THE CHAUL.MOOGKA TREE AND RELATED SPECIES. 23 
GYNOCARDIA ODORATA. 11 
Gynocardia odorata was first mentioned as Chaulmoogra odorata 
by Dr. William Roxburgh in his catalogue Hortus Bengalensis (00, 
p. 48) in 1815, but by name only. It was described as Gynocardia 
odorata four years later by Robert Brown. It was long considered 
to be the source of the true chaulmoogra oil. This species is a native 
of Sikkim, Assam, and Chittagong. It was observed by the writer 
between Siliguri and Darjiling along the Himalayan Railway up 
to an elevation of 4,000 feet; also in the Dibru and Berjan forest of 
northwestern Assam (PL XII). It is by far the most common tree 
in the Chittagong Hill tracts. 
Gynocardia odorata is dioecious, and a number of trees must be 
planted together in order that fruits may be obtained. 
It is known by the following native names : Sibi-turpu (Miri and 
Abor tribes), sibi-tulpi (Abor), tiki-sidik (Miri), taki-pomju-asing 
(Miri) , takik-chagne (Duff) , soh-pheeling (Khasi) , chaulmoogra (in 
Bengal and Chittagong) , and lemtam (in Assam) . The Mikir names 
of what is possibly a second species of Gynocardia are thibong-kok 
and thibong-ko. 
This tree is easily recognized even when not fruiting or flowering 
by the lenticellate trunk and by the foliage, which is oblong, with 
the petioles not thickened at the apex, as are those of Taraktogenos 
kurzii. Even in very young plants and, in fact, in freshly 1 germi- 
nated seedlings, the lenticellate bark is noticeable. The fruits of 
Gynocardia odorata are borne on the trunk and on the main branches 
(PL XIII) , while those of Taraktogenos kurzii are borne on the ends 
of the smaller branches. The seeds of Gynocardia are entirely dif- 
ferent from those of Taraktogenos kurzii; the cotyledons are not 
foliaceous and have a lateral radicle instead of a basal one. The 
oil of Gynocardia odorata seeds is quite distinct from true chaul- 
moogra oil. It contains neither chaulmoogric nor hydnocarpic acid 
and is not optically active, as is the case with Hydnocarpus and 
Taraktogenos oils. The fruit flesh of Gynocardia odorata is of an 
entirely different consistency, being gelatinous, slimy, and powerfully 
fragrant. Monkeys are very fond of the flesh of this fruit, and 
it is exceedingly difficult to find mature fruits which have not 
been opened by them (PL XIV). Seeds of Gynocardia odorata 
were collected in the Dibru reserve and forwarded both to Hawaii 
and Washington, D. C, packed in a manner similar to those of 
Taraktogenos kurzii from Kyokta. They arrived in splendid condi- 
11 Gynocardia odorata R. Br. (23, p. 95). Specimens collected by the writer are 
deposited in the United States National Herbarium : Rock No. 875, XL S. N. H. No. 
1,090,015 ; Rock No. 884, U. S. N. H. Nos. 1,090,016 to 1,090,018. 
