184 
WRTGHT : THE GENUS DIOSPYROS 
Seedlings epigeal, cotyledons detached early, epicotyledo- 
nary system slightly enhanced developmentally. Cotyledons 
white, 10-13 mm. long, 4-6 mm. wide ; kypocotyl white, 
glabrous, very short type similar to D. oocarpa and suggest¬ 
ive of hypogeal tendency ; seeds are never raised above the 
ground and thehypocotyl is never strongly arched ; 15-20 mm. 
long. Epicotyledonary System is long and narrow and easily 
frees itself from the confines of the decaying cotyledons and 
endosperm, and at the time of detachment of cotyledons 
measures 10 mm. in length and 1-5 mm. diameter. 
The epicotyledonary stem when 65 mm. long bears 3-5 
small leaves about 1 mm. in length and disposed at irregular 
distances ; at the apex there are two larger leaves, opposi te, but 
at different levels ; these are glabrous, thin, bullate, and 
measure 50 mm. in length. 
Traces 3 per cotyledon, xylem splits at different levels of 
hypocotyl and primary root. One trace per epicotyledonary 
leaf, but on account of splitting of cotyledonary xylem diffi¬ 
cult to follow. 
Timber .—Trimen (p. 100) describes the heartwood as being 
small and black with pale streaks, and states that it is one of 
those called ‘-kalumediriya”—the Sinhalese name for cala- 
mander. At Ratnapura I found this belief still strong and it 
was only after much persuasion that trees on private grounds 
were felled for my inspection. Every specimen which I have 
seen is white when freshly cut, turning a dirty colour on 
exposure. Only on one occasion was the black heartwood 
present and this was very small and rotten. (See pi. III., 
fig. 3). 
The gum-resin is present in very small quantities; the soft 
parenchymatous tissues are very abundant, and the timber 
must therefore be regarded as of an inferior quality. The 
tree provides excellent straight posts and is therefore fre¬ 
quently felled. The rings of growth are very inconspicuous, 
sometimes they occur as broad dark bands alternating with 
narrower and lighter zones. These are sometimes so closely 
