CEYLON. 
149 
subsessile, green, glabrous, ovate, tapering apex, broad base, 
size 26-38 mm. long, and 12-19 mm. wide, palisade tissue 
developed early; hypocotyl creamy-white, turning black, 
50-60 mm. long. Epicotyledonary stem does not appear 
for several weeks or months after full exposure of cotyle¬ 
dons ; when bearing three leaves it is about 15 mm. long. 
The lowest epicotyledonary leaf is always very small, 
ovate, with broad apex ; this serves to distinguish the young 
seedling from those of D. montana. The first pair of epi- 
eotyledonary leaves are at different levels but in the same 
plane, cutting that of the cotyledons at right angles ; traces 
2 per cotyledon, cotyledonary xylem may or may not 
become diffused ; 1 trace per epicotyledonary leaf, which 
is not continued into the root. 
Timber .—The wood from this species supplies the greater 
part of Ceylon ebony; that sold as bastard ebony may 
come from this species or from D. oocarpa, D. affinia ; &c. 
D. Melanoxylon affords an equally good black heartwood. 
The ebony in the stem may increase from below upwards 
or may repeatedly increase and decrease in volume along 
the length of individual trees. Ebony has been noticed in 
saplings and in very small two year old twigs and even 
in roots. 
The timber is jet black or streaked, very hard and heavy, 
and takes a good polish; the density is very high, and 
according to Hiern the seasoned wood weighs 81 lb. per 
cubic foot, and the unseasoned 90 to 100 lb. During the 
last five years no less than 2,635 tons have been sold in 
Colombo, realizing over £22,000. 
The central black wood is usually obtained by cutting away 
the white sapwood. If the tree is allowed to lie on the ground 
for many months the white wood is removed by ants; 
occasionally wood borers eat into the hard black wood. As 
to yield of black heartwood per tree, Mr. Broun states that 
fifteen trees, varying in girth from 6 to 12 feet, gave a gross 
volume of 1,208 cubic feet, out of which only 282 cubic feet 
8(10)04 (3) 
