IN CEYLON. 181 
in width; hypocotyl white, stout, glabrous, 60-65 mm. long; 
- epicotyledonary stem yellowish-green, pubescent, 3 mm. 
long; epicotyledonary leaves form an opposite pair and 
prior to the dropping of the cotyledons attain a length of 15 
mm. though within the confines of the seed ; hairy on under¬ 
surface, particularly midrib and margin ; traces three per 
: cotyledon, median abortive, laterals splitting considerably ; 
epicotyledonary one per leaf prolonged into root. 
The timber possesses no black heartwood, and when freshly 
cut is dirty white in colour turning reddish on exposure; 
the colour is due to coloured contents mainly in the wood 
parenchyma and medullary ray cells ; a change in colour of 
the walls occurs. (See pi. I., fig. 3.) 
The percentage number of fibres varies from 74-83 per 
cent, and that of the tracheal elements from 0’3 to 1’3 per 
The rings of growth are inconspicuous. 
In the Peak Wilderness I came across a variety of this 
species characterized by a flattened circular fruit and stout 
persistent style. It was abundant along the banks of streams 
and in damp forests near Eratna, Madola, and Kadawatta. 
Distribution .—endemic and limited to our wet zone up 
to 1,500 feet, rather rare but often abundant along the banks 
of streams and in rocky damp forests. 
Katugasella, Potgulkanda, Kukule korale, Galle, Ratna- 
pura, Nawadun korale, Eratna, Kadawatta, Madola. 
Diospyros insignis, Thw. Enum. Ceyl. PL, p. 180., n. 10 
(1860). 
Gona Poruwa-mara, Wal-mediriya, S. 
Thw. Enum. 180. Hiem, Mon. Eben. 157. C. P. 2,730 
(3,477). 
FI. B. Ind. III., 564. Bedd. Ic. FI. Ind. Or. t. 130(1871). 
A moderate-sized tree, rarely exceeding 200 mm, 
diameter, with a straight stem unbranched until near the 
top, evergreen, dioecious and polygamous (monoecious ?); 
bark white or grey, characterized by long shallow irregular 
; 8 ( 10)04 c7) 
