NO. 53.— 1902.] TREES AND FLOWERING PLANTS. 199 



Lateral veins minute, very fine. Stalks alternate, rather flat 

 and short, quickly detatching when dry. 



Flowers (female) solitary or in pairs in axils of twigs and 

 leaves, pale greenish-white, on stout stalks. Male not seen. 

 Fruits large, pale bluish-green when ripe, seated on large 

 woody calyx lobes. Seeds rather large, flatly convex, 

 ovoid in outline, dark shining brownish-black. 



The distribution of the famous Calamander wood is very 

 restricted. It occurs in Yagirella forest, Hewissa, and 

 across into the Sinha Raja forest on both slopes of the 

 dividing range that separates the Western from the Sabara- 

 gamuwa Province. It i s found at Karawita and in the Pannil 

 Pattuwa of the Atakalan K6rale,but is nowhere common, and 

 is likely to become extinct, especially as it is an indigenous 

 species, with distinct male and female trees. 



The wood is the most beautiful of our ornamental timbers, 

 being a pale purplish-brown, closely streaked with deep 

 blackish-brown shades of varying intensity of colour. It 

 takes an ivory-like polish of brilliant lustre, and is 

 unrivalled as a cabinet wood. Weight, about 51 lb. per cubic 

 foot. 



A very slow-growing plant, and probably requiring very 

 special conditions to secure its survival. 



198. — Diospyros insignis. 



Porowamalla, S. #C33@d)e)®o3. 

 Trim. Cey. Flor., vol. III., p. 100. 



A rather small slender straight-stemmed tree with grayish 

 bark often much streaked with black, thin, with rather 

 papery scales flaking off. Leaves large, often — in young 

 specimens — 14 inches long, lanceolate-ovate, rather rounded 

 (sometimes acute) at base, on very short alternate stalks. 

 Lateral veins very conspicuous, and closely connected with 

 nearly parallel nerves. Flowers on very short stalks, white ; 

 males in crowded branches often on old twigs ; females larger 

 than males and usually solitary, white. 



