170 
WEIGHT: THE GENUS DIOSPYROS 
heartwood, and many very old trees have been felled which 
possessed only dirty white or brownish timber, which was 
therefore as useless as that obtained from D. Moonii. (See 
Pi. V., fig. 17.) 
The relative value of samples of calamander is determined 
by the quantities of coloured material filling the cells ? it is 
not due to a particular type of histological differentiation. 
The black portions of calamander are not more durable 
than the heartwood of D. Melanoxylon or D. Ebenum ; the 
deep brown portions are considerably less so. The value of 
calamander over other Diospyros woods is due to the 
particular abundance and more general distribution of the 
colouring materials characterizing the species. 
The percentage of fibres varies from 80-86 per cent.; 
additional strands of parenchymatous tissue occur in the 
xylem ( [cf . D. Gardneri). 
The rings of growth are inconspicuous. 
The timber of D. oocarpa and D. affinis sometimes 
approximates to calamander in point of distribution of 
coloured substances in the central timber. In these two 
species, however, there is always a large proportion of useless 
sapwood. 
Uses.—In addition to the timber being used whenever 
procurable, the ripe gummy fruits are eaten by the natives. 
Distribution endemic, rare, this species being found only 
in the moist low-country up to 2,000 ft. The scarcity of 
this tree is not alone due to the value put upon its timber, 
but (a) to a curious mode of development, resulting in the 
death of many of the germinated seeds, ( b ) to the very slow 
rate of growth in the seedling and later stages ; two-year-old 
saplings measure only 600 mm. (less than 2 feet) in height, 
and trees over 60 years old have a circumference of 472 mm. 
(19 inches) only, (c) to the dioecious flower system and the 
long interval between flowering periods. 
There are a good number of trees on Hinidumkanda, and 
also in the Sinha Raja forest ; Potapitiya, Kukulu korale ; 
