IN CEYLON. 
183 
Female inflorescence consists of solitary or sessile axillary 
clusters of 1-6 flowers. (See pi. XIV., fig. 3). 
Calyx green, pubescent ; segments 4, 5 mm. long, accres¬ 
cent in flower with feebly recurved margin and small inter- 
segmental pouch. 
Corolla yellowish-white, tubular, 10 mm. long, throat 
narrow ; segments 4, outside covered with silky hairs, tend 
to become recurved in mature flower. 
Stciminodes 4-5, epipetalous ; anthers barren, apiculate ; 
filaments white, glabrous or nearly so. 
Pistil green, feebly pubescent ; stigmas 4, green, ovary 
8-celled ; after fertilization becomes enveloped in rapidly 
growing calyx and only stigma can be seen for some time. 
Fruit green, glabrous except near apex, subglobose with 
cruciform depressed apex, with calyx like an acorn in 
appearance, 40 mm. high, 75 mm. circumference ; fruiting 
calyx considerably enlarged, segments woody, 20 mm. long, 
with apices strongly pointed and projecting outwards and 
downwards, margin recurved and coated with long velvety 
hairs ; in mature fruit the calyx is strongly tetrahedral in 
outline, and the basal part forms a cup over 20 mm. deep in 
which fruit rests ( cf D. Ebenum). (See pi. XIV., fig. 4). 
Seeds 4-7-8 per fruit, oval-wedge shape ; 28 mm. long, 
11 mm. wide, 7 mm. thick ; testa smooth, deep brown, 
transverse striæ not prominent ; endosperm copious, horny, 
ruminate. 
I have often suspected the monoecious condition in 
this species, but the occurrence of pure male and female 
flowers on the same tree has yet to be definitely proved. On 
some male trees I have found young flowers possessing a fer¬ 
tile pistil and a staminal whorl of five members, but whether 
these anthers were barren in consequence of being young or 
otherwise I could not satisfy myself. 
There appears to be a variety of this species in the Ratna- 
pura District, characterized by smaller leaves and fruits, 
darker bark, and less feebly cornered fruiting calyx. 
