IN CEYLON. 
157 
Hewessa, but nowhere else. It grows in rich clayey soil, and 
often accompanies D. acuta. When not in flower or fruit it is 
very difficult to distinguish from small trees of D. Thwaitesii. 
Trees with trunks only 25 mm. diameter bear flowers 
and fruits. Solitary trees are rarely met with in some 
forests, there being a tendency for them to occur in clumps 
of 1-7 ; this must be due to some difficulty in transference 
of seeds ; the seeds come up very freely in the forest, the 
primary root forming a straight axis which pierces the 
attenuate apex of the fruit and soon establishes itself. 
Oiospyros ac&sta, Thw. Enum. Ceyl. PI., p. 182, n. 17 
(1860). 
Thw. Enum. 182. C. P. 3,476. Fl. B. Ind. III., 561. 
Hiern, Mon. Eben. 182. 
A small tree, largest measuring 102 mm. diameter (4 inches) 
and height 10*6 metres (35 feet), flowers when only 
25-75 mm. diameter, evergreen, monoecious only ; bark 
black, when freshly cut is red in colour. Leaves alternate, 
120-250 mm. long. 30-70 mm. wide, narrowly lanceolate- 
oblong, tapering gradually to an obtuse or acute apex, 
narrowing at base, glabrous, very thick, deep green above, 
pale green below ; venation reticulate but only feebly 
pellucid, lateral veins never project on either side ; petiole 
stout, slightly channelled above, 25 mm. long ; when not 
in flower or fruit very difficult to distinguish from D. 
Moonii. Flowers and fruits September to December. 
The sex is only met with in the monoecious state ; the 
clusters in the axil of a particular leaf usually possess all male 
or all female flowers ; the female clusters seem characteristic 
of the younger leaves towards the end of the twigs (cf. D. 
Ebenum ; D. oppositifolia). 
Thwaites remarks that the flowers are sometimes monoe¬ 
cious, female above, male below. 
The male inflorescence consists of sessile clusters of 1-7 
flowers. The bract subtending each flower is green^ 
caducous, pubescent with tapering apex, 5 mm. wide at base 
8(10)04 (4) 
