4 
Indian Forest Records. 
[Vot, VII 
material now available of these two species is somewhat scanty, and until 
we know them better it seems at present preferable to keep H. glabra 
distinct from II Wightiana , the former at present being* known to occur 
only in Tinnevelly and Travancore. Hopea racophlrea, so far as our in¬ 
formation goes at present, occurs only in the Anamally and Wynaad 
(Carcoor Ghat) forest at 2,000 to 3,000 ft. and in the evergreen hill 
forests of Travancore from 500 to 2,500 ft., where Bourdillon says it is 
rare. 
Finally, Hopea canarensis is at present only known from the hill 
forests of S. Canara. It is reported not to extend into the plains. As 
regards the value of the wood of these species, Beddome reports that 
llopea Wightiana is a “ first rate coppice firewood, ” while Hopea glabra 
is “par excellence the timber of Tinnevelly" (FI. Syl. t. 96), Talbot 
(Forest Flora I. p. 113) says the wood of Hopea Wightiana is much used 
for building purposes in North Canara and is exported from that district 
in considerable quantities to Calicut. Hopea racophloca is said by 
Beddome to be a “ very large tree with a most valuable hard timber ” 
(Ic. t. 185), while Gamble (Man. 1902, p. 74) says it has a “ hard, heavy, 
durable timber likely to be useful for engineering purposes/'’ The 
timber of Hopea canarensis is at present practically unknown, but there 
is little doubt that it will prove to be not less valuable than that of its 
nearest allies II. glabra and II. racophlcea. 
As regards the vernacular name which has been reported from S. 
Canara for Hopea canarensis , it is interesting to note that Mr. A. W. 
Lushington (Fern. list of Trees , Shrubs and Climbers of Madras , "V ol. 
II-B, 1915, p. 68) gives malehaiga or malehegge as the Canarese name 
for Hopea glabra, while (1. c. Yol. II-A. p. 55) no Canarese name is 
given for Hopea racophlcea. Further inquiry is necessary to show how 
far these species can be distinguished by their vernacular names and also 
to determine the limits of their distribution. 
Acknowledgments. 
The writer desires to tender his warm thanks to Mr. Lodge and 
Mr. McCarthy for the specimens and information regarding this tree which 
they have sent to Dehra Dun, and to Sir David Plain for kindly having 
our specimens compared with the material at Kew. 
[ 92 ] 
