IN CEYLON. 
511 
Melia dubia is well distributed throughout the planting 
districts, and is conspicuous for the complete defoliation 
which it undergoes. 
Observed species have commenced to drop their leaves on 
21st January and have become leafless by the 3rd February. 
The new leaf buds can be seen within one or two days after 
complete defoliation, and the flowers immediately follow 
the new leaves. 
Most trees in the Peradeniya district undergo their change 
of foliage from January to February each year, but occa¬ 
sionally they may be observed to pass through this phase in 
February to March. 
Thespesia populnea , Soland ex Corr.—This is a species 
cultivated in the planting districts, where it does not usually 
pass through a conspicuous foliar phase, new leaves appear¬ 
ing irregularly throughout the year. 
On the coral islands in the Gulf of Mannar this tree 
becomes half leafless during the dry period July to August, 
and puts on new leaf as soon as the rains arrive. 
Leaf-fall. 
New 
Leafless 
Phase. 
Com¬ 
menced. j 
Finished. S 
1 
Leaves 
appeared. 
Remarks. 
Spondias man- 
gifera, Willd. ; 
Peradeniya. 
Tree A. 
1901-02 
Nov. 18 
Dec. 30 
Mar. 24 
83 days 
Flowers were 
1902-03 
Oct 28 
Dec. 26 
April 1 
94 days 
produced from 
1903-04 
Nov. 7 
Dec. 28 
April 10 
102 days 
the 6th to 24tb 
1904-05 
Dec. 6 
— 
— 
— 
February,1903, 
and from 17th 
to 28th Feb¬ 
ruary, 1904. 
Flowers appear¬ 
Tree B. 
1902-03 
Oct. 29 
Dec. 28 
Mar. 30 
9 1 days 
1903-04 
Nov. 13 
Dec. 24 
Apl. 3 
9 9 days 
ed on January 
1904-05 
Dec. 8 
Dec- 25 
April 
— 
18th, 1903, and 
1 
from 9th Feb¬ 
ruary to 7 th 
March, 1904. 
