, beams, sleepers, 

 and posts ; difficult to saw. Fruits much relished by natives. 



[Forests of dry region ; very common.] 



EBENACEJE. 



This small Order is conspicuous for its ornamental woods,, 

 and, as its name implies, embraces the world-famous Ebony 

 of commerce. 



It is represented in Ceylon by two Genera only — Maba 

 and Diospyros — and 24 species, the majority of which are 

 endemic, but it is possible that while fresh species may be 

 yet added to those already known, some already regarded as 



