THE

TREES OF CALCUTTA

AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD

BY
A. P. BENTHALL

WITH 274 ILLUSTRATIONS

CALCUTTA:
THACKER SPINK & CO. (1933), LTD.
LONDON:
W. THACKER & CO.
 FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1946 BY
THACKER, SPINK & CO. (1933) LTD.
Three Esplanade East, Calcutta.

PRICE TWENTY-FIVE RUPEES

COPYRIGHT REGISTERED' AND RESERVED

No part or portion of the book may be reproduced

without application to the publishers.
 FOREWORD

BY

DR. K. BISWAS, M.A., D.SC., (Edin).,, F.R.S.E.,

Superintendent, Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta,
in charge of duties of Director, Botanical Survey of
India and Honorary Lecturer in Botany, Post Graduate
Department in Science, Calcutta University.

The study of Indian plants dates from a very early

period, as early a period as 2500 B.C. In Europe herbalists
probed into the mysterious uses of plants, for curing
diseases and warding off evils, during the 13th and the
14th centuries, or even earlier from the time of Socrates
and Plato. Various healing properties of plants are
mentioned in the Vedas and other Hindu scriptures and
hundreds of folklores on the religious, economic, and
medicinal uses of Indian plants have had their origin from
the writings and teachings of the ancient sages, herbalists,
kavirajas, and pandits. These are handed down to us from
generation to generation even to the present day. Some of
these refer accurately to the life history and the structures
of plants and their healing properties. In fact, the
knowledge gained in the very early period of botanical
studies through these sources has found access even into
modern botanical literature and the standard
pharmacopoeia. Folk-lores are fascinating and create such
deep impressions in the minds of laymen, as well as of
trained botanists, that their treatment, in addition to a
comprehensive account of, morphology, systematic,
taxonomy, and ecology of plants dealt with in this botanical
treatise, add much to the information, delight arid pleasure
of readers.
Mr. Benthall, inspired by his hereditary hobby of
studying plants, collected enormous information on the
habitats, the ecology and the local distribution of the trees
growing wild along waysides, in woodlands, and in village
shrubberies during his many excursions in and outside
Calcutta, and the writer of this foreword had the privilege of
accompanying him from time to time. His notes
assiduously made during his field studies for years are
original and exhaustive and have proved to be invaluable
in the treatment of the plants dealt with in his book.
It is, therefore, a treatise which is planned to assist
alike students of Botany and all lovers of plants, and is
indeed a useful guide to the visiting public of Calcutta and
the country-side and to visitors from outside India, who are
interested in the common Indian trees growing in and
about Calcutta.
The book deals, as the contents show, with almost
all the aspects required for getting familiar with the trees
growing around us in Calcutta and its neighbourhood.
The key to the families, genera, and species are
drawn up in such a manner that even non-botanists will not
experience the least difficulty in spotting them. Technical
terms have been avoided as far as possible and the
language is lucid and attractive. Further a comparison with
the accurate descriptions and the fine illustrations, which
are valuable additions to the book, will avoid all possible
chance of error in identifying a species. English and
vernacular names, history, folk-lore, detailed notes on
habitat and much other information with which this popular
work is packed, are designed to suit the needs of laymen
as well as of professional botanists. The book is really a
treasure and fills a longstanding gap in the botanical
literature on the flora of Bengal. Mr. Benthall as an
amateur has thus answered the call of Sir Geoffrey Evans,
the then Director, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, which runs
as follows:-
"Let us hope that botany, and in particular
systematics, will take a more leading part in the life of the
Indian Universities than apparently has been the case in
the past, and also that private citizens may be found who
will undertake work of this kind as a matter of choice."*
 It is hoped that he will make further contributions of
its kind and others interested in the flora of Bengal and
India will follow his good example. There are enormous
materials to work out and many a virgin field yet to be
explored. It is, however, regretted that there are so few
among us who are genuinely interested in the floristic
study of our country, which forms the backbone of all other
aspects of studies on plant life. My congratulations go to
Mr. Benthall in his successful attempt towards the
production

*Review, entitled 'Botany in India', on the

Presidential address of Dr. K. Biswas on Systematic and
Taxonomic studies on the Flora of India and Burma,
published in Nature, P. 581, Vol. 151, No. 3838, 1943.

of such a useful treatise and I have much pleasure in

placing the book before the students of botany and all
lovers of plants for their study and appreciation. I am sure
Mr. Benthall will welcome suggestions and healthy
criticisms with a view to improving future editions.
The publisher also deserves our thanks for the
get-up and printing of the book in such a concise form.
 CONTENTS

PREFACE .............................................................................................. 1
INTRODUCTION.................................................................................... 6
I. THE SACRED FIGS........................................................................ 6
II. THE WILD. ..................................................................................... 8
III. THE VILLAGES .......................................................................... 16
IV. THE COUNTRYSIDE.................................................................. 24
V. THE CITY STREETS ................................................................... 26
VI. THE MAIDAN ............................................................................. 30
VII. THE GARDENS......................................................................... 35
KEY...................................................................................................... 43
DILLENIACEAE............................................................................... 99
MAGNOLIACEAE.......................................................................... 101
ANONACEAE ................................................................................ 107
CAPPARIDACEAE ........................................................................ 118
BIXACEAE..................................................................................... 121
FLACOURTIACEAE ...................................................................... 126
TAMARICACEAE .......................................................................... 130
HYPERICACEAE........................................................................... 135
GUTTIFERAE ................................................................................ 136
MALVACEAE ................................................................................ 143
STERCULIACEAE......................................................................... 160
TILIACEAE .................................................................................... 182
OXALIDACEAE ............................................................................. 189
RUTACEAE ................................................................................... 193
SIMARUBACEAE .......................................................................... 226
OCHNACEAE ................................................................................ 228
BURSERACEAE............................................................................ 230
MELIACEAE .................................................................................. 233
CELASTRACEAE.......................................................................... 247
RHAMN ACEAE ............................................................................ 249
SAPINDACEAE ............................................................................. 253
MORINGACEAE ............................................................................ 280
LEGUMINOSAE............................................................................. 283
COMBRETACEAE......................................................................... 397
MYRTACEAE ................................................................................ 409
LECYTHIDACEAE......................................................................... 425
LYTHRACEAE............................................................................... 436
SAMYDACEAE.............................................................................. 444
CARICACEAE ............................................................................... 446
CORNACEAE ................................................................................ 451
RUBIACEAE .................................................................................. 453
MYRSINACEAE............................................................................. 468
SAPOTACEAE .............................................................................. 471
EBENACEAE................................................................................. 480
OLEACEAE ................................................................................... 488
APOCYNACEAE ........................................................................... 491
ASCLEPIADACEAE ...................................................................... 512
LOGANIACEAE............................................................................. 517
BORAOINACEAE.......................................................................... 520
SOLANACEAE .............................................................................. 526
BIGNONIACEAE ........................................................................... 530
VEREENACEAE ............................................................................ 554
LAURACEAE................................................................................. 566
PROTEACEAE .............................................................................. 574
EUPHORBIACEAE........................................................................ 576
ULMACEAE ................................................................................... 610
MORACEAE .................................................................................. 612
 CASUARIIVACEAE ....................................................................... 646
MUSACEAE................................................................................... 648
PANDANACEAE ........................................................................... 656
PALMAE ........................................................................................ 660
GRAMINEAE ................................................................................. 708
CONIFERAE .................................................................................. 718
CYCADACEAE .............................................................................. 727
LIST OF BOOKS CONSULTED ........................................................ 731
INDEX OF VERNACULAR & ENGLISH NAMES .............................. 734
INDEX OF BOTANICAL NAMES ...................................................... 776
 PREFACE

The importance of the part played by trees in the

lives of the people of Bengal scarcely needs stressing. For,
apart from the many fruit-trees that provide them with food,
a large number of other useful products are obtained from
the many different kinds of trees to be found in the
province ; and, what is probably. more important to the
people of Calcutta, the shade given by the trees, and the
beauty that their foliage and flowers give to the otherwise
dreary streets, have a great influence on the comfort and
happiness of all who live in the city. The famous Maidan
without its rows and clumps of handsome trees would be
little more than a dismal wilderness ; and even the most
squalid "basti", or the most congested industrial area, is
always brightened by a few trees, perhaps a sacred peepul
at a street corner giving welcome shade, or a row of stately
palms hiding the ugliness of a factory wall. In the more
pleasant parts of the city the shady roads, overhung by a
variety of fine trees, are a joy to every passer-by ; and
when in the month of May the branches are ablaze with
flowers, those streets may perhaps be the most gorgeous
in the world. To the countryman too the trees that grow
about his house and village are of constant interest and of
an importance second only to that of his field crops.
The names and uses of most of the common
indigenous trees are fairly well-known, but nevertheless
there is a great deal of confusion and misconception about
some of them, and few know anything of the many scores
of uncommon and exotic trees that make up a large part of
the vegetation of the neighbourhood. Those who enquire
about these plants are met with the difficulty that there are
no comprehensive books on the subject that can be
understood without some knowledge of botany, and the
few learned works that do exist are all out of print, difficult
to obtain, and of considerable value. This book has,
therefore, been written to enable those with little or no
2 PREFACE

botanical knowledge to identify the trees they may find in

the Calcutta neighbourhood and to learn what is of interest
about them. In the main text of the look all scientific words,
not current in ordinary English, have been avoided as far
as possible, only a few words have been used that are not
likely to be understood by "the man in the street", and the
meaning of these can be found in any dictionary.
Nevertheless, without some slight knowledge of botany the
subject must present a little difficulty, and interested
readers are recommended to consult a simple text-book on
the subject; of these "A Manual of Indian Botany" by G. C.
Bose (Blackie & Son (India) Ltd.) is an excellent example.
Although intended primarily to cover the area round
about Calcutta only, it will be found that the book includes
the great majority of the trees to be found in the valleys of
the Ganges and Brahmaputra.
In the hope that the book may be of use as 'a work
of reference for visiting botanists, and perhaps for students
in 'Calcutta, a very brief description of each species in
botanical language has been added to the text and printed
in small type. The reading of this will be unnecessary for
those who are not familiar with the terms used, because
the description given in the main text should be enough to
give a fair idea of the appearance of the plant, especially
with the aid of the illustration provided.
Before the main text of the book a "key" will be
found, which, it is hoped, will enable those with little or no
knowledge of botany to identify any trees they are likely to
find in the Calcutta area. It will be seen that the key is
based on such obvious characteristics as the shape and
size of the leaves, the colour, size, and shape of the
flowers, and so on. The scientific words used in the key
have been limited to the very few employed in the main
text, and minute characteristics have been almost entirely
avoided ; only occasionally has it been necessary to refer
to such comparatively obscure characters as the number
of stamens in a flower. This, however, has involved the
necessity of departing almost entirely from scientific
 PREFACE 3

principles in the compiling of the key, and it is feared that

for this reason it will occasionally be found not to work ; for
owing to the unusual variations that must be expected to
occur now and then in nature, any key not based on .
correct - scientific principles must sometimes fail.
The system of classification adopted by Bentham
and Hooker has been followed throughout the book in
preference to more modern systems, since it is still almost
invariably used in India.
Only those plants that may be. called "trees"
without unduly stretching the ordinary meaning of the
English word have been described in this book, and no
attempt has been made to include the numerous shrubs
and woody climbers that are found in the area. But
reference has been made to some shrubs and other plants
in the descriptions of families and genera, chiefly with a
view to giving information about the affinities of the trees
described. The aim has been to include all the trees that
may be found, both wild and planted, in Calcutta, its
suburbs, and in the country round about; but it cannot be
hoped that the book is perfectly comprehensive, because
an enormous number of trees are capable of growing in
the climate of Bengal, and there must be many specimens
of exotic trees planted in gardens and elsewhere that have
escaped notice. Moreover it has of course been impossible
to attempt to include all the species in the magnificent
collection to be seen in the Royal Botanic Garden at
Sibpur; and a few trees believed to be found only in the
Zoological Garden or in the Royal Agri-Horticultural
Garden have also been omitted.
A summary of most of the available information
about the economic uses of each tree has been included in
the text, primarily with the idea that this will be of general
interest, but also in the hope that it may help some people
to make better use of the trees that grow about their
homes, or may guide them when they are considering what
trees to plant. As, however, the writer has no medical
knowledge, only a brief indication of the reputed medicinal
4 PREFACE

qualities of the many trees considered to have such

attributes has been given here, and those interested in this
subject are referred to one of the standard books on Indian
medicinal plants.
An introduction has been added containing a
review of the whole scope of the book based on a division
of the area into the principal habitats and situations of the
trees described. This, it is feared, is of little or no scientific
value, if for no other reason than that the plants dealt with
are chosen only because of their arboreous habit; but it is
hoped that it will be of interest to those who want to study
the trees of the area, and even to those who have only a
cursory interest in the plants they see around them.
In the description of each species reference has
been made to Roxburgh's "Flora Indica" (Clarke's single
volume edition, 1874), Sir J. D. Hooker's "Flora of British
India", and Sir D. Prain's "Bengal Plants'".
The author is glad to be able to record his deep
gratitude to Dr. K. Biswas, the Superintendent of the Royal
Botanic Garden, Calcutta, for much valuable advice and
encouragement, without which this book could scarcely
have been written; and to Dr. S. K. Mukerjee, the Curator
of the Herbarium, and his staff, who have very kindly given
much help in identifying specimens and in revising
nomenclatures. Mr. V. Narayanaswami has corrected the
names of the species described, and has provided some
extremely valuable notes on the mythological and religious
beliefs connected with certain trees. Special thanks are
also due to Mr. S. Percy-Lancaster, the Secretary of the
Royal Agri-Horticultural Society of India, whose great
knowledge of Indian plants and gardens has been at the
author's disposal, and who in fact has taught him much of
what he has been able to learn about the trees of Bengal.
Mr. Lancaster has added to the debt by kindly reading
through the manuscripts and making a number of
suggestions and corrections.
 PREFACE 5

Acknowledgement is made to the many books that

have been consulted, a list of which is given at the. end of
the text:

To THE WAYFARER-
Ye who pass by and would raise your hand
against me, hearken ere you harm me.
I am the heat of your hearth on the cold winter
nights, the friendly shade shielding you from the
summer sun, and my fruits are refreshing draughts
quenching your thirst as you journey on.
I am the beam that holds your house, the board of
your table, the bed on which you lie, and the timber
that builds your boat.
I am the handle of your hoe, the door of your
homestead, the wood of your cradle and the shell
of your coffin.
Ye who pass by, listen to my prayer and harm me
not.
Notice seen in Portugal in woodlands and parks.
Quoted by KAMTA PRASAD SAGREIYA in
Ornamental Trees: Their Planting and Care.
 INTRODUCTION

I. THE SACRED FIGS.

On the plains of Bengal, whether it be in a country

thicket, or in the midst of a village, or on the borders of a
wide thoroughfare, or even in the centre of the city of
Calcutta, two trees tend to dominate all others and to thrust
themselves on the attention of any observer. These are the
peepull and the banyanz the two sacred fig-trees of the
Hindus, which are not only wonderfully adapted by nature
for propagating themselves in situations where few other
plants can obtain a foothold, but are protected and often
planted by man, and for religious reasons are seldom
destroyed, however much damage they may do.
These two plants often begin life as epiphytes, that
is to say their seeds germinate in places where the young
plants are supported by other trees or by buildings, and
grow without the presence of soil by means of the
nourishment they are able to obtain from the air and the
rain. The peepul usually starts its career where a seed has
been dropped by a bird in a crack of some wall or building,
or perhaps on the trunk of a tree, and the seedling then
drives its roots into the interstices of the masonry, or of the
branches and roots of its host, until the building collapses
or the tree is smothered by the invader. The banyan less
often damages buildings but more frequently attacks other
trees and not uncommonly begins life in the base of one of
the leaves of a palm, whence it spreads and sends down
roots to the ground, until eventually it entirely replaces the
palm on which it at first relied for support.
Both these trees are venerated by the Hindus and
are often planted for religious reasons near houses and
temples and in villages. Beneath their branches may be
seen little shrines marked by the presence of rounded
stones, and sometimes small temples are erected in their
 INTRODUCTION 7

shade. Wherever Hindus live these two trees abound, and

however much damage to walls and buildings and other
trees may be done by them, a Hindu will seldom or never
do anything to check their growth. To Moslems, it is true,
they have no special attraction,-perhaps rather the
reverse,-but no dweller in India can fail to bless them for
the welcome shade they give in streets and highways, and
in fact wherever trees can ,grow. Both trees too, though so
common
1
Ficus yeligiosa Linn. (Asvattha).
2
Ficus behgalensis Linn. (Bot).

that they seldom evoke admiration, have great beauty of

form and colour, and without them the plains of Bengal
would be a dreary land. Sit beneath the spreading
branches of a peepul on a sunny day in the hot weather,
and look, and listen. The innumerable shining leaves
tremble in the breeze on their long slender stalks, each
blade flashing and shimmering as the light strikes its
darker and paler surfaces in turn ; the twigs are thronged
with many kinds of birds feasting on the ripening figs, and
their happy voices mingle with the sound of the hard
pointed tails of the leaves striking against their polished
blades and rustling like a distant shower of rain ; if there is
a pond beneath the tree, shoals of little fishes will jostle
one another for the figs dropped by the birds above ; all
seems the quintessence of happiness, plenty, beauty, and
animation. The banyan has a more sombre look, but the
numerous aerial roots that cause many an old tree to form
a little forest of its own, give it a uniquely venerable air, and
make it quite the best known of Indian trees. Of these
Calcutta boasts one of the largest in the world, the great
banyan in the Royal Botanic Garden, and several other
giants may be seen about the city, as well as countless
examples, of great age but more moderate size, that line
the roads and streets of Bengal. In the spring, for short
periods differing greatly in the case of each individual tree,
8 INTRODUCTION

both the peepul and the banyan are gay with new leaves,
which vary from bright emerald to pink and copper-colour ;
at these times few trees can surpass them for beauty of
foliage.
Wherever one looks in Bengal the two sacred figs
must attract attention before almost any other trees, and
they have, therefore, been mentioned at the beginning of
this survey. We will now pass on to consider the trees of
Calcutta and the country round about according to the
principal situations in which they are found.

II. THE WILD.

Not much more than a hundred years ago the wild

rhinoceros roamed near Alipore and panthers were often
hunted in what is now part of the city of Calcutta. In those
days jungle must have stretched from the Sunderbans to
the edge of the city, but to-day there is no real forest within
the districts of Hooghly, Howrah, and the 2q-Perganas,
except where, in the far south, the Sunderbans flank the
Bay of Bengal. Around Calcutta the country consists of
treeless swamp and lake, and broad expanses of
paddyfields, interspersed with roads and paths and
villages, which are for the most part planted with various
trees that are of economic use to the teeming population.
In such country waste land suitable for the growth of trees
and shrubs is scarce, but here and there patches may be
found which for some reason or other are neither cultivated
nor planted with useful trees, and in such places the
natural vegetation of the region may be studied.
If a plot of cultivated land is no longer tilled, the
grazing and trampling of cattle and goats usually prevents
the growth of any vegetation except grasses and the other
plants that make up turf, and the ground tends to remain
as pastureland. If the trampling is not too severe, a number
of coarse weeds will begin to invade the turf and a variety
of thorny shrubs and other plants not attractive to grazing
animals will slowly advance, their seedlings sheltered by
 INTRODUCTION 9

the weeds until large enough to escape the trampling.

Eventually a thicket of small trees and shrubs will appear,
of which, the commonest constituents will probably be the
thorny berl and benchi, and the mom china,3 which is full
of an acrid, milky sap unpalatable to animals. In the course
of time other trees and shrubs, more liable to attack by
beasts, will grow up in the shelter of the first arrivals, until
in the end a wood will be produced not unlike the original
virgin forest that must have covered the land before man
became dominant.
If the cultivated land or pasture, when first
neglected, is not accessible to grazing animals, a rather
different sequence of events takes place. In that case the
plants that will have the advantage in the struggle for
existence will be those whose seeds are best adapted for
rapidly colonising the available ground and whose growth
is sufficiently tall and rapid to win the race for sunlight and
so to overcome their rivals which may be slower off the
mark or less vigorous in growth. Many plants will join in the
race, but the winners are likely to be mostly the jilan or
chikun,4 and the ber, which rely chiefly on birds to disperse
their seeds, together with the akandas and the simals the
seeds of which are provided with silky floss that enables
them to be carried far and wide by the wind. Wherever
there is an old wall, or the stump of a fallen
1
Zizyphus spec.
2
Flacourtia indica (Burin. f.) Merr.
3
Sapium sebiferum Roxb.
4
Trema orientalis Bl.
5
Calotropis gigantea R. Br. This plant is very
common on roadsides and in waste places, where it is
usually found flowering as a shrub. It is not edible by
animals but is easily damaged by trampling when young
and by the wind when old. In thickets it does not compete
well with other shrubs and trees
6
Salmalia malabarica Schott. et Endl. (The
silk-cotton tree).
10 INTRODUCTION

tree, or anything to give them support, the peepul' and the

banyana will probably appear, and their near relative the
dumay, a, quickgrowing, shrubby plant with coarse hairy
leaves, will also arrive early on the scene. These plants
and others soon cover the ground with scrub, and in the
course of time slower growing but more permanent species
will spring up in their shelter, until ultimately, if man does
not interfere, the land will return to something very like true
forest.
Such places near Calcutta are few and very limited
in area, but where they occur the trees and shrubs that
make up their vegetation are always much the same.
Above all other trees a few lofty palmyrasl will probably
raise their crowns of greyishgreen, fan-shaped leaves. At a
rather lower elevation come the tops of the mangoes and
tamarinds, which make up the main mass of the foliage at
higher levels ; among them the lighter green of a neem can
probably be seen, and in the cold season the naked
branches of a simal (later to bear huge crimson flowers), or
the spreading crown of a siris covered with yellowish pods,
will stand out conspicuously from the green around them.
The ubiquitous banyan and peepul are sure to be found,
and at a height rather below that of the tallest trees the
dark, evergreen foliage of the chalta,14 and of the dephal
or lakucha, will be seen here and there, the former bearing
large white flowers and green fruits during the monsoon,
and the latter orange lumps of male flowers in the spring
and shapeless yellowish fruits in the rains. At a lower level
still, in the gaps between the larger trees and round the
edges of the wood, small trees and shrubs in great ,variety
form dense thickets; of these perhaps the commonest are
the pitali and the jilan or chikun, two unattractive but
abundant trees, and the bell' conspicuous owing to its
large, round, woody fruits. Occasionally in the hot season
the beautiful, pendulous, yellow flower-sprays of the
amaltasl8 may be found, but unfortunately these trees are
usually deformed and stunted owing to
 INTRODUCTION 11

7
Ficus religiosa Linn. (Asvattha).
8
Ficus bengalensis Linn. (Bot).
9
Ficus hispida Linn. f.
10
Borassus flabellifer Linn. (Tal).
11
Mangifera indica Linn. (Am).
12
Tamarindus indica Linn. (Tentul).
13
Albizzia Lebbek Bth. (Sirissa).
14
Dillenia indica Linn.
15
Artocarpus Lakoocha Roxb.
16
Trewia nudiflora Linn.
17
Aegle Marmelos Corr.
18
Cassia Fistula Linn.

the depredations of men in search of their medicinal pods

and bark. The ber and the benchi make up thorny tangles
among which the dark evergreen foliage of the tiktaraj, the
ban naranga, and the shiora show up conspicuously, while
in more open places the babul" and the wild date palm23
are likely to be dominant. The latter would grow to a great
height were it not for the activities of toddy-gatherers; who
repeatedly cut large notches in its trunk ,in order to tap the
sweet sap, and so make the tree a stunted and deformed
object, albeit one of the most typical of the Bengal
countryside.
The following will be found to be a fairly complete
list of all trees now established as if wild in the
neighbourhood of Calcutta; all are considered to be truly
indigenous unless otherwise stated: -

Dillenia indica Linn. (Chalta). Spontaneous, and planted

near villages for its fruits.; not indigenous but a native
of the Himalayas and Assam.
Polyalthia cerasoides Bth. and Hk. Occasional in village
shrubberies; a native of the dryer parts of India.
Polyalthia suberosa Bth. and Hk. (Bara chati). Not
uncommon in thickets and about villages.
12 INTRODUCTION

Flacourtia indica (Burm. f.) Merr. (Benchi). Abundant in

thickets and hedges.
Tamarix gallica Linn. (Ban jhau). Occasional on the edges
of streams and marshes.
Hibiscus tiliaceus Linn. (Bola). In gardens and occasionally
on the banks of the Hooghly; a plant of .brackish
river-banks.
Salmalia malabarica Schott. et Endl. (Simal). Common
everywhere.
Guazuma tomentosa Kunth. (Nipal tunth). Planted and
self-sown everywhere, common; a native of tropical
America.
Abroma augusta Linn. (Ulat kambal). Occasional in villages
and thickets; a native of Malaya.
Grewia glabra Bl. (Kath bimla). Occasional in shrubberies
south and west of Calcutta.
Feyonia Elephantum Correa. (Kath bel). Occasional about
19
Appanamixis polystachya (Wall.) R. N. Parker.
20
Gelonium multiflorum A. Juss.
21
Streblus aspen Lour.
22
Acacia arabica Wild.
23
Phoenix sylvestris Roxb. (Khajur).

villages and also self-sown; not very common; native in the

dryer parts of India.
Aegle Marmelos Correa. (Bel). Planted and self-sown
everywhere ; truly native in the dryer parts of India.
Azadirachta indica A. fuss. (Nim). Conunon everywhere,
especially in towns and gardens.
Appanamixis Polystachya (Wall.) R. N. Parker. (Tiktaraj).
Common in thickets and often planted; indigenous in
hilly parts of India.
Cedrela Toona Roxb. (Tun). Occasionally planted and also
self-sown, but not common; indigenous in most of the
low hills of India.
Zizyphus Jujuba Linn. (Ber). Common everywhere, wild
and planted.
 INTRODUCTION 13

Lannea grandis (Dennst.) Engl. (Jiyal). Abundantly planted

in villages, mostly to mark boundaries; also found in
thickets.
Mangifera indica Linn. (Am). The mango. Planted and also
self-sown; very common in villages; native in India but
not in lower Bengal.
Spondias mangi fera Willd. (Amra). Very common about
villages, planted and self-sown; indigenous in most
parts of India but not considered so in lower Bengal.
Moringa oleifera Lamk. (Sajina). Very common about
villages, usually planted but occasionally self-sown.
Pongamia Pinnata (L.) Merr. (Karanja). Frequent on the
banks of rivers, streams, and tanks.
Tamarindus indica Linn. (Tentul). Common; originally a
native of Africa.
Cassia Fistula Linn. (Amaltas). Common in gardens and
not uncommon in thickets; native in most parts of India
but not considered truly indigenous in lower Bengal.
Bauhinea purpurea Linn. (Deva kanchan). Common in
gardens and about villages, and well established here
and there in thickets; indigenous in hilly parts of India.
Leucaena glauca Benth. Common in hedges and thickets,
on riverbanks, and about villages; a native of America.
Acacia arabica Willd. (Babul). Very common in fields and
waste places and on roadsides.
Acacia Suma Ham. (Sau kanta). Occasional in thickets and
shrubberies.
Albizzia Lebbek Benth. (Sirissa). The siris. Planted in
villages and sometimes. self-sown; a native of the
lower slopes of the Himalayas; common.
Albizzia procera Benth. (Koroi). Occasionally planted and
naturalised about villages; a native of the dryer parts
of India.
Albizzia lucida Benth. (Sil koroi). Planted and also
occasionally self-sown, but uncommon.
Pithecolobium dulce Benth. (Belati amli). Fairly common
about villages and often used as a hedge-plant; a
native of America.
14 INTRODUCTION

Enterolobium Saman Prain. (Belati sirissa). The rain tree.

Much planted on roadsides and now becoming
naturalised; a native of America imported into India
late in the 19th century.
Syzygium Cumini (L.) Skeels. (Kala jamb). Commonly
planted and sometimes self-sown about villages;
indigenous in most of the damper parts of India and
probably in lower Bengal.
Barringtonia acutangula Gaertn. (Hidjal). Spontaneous on
river banks and occasionally planted on roadsides.
Alangium salvifolium (L. f.) Wangerin. (Ankura). Occasional
about villages.
Anthocephalus indicus A. Rich. (Kadam). Frequently
planted and occasionally spontaneous.
Morinda citrifolia Linn. (Ach). Occasional near the banks of
the Hooghly below Calcutta; a maritime plant.
Ardisia solanacea Roxb. (Ban jam). Not uncommon in
thickets and about villages.
Diospyros cordifolia Roxb. (Ban gab). Occasional in
thickets and about villages ; scarce.
Diospyros peregrina Gurke. (Gab). Occasional about
villages and in thickets; also planted on roadsides, but
not very common.
Thevetia peruviana (Pers.) Merr. (Kokla Phul). Very
common in gardens and naturalised here and there; a
native of South America.
Calotropis gigantea R. Br. (Akanda). Very common on
roadsides and in waste places.
Cordia dichotoma Forst. (Bohnari). Occasional in thickets
and about villages; sometimes planted.
Solanum verbascifolium Linn. (Arasa). Fairly ,common on
roadsides and in waste places.
Oroxylum indicum Vent. Planted and also spontaneous,
but not common ; a native of most of the damper parts
of India but not considered indigenous in lower
Bengal.
Vitex Negundo Linn. (Sanbhalu). Fairly common in hedges
and about villages.
 INTRODUCTION 15

Vitex trifolia Linn. (Pani sanbhaki). Occasional in hedges

and about villages; scarce.
Litsaea chinensis Lamk. (Kukur chita). Fairly common in
thickets and about villages.
Litsaea monopetala (Roxb.) Narayanaswami. (Bara kukur
chita). Not uncommon in thickets and about villages.
Putranjiva Roxburghii Wall. (Jia pata). Very commonly
planted on roadsides and sometimes spontaneous; a
native of damp evergreen forests in many parts of
India, but not considered indigenous in lower Bengal.
Antidesma Ghaesembilla Gaertn. (Khudi jamb). In hedges
and thickets, occasional.
Jatropha Curcas Linn. (Bagh bherenda). Very common as
a hedge plant and sometimes spontaneous; a native
of America naturalised in many parts of India.
Croton oblongifolius Roxb. (Chuka). Occasional in thickets
and about villages; not common.
Trewia nudiflora Linn. (Pitali). Very common everywhere,
especially on the banks of rivers, streams, and tanks.
Gelonium multifloyum A. Juss. (Ban naranga). Very
common in thickets and sometimes planted in
gardens.
Sapium sebiferum Roxb. (Mom. china). Very common in
thickets and waste places.
Excaecaria Agallocha Linn. (Gengwa). A plant of salt
marshes, common in the Sunderbans and
occasionally found on the edges of the Salt Lakes and
on the banks of the Hooghly below Budge Budge.
Trema orientalis Bl. (Jilan or chikun). Very common.
Strehlus asper Lour. (Shiora). Very common.
Artocarpus Lakoocha Roxb. (Defihal). Often planted and
fairly commonly self-sown; a native of evergreen
forests in many parts of India but not truly indigenous
in lower Bengal.
Ficus infectoria Roxb. (Pakur). Not uncommon about
villages.
Ficus Rumphii Bl. (Gaiasvattha). Occasional, especially
near water.
16 INTRODUCTION

Ficus religiosa Linn. (Asvattha or pipal). Abundant

everywhere.
Ficus bengalensis Linn. (Bot). Very common everywhere
but not truly indigenous except in the foothills of the
Himalayas and in evergreen forests of the west of
India.
Ficus hispida Linn. f. (Dumar). Very common in hedges
and thickets.,
Ficus glomerata Roxb. (Jagya dumar). Not uncommon
about villages and on roadsides.
Pandanus tectorius Soland. (Keiya). Wild in the
Sunderbans; occasionally planted near Calcutta and
naturalised here and there in thickets.
Phoenix sylvestris Roxb. (Khajur). Commonly planted and
also spontaneous; a native of the Punjab.
Borassus flabellifer Linn. (Tal). Fairly common everywhere
but nowhere abundant; spontaneous, but not
considered indigenous in lower Bengal.

Of the above 69 trees that may be considered

naturalised in the neighbourhood of Calcutta, 41 are
thought to be truly indigenous, 26 are natives of other parts
of India, 6 originated in America, and r each in Africa and
Malaya. A number of others show signs of becoming
established and another review made at the end of the
present century will probably show many additions to the
list. On the other hand several plants, which seem to have
been fairly common fifty years ago, are now scarce or
altogether missing, e.g. Croton Tiglium Linn. (Bengali,
jaipal), which is considered indigenous in lower Bengal and
was once much grown for the purgative oil obtained from
its seeds but is now scarcely to be found in the area round
Calcutta.

III. THE VILLAGES

A stranger approaching through the surrounding

expanse of paddy-fields a typical Bengal village would
 INTRODUCTION 17

probably take it from a little distance to be no more than a

wood or a grove of trees and would be surprised on
entering it to find how great a number of huts, and houses,
and tanks, and small enclosed plots of vegetables, were
concealed among the dense foliage around and above
them. A wide variety of shrubby and arboreous plants
grows in such places, and in fact almost every shrub and
tree naturalised in Bengal can be found there, but the great
majority of the plants grown by the villagers must of
necessity serve a useful purpose and help to alleviate their
hard lot. For this reason nearly all the trees in a typical
village will be found to yield edible fruits, or building
material, or something else of value to the teeming
population. A few of the less valuable (but very easily
propagated) wild trees will be used to form hedges, but
most of the indigenous and comparatively useless plants
will be confined to an occasional neglected thicket, which
for some reason or other has not been cared for and
planted with useful species as has the greater part of the
land.
Towering above all other trees, the feathery crowns
of the coconut palms' are usually raised above the houses
and huts of the villagers; they are grown chiefly for the
green coconuts, which are collected for the sake of their
refreshing juice. Rather lower the dense and gloomy
evergreen foliage of the mangoes' and the jack-fruit trees'
form a background of sombre colour; the former are
seldom of good varieties and generally yield only the
common "jungly" fruits that are usually picked when green
and used for culinary purposes only; the latter yield their
enormous fruits in large quantities and form a substantial
source of food for the people. Here and there, but seldom
near houses because of a general belief that its presence
is unhealthy, a jade-green tamarind' is grown for its pods,
which yield an acid-tasting pulp much valued for flavouring
purposes. At a lower level still many kinds of fruit-trees
grow. Conspicuous because of their size and dark,
evergreen foliage are the chalta the sapota the dephal or
18 INTRODUCTION

monkeyjack and the asphal or longana; the latter is much

more common than the quality of its small fruits, like very
inferior litchis, would seem to warrant, and its popularity
may be partly due to the excellent shade that its spreading
branches yield. The belg has sparser foliage but its large,
round, woody fruits are very notice
1
Cocos nucifera Linn. (Narikel).
2
Mangifera indica Linn. (Am).
3
Artocarpus integra (Thunb.) Merr. (Kathal).
4
Tamarindus indica Linn. (Tentul).
5
Dillenia indica Linn.
6
Achras Zapota Linn.
7
Artocarpus Lakoocha Roxb.
8
Euphoria Longana Lam.
9
Aegle Marmelos Corr.

able, and always welcome to the villagers for their

medicinal qualities. The bullock's heart or non ata19 is
abundant everywhere, but its near relative the custard
apple" is rather less common though its fruits are much
superior. The guava" too is very common and yields
excellent fruits throughout the rains and into the cold
season. The amra or hog plum is another abundant plant
and is conspicuous both in the spring when its yellowish
flowers appear at the ends of the bare branches, and when
its large fruits hang on the tree after the leaves have fallen
at the end of the rains; it is grown to form hedges as well
as for its fruits. The jamrul and the golab jamb are
common, especially the former, and both are small,
spreading, evergreen trees that give welcome shade as
well as refreshing, waxy fruits. The kala jamb is also
plentiful but is a much taller tree ; it is valued for its
blackish, plum-like fruits and, being venerated by the
Hindus, is sometimes planted near temples. Bananas" are
abundantly planted but most of them are one of the
varieties that yield fruits only suitable for cooking. The
papaya"' grows to perfection in Bengal but, in spite of its
 INTRODUCTION 19

rapid growth and ease of cultivation, is not as common in

villages as might be expected and is mostly seen in the
gardens of the more well-to-do inhabitants. The pumelol9
and the sour lime also produce excellent fruits but are not
commonly seen on land tended by the poorer people,
possibly because their growth is slow and the poor man
needs quick returns for his labour; the citron and the lemon
22 are also grown occasionally but the various oranges
and other useful fruits of the genus Citrus that flourish in
the dryer parts of India, do not succeed in Bengal. In some
villages, especially those to the south of Calcutta, graceful
betel-nut palms grow in stately rows, planted close enough
to allow a gatherer of the nuts to pass from one tree to
another without descending from their lofty summits; these
palms do not flourish very far from the sea-shore, but they
do well as far north
10
Annona reticulata Linn.
11
Annona squamosa Linn. (Ata).
12
Psidium Guayava Linn. (Piyaya).
13
Spondias mangifera Willd.
14
Syzygium samarangense (Bi.) Merr. & Perr,
15
Syzygium Jambos (L.) Alston.
16
Syzygium Cumini (L.) Skeels.
17
Musa payadisiaca Linn. (Kola).
18
Carica Papaya Linn. (Pepe).
19
Citrus gyandis Osbeck. (Batavi nebu).
20
C. aurantifolia Swingle. (Pati nebu.)
21
C. medica Linn. (Beg pura).
22
C. Limon Burm. (Karna nebu).
23
Areca Catechu Linn. (Supayi).

as Calcutta. Occasionally too a few palmyras24 may be

seen within the confines of a village, though they are more
often found in fields outside; they are valued for their fruits
and for many other useful products that they yield.
In addition to the trees mentioned above the
following are also grown round about Calcutta for their
20 INTRODUCTION

edible fruits, though some are seldom seen in villages and

are more or less confined to the gardens of the wealthier
people or cultivated in special orchards:-

Flacourtia jangomas Raeusch. (Paniala). Occasionally

seen in gardens and villages.
Grezoia asiatica Linn. (Phalsa). Common.
Averrhoa Carambola Linn. (Kamaranga). Fairly common.
Averrhoa Bilimbi Linn. (Bilimbi). Fairly common.
Feronia Limonia (L.) Swingle. (Kath bel). Fairly common.
Zizyphus jujuba Linn. (Ber). Very common, but mostly the
self-sown wild variety. Superior varieties are
sometimes grown, and Z. vulgaris Lamk. (Titni ber)
may also be found.
Blighia sapida Koen. Rare.
Litchi chinensis Sonner. (Litchi). Common in gardens but
rare in villages.
Spondias dulcis Forst. f. (Bilati amra). Scarce.
Moringa olei fera Lamk. (Sajina). Abundant in villages used
for fencing and for various other purposes as well as
for its slender edible pods.
Friobotrya japonica Lindl. The loquat. Very scarce.
Terminalia Catappa Linn. (Deshi badam). Often planted on
roadsides; grown more for shade than for its edible
nuts, which are difficult to preserve from parrots.
Syzygium malaccense (L.) Merr. & Perr. (Malacca jamrul).
Scarce.
Alangium salvifolium (L.f.) Wangerin. (Ankura). Fairly
common in villages though the fruit is very poor.
Anthocephalus indicus A. Rich. (Kadam). Fairly common;
grown more for ornament and for its religious
associations than for its fruits.
Morinda citrifolia Linn. (Ach). Rather scarce.
24
Borassus flabellifer Linn. (Tal).
 INTRODUCTION 21

Mimusops Elengi Linn. (Bakul). Common; generally

planted on roadsides and in gardens for shade; the
fruits are very poor.
Diospyros peregrina Gurke. (Gab). Fairly common the
fruits are edible but are chiefly valued for caulking
boats.
Diospyros discolor Willd. In gardens and villages
occasionally; the fruits are very mawkish.
Cordia dichotoma Forst. (Bohari). Fairly common in
villages and thickets.
Phyllanthus distichus Muell.-Arg. (Noari). Fairly common.
Emblica oicinalis Gaertn. (Amla). Scarce.
Morus alba Linn. (Tunt). The white mulberry. Not
uncommon in gardens; scarce in villages.
Ficus hispida Linn. f. (Dumar). Abundant everywhere; the
young figs are collected for cooking in curries.
Ficus auriculata Lour. Probably only in a few gardens;
grown chiefly for ornament.
Ficus glomerata Roxb. (Jagya dumar). Fairly common; the
figs are very inferior but are eaten both raw and
cooked.

Here and there in most villages, especially in the

gardens round the houses of the more well-to-do
inhabitants, a few trees may be seen which have been,
planted entirely for the beauty of their flowers ; of these the
commonest are perhaps the frangipanis with their scented
flowers of various colours, the tagur or chandni with small
white flowers, and the kokla phul with yellow or pinkish
flowers of a funnel-like shape. Other trees are grown partly
because of their beauty and partly for their religious
significance, and of these the yellow flowered champa is
perhaps the most notable. About the houses of the Hindus
the neem is commonly planted and is nearly always
welcome when its seed lings appear self-sown, because of
the great medicinal virtues attributed to the tree as well as
its religious associations. Near temples and Hindu
dwellings the curious mansasij may sometimes
22 INTRODUCTION

25
plumeria spec. (Gorur champa).
26
Ervatamia divaricata (L.) Burkill.
27
Thevetia peruviana (Pers.) Merr.
28
Michelia Champaca Linn.
29
Azadirachta indica A. Juss. .
30
Euphorbia neriifolia Linn.

be seen with its soft stems and rough bark. Finally the two
sacred figs, the peepu and the banyan, must again be
mentioned, for it is difficult to imagine a Bengal village
without them, and beneath their spreading limbs much of
the life of the village is carried on,-the games of the
children, the evening deliberations of their elders, and the
devotions of the pious Hindus.
Before leaving the village we must consider the
trees that are used to form the many hedges needed to
separate the various small plots that surround the houses
of the inhabitants and to border the roads and paths. Such
hedges are of two main kinds, the low prickly hedge made
of thorny plants, and the tall hedge consisting of the trunks
or stems of fairly lofty trees between which smaller plants
are grown to fill up the gaps. The first type of hedge may
be made of many different kinds of thorny shrubs and
creepers, but some of the plants used are capable of
developing into trees, notably the Madras thorn or belati
amli, the bajvaran, and the sij the last two being near
relatives of the sacred mansasij, which is mentioned
above. The principal quality needed in a plant suitable for
forming a tall hedge is an ability to grow quickly from
cuttings thrust into the moist ground during the monsoon;
the following five plants are often used in this way: -

Lannea grandis (Dennst.) Eng. (Jiyal). Probably the plant

most commonly used for hedging purposes, but of
little use in other respects.
Spondias mangifera Willd. (Amra). Very like the jiyal in
appearance; less commonly used for hedging but
 INTRODUCTION 23

valued for its fruits and often planted as a fruit-tree;

also self-sown.
Moringa olei fera Lamk. (Sajina). Very common every
where; the pods, flowers, leaves, twigs, and roots are
all eaten and various other useful products are
obtained from the plant.
Erythrina indica Lamk. (Palita mandar). Sometimes used
for hedges but more often as a support for the betel
vine and other vegetables; bears handsome red
flowers on the leafless branches in spring.
31
Ficus religiosa Linn. (Asvattha).
32
Ficus bengalensis Linn. (Bot).
33
Pithecolobium dulce Benth.
34
Euphorbia Antiquorum Linn.
35
Euphorbia Nivulia Ham.

Jatropha Curcas Linn. (Bagh bherenda). Very common

and very suitable for hedging because the leaves are
not eaten by goats or cattle; valued for its medicinal
qualities.

One other important form of vegetation remains to be

considered before we emerge into the open country. In
lower Bengal bamboos are of .the greatest importance for
all kinds of building purposes in villages, for scaffolding in
towns, and for fencing and mat-making everywhere ;
moreover in the last twenty years a great demand for
bamboos has developed from Indian paper mills, and
those in Calcutta alone require over 80,000 tons of this
material annually. These enormous requirements are very
largely met by the bamboos grown in clumps and
plantations attached to villages, for no bamboo is
indigenous in the area and none grows without being
planted and tended by man. Every village has a few
clumps to supply its own requirements and some have
quite large spaces almost entirely devoted to bamboo
cultivation. Two species, the tulda and the bhalkua, are
24 INTRODUCTION

commonly grown for building, of which the former is the

more abundant but the latter is considered superior for
most purposes. A third species, the basini bans, is less
frequently grown ;its stems have much thinner walls than
those of the two commoner kinds and are mostly used for
making mats and baskets. Several other kinds are also
grown occasionally for use or for ornament.

IV. THE COUNTRYSIDE

On emerging from a village a wide expanse of open

paddyfields may often be seen extending for a mile or
more, till the next village appears like a distant forest on
the horizon ; but more often the country is scattered here
and there with trees or shrubs, forming hedges round plots
of vegetables, irregular lines along the paths and tracks
that connect neighbouring villages, and occasionally small
clumps marking the position of swamps or patches of
ground that for some reason are not used for cultivation. In
these situations any of the indigenous and naturalised
plants may be found, but everywhere hungry cattle and
goats are constantly seeking food, and for this reason the
commonest trees in open spaces must be those which are
not liable to damage by grazing when they are young. So it
is not surprising to find the thorny
36
Bambusa Tulda Roxb.
37
Bambusa Balcooa Roxb.
38
Bambusa vulgayis Schrader.

babul the most abundant tree in such places, and the

almost equally thorny berg and benchil its frequent
companions. Along roadsides the akanda4 is a common
plant, usually growing, and producing its mauve or white
flowers, as a low shrub, although in sheltered nooks it can
develop into a small tree; it is not protected by thorns but
the milky juice contained in its large greyish leaves makes
it quite uneatable by animals.
 INTRODUCTION 25

The tree or shrubs just mentioned, being low and

rather inconspicuous, cannot be said to form a striking part
of the scenery, and the most characteristic features of the
landscape are undoubtedly the palms, which can be seen
wherever trees are to be found. The commonest of these
in the open country is the wild date palm, which raises its
mutilated trunk crowned by a dense cluster of spinous
leaves on most roadsides and in waste places everywhere,
especially on the sides of ditches; if left alone by man it
grows into a handsome tree, but the repeated wounds
made by toddy-gatherers nearly always result in its
typically stunted outline. The palmyras with its stout stem
and crown of fan-shaped leaves, may be seen here and
there, and in the neighbourhood of villages rows and
scattered clumps of coconut palms are often planted, their
feathery heads towering above all other trees.
Good roads are few in Bengal, but where they are
found a double row of fine trees often accompanies them.
To the south of Calcutta the roads are often not specially
planted for the benefit of wayfarers and the trees to be
seen along them usually do not differ from those ordinarily
met with in villages and in the surrounding countryside. But
the old roads leading out of the city to the north and east
were planted many years ago with rows of saplings
intended to give shade to weary travellers, and those same
trees, or their descendants and successors, are there to
this day. The spread of industrialisation has done much to
spoil some of these splendid avenues, but a drive along
the Jessore Road will still show a seemingly unending and
almost unbroken succession of venerable trees, their
branches often meeting above and forming a green tunnel
down which the highway disappears into the distance. In
the cold season their leaves may be loaded with dust and
lacking in freshness, but during the rains, when
1
Acacia arabica Willd.
2
Zizyphus Jujuba Linn.
3
Flacourtia indica (Burm. f.) Merr.
26 INTRODUCTION

4
Calotropis gigantea R. Br.
5
Phoenix sylvestris Roxb. (Khajur).
6
Borassus flabellifer Linn. (Tal).
7
Cocos nucifera Linn, (Narikel).

all are in full foliage, a more beautiful sight can hardly be

found in the plains of India. Outstanding among them for
size, and brightness of leaf, and venerable aspect, are the
tamarinds," which form a large proportion of these
roadside giants. The banyan" and the peepull° are also
abundant and these three kinds predominate always, but
here and there the monotony is broken by other
indigenous trees,-a silk-cotton is a spreading desi badam,
a gab with its gnarled bole and low, dense, dark green
crown, or a lofty jangh badam.14 In recent years gaps in
the ranks have been filled by planting the teak, 15 the
Spanish mahogony,16 and the debdar,1' but few of these
have yet come to maturity, and their full beauty will not be
attained for another fifty years or so. Still more recently a
number of smaller trees, such as are now commonly grown
in city streets, have been planted on country roadsides, but
these look curiously out of place when compared with the
old veterans that have been there for a hundred years or
more and still look good for another century to come.

V. THE CITY STREETS

Until recent times the trees to be found in the

streets of Calcutta were doubtless much the same as
those that line the main roads of the Indian countryside
to-day and are still almost the only trees to be seen in
many small towns and villages. The survivors and
descendants of these can be found to this day in many
parts of Calcutta, especially in the poorer quarters, where
the banyan, the peepul, and the neem are still the
commonest trees. But for many years a wiser selection has
been made by those responsible for planting our streets
and avenues, and in the parts of the town that have
 INTRODUCTION 27

recently been laid out a new type of tree has almost

displaced the huge, untidy kinds on which the city once
relied for shade. The qualities required in such trees are a
reasonably quick rate of growth, a spreading shady head
(preferably evergreen), a fairly long life, and a compact
habit that will limit the ultimate size of the tree and will
prevent it from throwing out sprawling limbs likely to
interfere with neighbouring wires or buildings. It
8
Tamarindus indica Linn. (Tentul).
9
Ficus bengalensis Linn. (Bot).
10
Ficus religiosa Linn. (Asvattha).
11
Salmalia malabarica Schott. et Endl. (Simal).
12
Terrninalia Catappa Linn.
13
Diospyros peregrina Gurke.
14
Sterculia foetida Linn.
15
Tectona grandis Linn. f. (Sagun).
16
Swietenia Mahogoni Linn.
17
Polyalthia longifolia Hk. f.. & T. (Debdaru).

must be sturdy too, and should not be liable to shed its

branches without warning, and must be able to stand up to
the violent winds that occasionally sweep down the streets.
If it bears beautiful flowers, so much the better, but this is a
consideration of minor importance.
Among the larger trees used for the purpose the
commonest are perhaps the child-life tree, the debdar, and
the Spanish mahogany; of these the two first are extremely
suitable, but the third, although excellent in other respects
and one of the finest trees to be found in India, will
eventually attain a size that will probably be found too vast
for most situations in a town. The bakul4 and the devil tree,
or chhattin,5 are also excellent compact trees of fair size
with dense evergreen foliage, and the former is very
frequently planted in streets as well as in gardens. The
desi badams has horizontal branches, a flat head, and
handsome bright green leaves, all of which make it suitable
28 INTRODUCTION

for street planting, but it is not as common in Calcutta as its

merits warrant.
Coming now to trees of rather smaller proportions,
we find that in recent years many streets have been lined
with the paras, or Portia tree, a quick-growing, evergreen
tree with a rounded bushy head, leaves rather resembling
in shape those of a peepul, and yellow hibiscus-like
flowers; where space is restricted a better choice can
hardly be made. Another tree of rather similar habit, but
slower in growth, is the Alexandrian laurel," which has very
beautiful evergreen leaves and pretty white flowers. Less
common in Calcutta, though indigenous round about and
often planted on roadsides, is the karanja, or Indian beech,
a handsome tree only marred by the fact that its foliage is
prone to attack by a disease that causes it to turn an ugly
whitish colour. In recent years the shapely Moreton Bay
chestnut, with bright green leaves and orange flowers, has
been planted here and there, but it is probably too liable to
damage by wind to be very suitable; moreover its flowers
are of no great merit because they are largely concealed
by the leaves. Lepisanthes tetraphylla Radlk., a recent
1
Putranjiva Roxburghii Wall. (Jia pata).
2
Polyalthia longifolia Hk. f. & T.
3
Swietenia Mahogoni Linn.
4
Mimusops Elengi Linn.
5
Alstonia scholaris R. Br.
6
Teraninalia Catappa Linn.
7
Hibiscus populneus Linn.
8
Calophyllum inophyllum Linn.
9
Pongamia pinnata (L.) Merr.
10
Castanospermum australe A. Cunn.

introduction from southern India, has been planted in some

numbers; it has dense evergreen foliage and a fairly
compact habit, but no special beauty.
A few trees are commonly grown in streets for their
flowers, and some of the roads in the residential districts of
 INTRODUCTION 29

Calcutta are a magnificent sight in the hot season when

these are in bloom. Unfortunately, however, few of them
are really suitable for street planting, because they are
either too delicate and fragile or they provide insufficient
shade. The gul mohur, although planted in quite a large
number of streets, is really only suitable for parks and
gardens, because it has brittle branches and is easily
blown over. Central Avenue has been largely lined with the
jarul, but these trees do not seem to thrive in such urban
surroundings and, although their lilac-coloured flowers are
beautiful for a short time in the hot weather, passers-by
would probably prefer stronger trees and denser shade.
The jayul's near relative Lagerstroemia Thorellii Gagnep.,
a recent introduction from Indo-China, has also been much
planted, but although it thrives in Calcutta, it must be
considered too small for an avenue tree. The only species
that may be thought really suitable for street planting, and
at the same time to be able to compare with the best for
beauty of bloom, is Peltophorum inerme (Roxb.) Llanos,
"the rusty shield bearer", which has handsome evergreen
foliage, a compact growth, and a wealth of lovely yellow
flowers, appearing in the hot weather and succeeded by
attractive rust-coloured pods ; this is perhaps the best of all
the ornamental trees to be found in India, and should be
more widely planted everywhere.
Before leaving the streets of Calcutta we must
mention once again the rain tree, which was only
introduced into India at the end of the last century but is
already well-known in the city. Many streets in the suburbs
are lined with this huge, quick-growing tree, which in thirty
years can rival the oldest native in size and spread. Where
there is space for its sprawling limbs it cannot be beaten as
a shade-giver, but few, if any, of those to be found in
Calcutta have yet reached maturity, and when they begin
to do so it may be feared that falling branches will cause a
great deal of trouble and damage. There is no doubt that
they should really be confined-to parks and the larger
gardens, or to the sides of country roads.
30 INTRODUCTION

11
Delonix regia Raf.
12
Lagerstroemia speciosa (L.) Pers.
13
Enterolobium Saman Prain. (Belati sirissa).

VI. THE MAIDAN

The famous Maidan, the great park that occupies

the centre of Calcutta round Fort William, deserves special
mention in this survey, for from one end to the other it is
planted with fine trees and on them it depends for its
beauty. One may travel many miles before reaching a
more secluded and restful spot than some of its
sequestered groves, and all "Ditchers" must bless those
who for so long have kept clear of dwellings this great
expanse of turf. A better place for a country walk than the
centre of the "second city in the Empire" is hard to find in
Bengal, and anyone who wants to become familiar with the
trees of the province will be well advised to start there ; he
will find most of the commonest kinds and a few rare ones
as well.
When the Maidan was first laid out as a park, it
must have been planted with the usual more or less
indigenous shade-trees that have been used from time
immemorial to line the great thoroughfares of India. Their
survivors are still found in large numbers, and it is only in
comparatively recent years that a selection of more
ornamental kinds, many of them exotic, has been
introduced. In most cases these have not yet had time to
reach maturity and the larger trees are still mostly confined
to a few species, the peepull the banyan, and the pakur,
which have probably occupied their present sites since the
park was first made at the time of the building of the
present fort.
In recent years a number of trees valued for their
flowers have been planted here and there, but most have
been chosen for their shade, and it is certainly for this
quality that they are chiefly valued. Not only do the
 INTRODUCTION 31

countless pedestrians who daily cross the Maidan depend

for shade on the rows of trees that line the roads, but the
large herds of cattle, which subsist on the turf and so serve
to keep it short and free from weeds, rely on them for
shelter from the midday sun. The presence of these herds
results in a curious effect, which is shared by most of the
older trees on the Maidan; their spreading branches reach
to a great distance from the short trunk, but no twig
approaches the ground because all are broken off as soon
as they come within reach of the cowherds, who are
always seeking more food for their hungry beasts; in
consequence the larger solitary trees all have the
appearance of
1
Ficus religiosa Linn. (Asvattha).
2
Ficus bengalensis Linn. (Bot).
3
Ficus infectoria Roxb.

huge stunted mushrooms with heads rounded on top and

perfectly flattened beneath.
The following is a fairly exhaustive list of the trees
to be found on the Maidan in 1944; it does not claim to be
entirely complete because military activities have
prevented a full exploration; moreover it excludes many
kinds to be found only in the Curzon Gardens, the Eden
Gardens, Fort William, the R. C. T. C. enclosures, and the
grounds of the Victoria Memorial: -

Dillenia indica Linn. (Chalta). A single specimen near the

Ladies' Golf Club Pavilion.
Polylthia longifolia Hk. f. & T. (Debdaru). One of the
commonest of the more recently planted trees.
Salmalia malabarica Schott. et Endl. (Simal). The
silkcotton tree. A specimen on the west of Hospital
Road.
Sterculia foetida Linn. (Jangli badam). The dung tree.
Several trees along Chowringhee and on St. George's
Gate Road.
32 INTRODUCTION

Pterygota alata R. Br. (Buddha narikela). Buddha's

coconut. A single tree near the junction of Mayo Road
and Dufferin Road.
Kleinhovia hospita Linn. (Bola). A few trees, mostly near
the centre of the Maidan.
Pterospermum acerifolium Willd. (Kanak champa). Not
uncommon.
Berria cordifolia (Wind.) Burret. The Trincomali wood tree.
A single specimen near the junction of Lower Circular
Road with Chowringhee.
Garuga pinnata Rbxb. (Jum). A single tree on the west of
St. George's Gate Road.
Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (Nim). Fairly common.
Swietenia Mahogoni Linn. The Spanish mahogany.
Common. A fine clump grows at the south end of
Hospital Road, but no tree has yet approached
maturity.
Swietenia macrophylla King. The Honduras, mahogany.
Planted here and there in recent years.
Cedrela Toona Roxb. (Tun). A single tree on the east of
Mayo Road near its junction with Chowringhee.
Afipanamixis Polystachya (Wall.) R. N. Parker. (Tikta raj).
A single female tree on the edge of Chowringhee
opposite the Indian Museum.
Schlcichera oleosa (Lour.) Merr. (Kusum). The lac tree.
Several trees on the west of Mayo Read and others
near St. George's Gate.
Euphoria Longana Lam. (Asphal). The longan. A few trees
here and there.
Mangifera indica Linn. (Am). The mango. A few trees near
sports' pavilions.
Myroxylon Pereirae Klotsch. The Peru balsam tree. A
single tree at the side of Chowringhee, to the north of
its junction with Theatre Road.
Dadbergia Sissoo Roxb. (Sisu). Common.
Dalbergia lanceolaria Linn. f. (Chakemdia). A single tree on
the west of Dufferin Road near the Red Road.
 INTRODUCTION 33

Castanospermum australe A. Cunn. The Moreton Bay

chestnut. Several trees south of the Victoria Memorial
and elsewhere.
Peltophorum inerme (Roxb.) Llanos. Fairly plentiful,
especially near Casuarina Avenue.
Delonix regia Raf. (Gul mohr). Fairly plentiful, especially
near the Eden Gardens.
Colvillea racemosa Boj. A few trees near Park Street.
Cassia Fistula Linn. (Amaltas). A few trees near Outram
Ghat.
Cassia siamea Lam. Several trees along Chowringhee and
elsewhere.
Albizzia Lebbek Bth. (Sirissa). Several trees east of Fort
William, near the Chowringhee Gate.
Albizzia Richardiana King & Prain. A tree on Lower
Circular Road, south of the Victoria Memorial.
Enterolobium Saman Prain. (Belati sirissa). The rain trep.
Very common but no trees have yet reached maturity.
Some have been planted in crowded clumps where
none can develop properly.
Terminalia Catappa Linn. (Desi badam). Fairly common.
Terminalia Arjuna W. & A. (Arjuna). A single tree at the
junction of Lower Circular Road with Hospital Road
and another near Outram Ghat.
Syzygium Cumini (L.) Skeels. (Kala jamb). A single tree in
a clump of other evergreens near the junction of
Harrington Street with Chowringhee.
Barringtonia acutangula Gaertn. (Hidjal). A single tree to
the west of Cathedral Road.
Lagerstroemia speeiosa (L.) Pers. (Jarul). Common.
Lagerstroemia Thorellii Gagnep. Several trees on Strand
Road.
Anthocephalus indicus A. Rich. (Kadam). A few trees
including one or two on St. George's Gate Road.
Mimusops Elengi Linn. (Bakul). Common.
Diospyros Peregrina Gurke. (Gab). A single tree near the
junction of Mayo Road with the Red Road.
34 INTRODUCTION

Alstonia macrophylla Wall. A single tree on the West of St.

George's Gate Road near its junction with Strand
Road.
Millingtonia hortensis Linn. f. A few trees including one on
the north of Lower Circular Road by the Race Course.
Dolichandrone spathacea K. Schum. A single tree on the
east of St. George's Gate Road.
Kigelia pinnata DC. The sausage tree. A young tree near
the junction of Kidderpore Road with Casuarina
Avenue, and another on the west of St. George's Gate
Road.
Tectona grandis Linn. f. (Sagun). The teak. Frequent.
Tectona Hamiltoniana Wall. Several trees on the west- of
Cathedral Road.
Trezwia nudiflora Linn. (Pitala). A single tree overhangs
the north-east corner of the Birji Tank.
Putranjiva Roxburghii Wall. (Jia pata). The child-life tree.
Common, especially along Chowringhee.
Bischofia javanica Bl. A single tree in a clump south-west
of the junction of Harrington Street with Chowringhee.
Trema orientalis Bl. (Jilan or chikun). A tree west of
Cathedral Road.
Artocarpus integra (Thunb.) Merr. (Kathal). The jack fruit. A
few trees about the sports' pavilions and elsewhere.
Ficus Benjamina Linn. var comosa Kurtz. The Java fig. A
few young trees, including one on the east of St.
George's Gate Road.
Ficus retusa Linn. (Jir). A few trees along Chowringhee.
Ficus infectoria Roxb. (Pakur). Fairly common; there are
some fine old trees near the Kidderpore Bridge and
another north of the Victoria Memorial.
Ficus Rumphii Bl. (Gaiasvattha). Occasional.
Ficus religiosa Linn. (Asvattha). The peepul. The
commonest tree on the Maidan.
Ficus bengalensis Linn. (Bot). Very common. The aerial
roots of this tree are seldom seen on the Maidan and
never reach the ground; the reason for this is not
 INTRODUCTION 35

clear, because all the trees can hardly be of the

variety that does not produce aerial roots.
Casuarina equisetifolia Forst. (Belati jhau). Formerly
planted along Casuarina Avenue and elsewhere, but
the trees suffered much from high winds and few now
survive; several serious accidents occurred as a result
of their branches falling onto passing vehicles.
Phoenix sylvestris Roxb. (fhajur). The wild date palm.
Borassus flabellifer Linn. (Tal). The palmyra. A few of each
of these palms grow on the south side of the Birji
Tank.

There is one remarkable omission from the above list;

the last tamarind 4 known to the writer to exist on the
Maidan was cut down in 1944. It is not clear why such a
common and beautiful tree is not favoured by the
authorities who are responsible for the planting of the park,
but possibly it is feared that its branches would be
damaged by people in search of fruit.

VII. THE GARDENS

For centuries a number of beautiful plants, mostly

of Indian origin but a few imported from other countries,
have been cultivated for aesthetic reasons in Indian
gardens, and since the early days of the nineteenth
century a succession of enthusiastic European botanists
and gardeners have added to the list of exotic plants
grown in Calcutta, until to-day they hold perhaps one of the
richest collections of tropical plants of horticultural interest
to be found in the world. Very fine displays of ornamental
trees may be seen in the Victorial Memorial Garden and in
the grounds of the Tollygunge Club, as well as in the Royal
Agri-Horticultural Garden and, of course, in the famous
Royal Botanic Garden at Sibpur. Apart from the many rare
kinds found only in these collections, a complete list of the
trees cultivated in private gardens around and about
Calcutta would certainly include nearly all the species
36 INTRODUCTION

described in this book and probably a good many more as

well. To attempt a complete account of all these species is
clearly impossible here and all that can be done is to
mention some of the commonest and the most striking.
4
Tamarindus indica Linn, (Tentul; imli).

The following have red or orange flowers:-

Salmalia malabarica Schott. et Endl. (Simal). The

silkcotton tree. A tall deciduous tree bearing large
crimson flowers in early spring among the bare
branches.
Erythrina indica Lam. (Palita mandar). A small tree or a
shrub, bearing clusters of crimson flowers in early
spring before the leaves appear.
Butea monosperma Ktz. (Palas). "The flame of the forest".
An ungainly tree with large leaves, bearing in the early
spring masses of scarlet flowers with brownvelvety
calyces. Scarce in Calcutta.
Delonix regia Raf. (Gul mohr). "The gold mohur". A
spreading tree with feathery leaves, bearing
magnificent red or orange flowers at the end of the hot
weather. Common.
Colvillea racemosa Boj. A rather rare relative of the last;
bears tight clusters of dull orange flowers in August
and September.
Saraca indica Linn. (Asoka). A low, spreading, evergreen
tree bearing in the hot weather masses of small
crimson, orange, or yellowish flowers close to the
branches.
Brownea coccinea jacq. A tree similar in general
appearance to the last, bearing large dense clusters of
bright red flowers in the hot season and also during
the rains.
Amherstia nobilis Wall. A low tree rather similar to. the last
two, bearing in the hot season magnificent pendulous
sprays of scarlet and yellow flowers.
 INTRODUCTION 37

Callistemon lanceolatus Sweet. The bottle-brush tree. A

small evergreen tree with very narrow pointed leaves
and red flowers arranged in cylindrical spikes near the
ends of the twigs.
Cordia Sebestena Linn. A low evergreen tree or shrub,
bearing almost all the year round small clusters of
orange-red flowers at the ends of the twigs.
Spathodea campanulata Beauv. The African tulip-tree. A
fairly tall evergreen tree bearing in the early spring
large crimson flowers in compact clusters at the ends
of the branches.
The following have pink or mauve flowers:-
Hibiscus mutabilis Linn. (Sthalpadma). The changeable
rose. A small tree or shrub with broad, lobed leaves
and large flowers, which, in the typical variety, open
pure white in the morning and fade through pink to
deep crimson in the evening; other varieties remain
pink throughout.
Kleinhovia hospita Linn. A fairly tall evergreen tree with
broad leaves, bearing small pink flowers during the
latter part of the rains.
Sesbania grandiflora Pers. (Agati). A small quick-growing
tree, bearing large pink or white flowers from
September to April.
Pongamia pinnata (L.) Merr. (Karanja). The Indian beech.
A middle-sized, nearly evergreen tree with shining,
bright green leaves and rather inconspicuous, dull pink
or mauve flowers, borne in May or June.
Gliricidia maculata H.B.K. A small tree bearing pale pink or
almost white flowers in dense clusters scattered along
the otherwise bare branches in early spring.
Millettia ovali folia Kurz. A very pretty little deciduous tree
with a rounded crown and drooping twigs, bearing a
profusion of bright mauve flowers in the early part of
the hot season.
Cassia nodosa Buch.-Ham. A small spreading tree bearing
pink and white flowers during the hot season. (There
are four other species of Cassia with pink flowers; for
38 INTRODUCTION

the differences between them see the key under the

description of the genus).
Bauhinea variegata Linn. A small tree with leaves shaped
like a camel's hoof-print, bearing in the early spring
large white, pink, or purplish flowers on the bare
branches.
Bauhinea purpurea Linn. (Deva kanchan). A tree similar to
the last but bearing its flowers among the leaves at the
end of the rains.
Enterolobium Saman Prain. (Belati sirissa). The rain tree.
A large spreading tree bearing rather inconspicuous
pink flowers in the hot season and rains.
Lagerstroemia speciosa (L.) Pers. (jarul). A tall tree with
leaves in opposite pairs, bearing large flowers in open
clusters at the ends of the branches in April and May.
The common form has lilac flowers but there are
varieties with pink and cerise flowers.
Lagerstroemia Thorellii Gagnep. A tree very similar to the
last but smaller in all its parts; bears mauve or pale
purplish flowers during the rains.
The following have bright yellow flowers:
Cochlospermum Gossypium DC. The yellow silk-cotton. A
small tree with broad, lobed leaves, bearing large
yellow flowers on the bare branches early in March.
Scarce in Calcutta.
Hibiscus Populneus L. (Paras). The Portia tree. A
middlesized, evergreen tree with leaves shaped rather
like those of the peepul, and yellow, hibiscus-like
flowers which fade to dull purple.
Pterocarpus indicus Willd. The padauk. A lofty evergreen
tree bearing yellow flowers at the end of the hot
season. Rather scarce in Calcutta.
Brya Ebenus DC. A low, slender, evergreen tree, or a
shrub, with very small dark green leaves grouped in
pairs, and scented orange flowers borne throughout
the hot weather and rains. Very common.
Caesalpinea Cacalaco Humb. & Bompl. A middle-sized
evergreen tree bearing yellow flowers in stiff spikes
 INTRODUCTION 39

clustered at the ends of the branches in December

and January. Scarce in Calcutta.
Peltophorum inerme (Roxb.) Llanos. An evergreen tree of
moderate size bearing yellow flowers in large clusters
at the ends of the branches during the hot season.
Common.
Cassia Fistula Linn. (Amaltas). "The Indian laburnum". A
small deciduous tree bearing beautiful pendulous
sprays of yellow flowers towards the end of the hot
weather.
Cassia glauca Lam. An evergreen shrub or a small tree
bearing numerous small clusters of yellow flowers at
most seasons; the leaves are of a rather bluish green.
Cassia multijuga Rich. A beautiful shrub or a small tree
with bright green leaves and a rather straggling habit;
the flowers are borne in large clusters at the ends of
the branches in October or November. Not common.
Acacia monili formis Griseb. A medium-sized evergreen
tree with drooping twigs and minute yellow flowers
combined in small spikes; the flowers are produced at
intervals almost throughout the year. Common.
Vachellia Farnesiana (L.) W. & A. A small thorny tree or a
shrub with minute yellow flowers joined in small
spherical heads; very like the common babul (Acacia
arabica Willd.), but the flowers are scented. Blooms
from June to February. Not very common.
Thevetia Peruviana (Pers.) Merr. (Kokla phul). "The yellow
oleander". A small spreading evergreen tree with very
narrow leaves and large, yellow, pinkish, or whitish
flowers borne almost all the year round. Very
common.
Tecoma stans Juss. An evergreen shrub or small tree
bearing tubular yellow flowers in small clusters
throughout the hot weather and rains. Common.
The following have blue or lilac-coloured flowers: -
Lagerstroeynia speciosa (L.) Pers. (Jarul). The common
variety of this tree has lilac-coloured flowers. It is a tall
40 INTRODUCTION

tree, though it often blooms when only about 15 feet

high. The flowers appear in April and May.
Jacaranda filicifolia D. Don. A medium-sized, deciduous
tree with fern-like leaves and numerous pale-violet
flowers borne in clusters along the bare twigs, mostly
in February and March. Scarce.
Jacaranda ovalifolia R. Br. A tree similar to the above but
taller, with more finely divided leaves, and flowering
later in March and April, or even later. Scarce.
The following have flowers that are predominantly white or
cream-coloured:-
Muntingia Calabura Linn. "The Chinese cherry". A small,
spreading, evergreen tree with pointed leaves, which
are silvery beneath, small white flowers, and
cherry-like fruits. Common.
Murraya Paniculata (L.) Jacq. (Kamini). An evergreen
shrub or small tree with dark green leaves and short
clusters of scented white flowers. Common.
Gardenia florida Willd. (Gandharaj). An evergreen shrub or
small tree with large, "double", white, scented flowers
which turn yellowish-brown as they get old. Common.
Plumeyia rubya L. forma acutifolia (Poir.) Woodson.
(Gorurchancpa). The frangipani. A small deciduous
tree with large, dark green leaves and soft, thick twigs;
the tubular white and yellow flowers are borne at the
ends of the twigs throughout the hot weather and
rains.
There are several other species and cultivated varieties,
some of which have red or yellow flowers, or various
combinations of pink, yellow., and white. Very
common.
Ervatamia divayicata (L.) Burkill. (more often known as
Tabernaemontana coronaria R. Br.). (Tagur). An
evergreen shrub or small spreading tree with narrow
shining leaves and numerous white flowers, scented
at night, borne almost throughout the year. Some
varieties have flowers with yellow eyes and others
have "double" flowers. Very common.
 INTRODUCTION 41

Holaryhena antidysenterica Wall. (Kurchi). The Easter tree.

A small deciduous tree bearing creamy-white, scented
flowers on the bare twigs in March and April.
Common.
Millingtonia hortensis Linn. (Akas nim). The Indian cork
tree. A tall tree with corky bark, nearly vertical limbs
and drooping twigs ; the long, tubular, white, scented
flowers appear in November and December. Fairly
common.
The following are grown chiefly for their handsome foliage:
Polyalthia longi folia Hk. f. & T. var. pendula. A variety
of the common debdar with short drooping branches
giving the tree a pillar-like outline resembling that of a
Lombardy poplar.
Peltophorum byasiliense Urmb. A low evergreen tree with
very graceful foliage and slender, spreading branches;
it occasionally bears small clusters of yellow flowers.
Haematoxylon campechianum Linn. The logwood tree. A
low spreading tree with delicate foliage not unlike that
of the last. It bears small, pale yellow flowers from
January to March.
Albizzia Richardiana King. A very beautiful, lofty,
evergreen tree with smooth bark, a few gradually
spreading limbs, and feathery foliage borne only at the
tips of the branches, forming a graceful, rounded
crown. Fairly common.
Eucalyptus citriodora Hk. The lemon-scented eucalypt. A
fairly tall tree with a slender trunk, a few slender
branches, and sparse foliage consisting of narrow,
pointed leaves, highly scented when rubbed.
Gyevillea robusta A. Cunn. A fairly tall tree with a slender
outline and fern-like leaves, dark green above and
silvery-grey beneath.
Araucaria Cookii R. Br. A tall tree with stiff, dark green
foliage consisting of thorn-like leaves crowded on
green twigs.
Araucaria Cunninghamii Sweet. A tall tree rather like the
last, but with softer, more cypress-like foliage.
42 INTRODUCTION

Thuja orientalis Linn. A dense, evergreen shrub or small

tree, often pyramidal in shape, with flat fern-like
foliage.

In conclusion mention must be made of the various

palms that make up an important part of the ornamental
vegetation in Calcutta. In former days indigenous palms
were much grown in Indian parks and gardens but they
have now been almost entirely replaced by more graceful
exotic kinds, of which a number are planted in and about
the city. These will be found fully described later in this
book, and it is hoped that the key will make it fairly easy to
identify them. Any more condensed description would be of
little or no value and will not be attempted here.

Finally a few facts about the origin of the trees

grown in Calcutta may be worth recording. 276 plants are
described in this book, of which 69 may be considered
native or naturalised in the neighbourhood and their origins
are analysed under the heading of "The Wild" above; of the
remaining 207 species, 91 are indigenous in other parts of
India; 50 though not natives of India are indigenous
elsewhere in Asia; 14 are natives of Africa; 42 of America;
9 of Australia; and 1 of the South Sea Islands.
 KEY

To find the name of a tree, refer to Division No. 1

and of the two alternative descriptions choose the one that
applies to the tree. Then refer to the division indicated
against that alternative, choose a second alternative, and
so on till the name of the tree is reached.
With a little practice a short cut can be taken by
referring directly to the main headings printed in capitals in
the centre of the base. These mostly have reference to the
structure, shape, or arrangement of the leaves.

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No. to No.
be referred to.
1 Trees without 2
branches; leaves
very large, usually
clustered at. the of
the trunk . . . . . . . .
.......
Trees with branches 26
................
.
2 Trunks hard and 3
woody . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . ..
Trunks soft ; small 23
trees . . . . . . . . . . . .
....
PALMS & CYCADS
3 Leaves divided into CARYOTA 453
numerous short URENS
leaflets ; leaflets
triangular,
springing from
lateral branches of
44 KEY

the main leaf-stalk ;

ends of
leaflets broad and
ragged ;leaves not
all clustered at the
top of
the trunk . . . . . .
Leaves not divided 4
into separate
leaflets, or leaflets
long and
narrow ; leaves all
clustered at the top
of the trunk . . . . . . .
...

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be referred
to.
4 Leaves fan-shaped ;
divisions of the leaf
radiating from the
centre of the
leaf. ("Fan palms").
Leaves divided into
2 rows of narrow
leaflets on opposite
sides of a central
midrib. ("Feather
palms") . . . . . . . . . .
..,,.
5 Trunk not more than
115 thick . . . . . . . . .
..
Trunk over 18" thick
.......
6 Divisions of leaf LIVISTONA 439
 KEY 45

long and pointed, CHINENSIS

split into 2 halves
and drooping.
Divisions of leaf not 7
drooping . . . . , . , , ,
.,.
7 Base of leaf-stalk THRINAX SPEC. 44I'
covered with a
fibrous network ;
leaf-stalks about as
long as leaves.
Base of leaf-stalk LIVISTONA 440
not covered with a ROTUNDIFOLIA
fibrous network ;
leaf-stalks much
longer than leaves .
................
.
8 Leaf-stalk less than BORASSUS 442
5 feet long ; fruit 6" FLABELLIFER
across ; male and
female flowers
on separate trees
(dioecious) . . . . . . .
....,,,.
Leaf-stalk at least 5 CORYPHA 434
feet long ; fruit less SPEC,
than 2" across ;
flowering
branches enormous
; trees flower once
and then die . . . . . .

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, Page

No. or Division No.
No. to be
referred to.
9 Leaves over 16 feet
46 KEY

long ; trunk usually

short.
Leaves less than 15
feet long.
10 Base of leaves ARENGA 455
covered with thick PINNATA
black hairs ; flowers in
clusters of
long drooping spikes .
................
Base of leaves not
covered with hairs ;
flowers not in long
drooping spikes.
11 Leaflets at base of ATTALEA 452
leaf long and drooping SPECIOSA
; flowers in large
branched
clusters . . . . . . . . . . .
........
Leaflets at base of ELAEIS 446
leaf short and spinous GUINEENSIS
; flowers in short
compact
clusters ; leaf-stalks
thorny . . . . . . . . . . . .
...
12 Leaves number more CYCAS SPEC. 481
than 40, dark green,
about 6 feet long ;
leaflets
thick and leathery ;
trunk less than 15 feet
high, about r foot
thick.
Leaves less than 40 ;
leaflets not thick and
leathery.
 KEY 47

13 Trunk more or less '4

rough with the stumps
of old leaves ; -lowest
or all
the leaves with spine-
like tips ; leaves of
mature tree 20 or
more.
Trunk not covered
with the stumps of old
leaves ; leaflets not
spinous
leaves less than r8.

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, Page

No. or Division No.
No. to be
referred to.
Leaflets in centre of ELAEIS 446
leaf -2 to 4 feet long, GUINEENSIS
rJ to 2 inches broad
(but much
smaller near base of
leaf) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
14 Leaflets not more PHOENIX 431
than 18" long by 1" SYLVESTRIS
broad . . . . . . . . .
Trunk more than 10" 16
thick . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
'
15 Trunk less than io" 1$
thick, except at the
base . . . . . . . .
Trunk about 12" thick, COCOS 448
dark in colour, NUCIFERA
crooked . . . . . . .
16 Trunk about 2 feet
48 KEY

thick above the base,

narrow and green for
about 4
feet below the leaves
.............
17 Trunk narrowed ROYSTONEA 463
suddenly near the REGIA 464
top, often swollen in ROYSTONEA
the middle.
Trunk gradually OLERACEA
narrowed upwards . .
..........
Trunk more than 4" 19
thick, usually solitary .
........
18 Trunks seldom more 21
than 4" thick, in
clumps . . . . . . .
Leaves more than 8'
long ; leaflets all
separate:
19 Leaves less than 8' ARECA 457
long ; outer leaflets CATECHU
joined ; trunk very
straight and
lofty.

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be referred to.
Base of leaf-stalk EUTERPE SPEC. 465
greyish-green . . .
...........
20 Base of leaf-stalk COCOS PLUMOSA 448
brownish . . . . . . .
........
Trunks 2" to 3"
thick with
 KEY 49

conspicuous rings
; leaflets closely
crowded
on midrib . . . . . . .
.
21 Trunks 3" to 6" CHRYSALIDOCARPUS 460
thick without MADAGASCARIENSIS
conspicuous rings
; leaflets widely
separat-
ed, about "" wide .
...............
..
Trunks about 3" CHRYSALIDOCARPUS 459
thick ; leaflets LUTESCENS
pointed, about r
"wide, light green.
.
22 Trunks about 2" PTYCHOSPERMA 461
thick ; leaflets MACARTHURI
blunt with ragged
ends, r" to 3"
wide, dark green .
...........-.-
BANANA,
TRAVELLER'S
TREE, PAPIYA,
CASTOR-01L
Leaves over 4' 24
long, narrow, not
lobed but slit by
the wind when old.
.
23 Leaves not more 25
than 3' long, lobed
............
24 Leaves spreading MUSA SPEC. 422
in all directions RAVENALA 426
50 KEY

from top of stem .

.....
Leaves in one row MADAGASCARIENSIS
forming a fan-
shaped head to
the tree . . . .

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be referred to.
25 Leaf-stalks over 2' CARICA PAPIYA 267
long ; flowers below
or among the
leaves ; fruits
large, smooth . . . . .
..............
Leaf-stalks not RICINUS 377
more than i' long ; COMMUNIS
flowers above the
leaves ; fruit
small, usually
prickly . . . . . . . . . . .
....,.
SCREW-PINE,
BAMBOOS
26 Leaves over q' long, PANDANUS 428
less than 6" wide, TECTORIUS
arranged spirally at
tops of branches . .
................
.
Leaves less than q' 27
long . . . . . . . . . . . .
...
27 Stems straight, 2$
slender, usually
hollow, tapering
gradually upwards ;
 KEY 51

branches numerous
and very slender,
springing from more
or less equidis-
tant joints (nodes)
on the main stem ;
leaves narrow and
pointed.
(Bamboos).
Branches not 32
spreading from
more or less
equidistant joints. . .
28 Leaves over 2" DENDROCALAMUS 473
wide. GIGANTEUS
Leaves not more 20
than z" wide . . . . . .
.......,
29 Sterns armed by BAMBUSA 470
long spines near the ARUNDINACEA
base . . . . . . . . .
Stems not spinous . 30
................

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be
referred to.
30 Lower nodes giving BAMBUSA 469
off leafless branches BALCOOA
; all nodes distinctly
swollen ;
leaves r" to 2" wide .
................
Lower nodes not 31
giving off leafless
branches ; nodes not
much swollen.
52 KEY

Nodes not swollen ; BAMBUSA 468

stems dark greyish- TULDA
green ; walls of stem
thick. .
31 Nodes slightly BAMBUSA 471
swollen with a hard VULGARIS
sharp ridge ; stems
often yellowish
or orange ; walls of
stem thin . . . . . . . . .
.....
32 Branches soft and 33
fleshy, full of milky
juice, green when
young ;
flowers very small . .
................
Branches not soft, 38
fleshy, and milky . . .
........
EUPHORBIA '
33 Smallest branches EUPHORBIA 366
slender, like stout TIRUCALLI
rushes, thornless;
leaves very
small or none . . . . . .
.............
Branches more than 34
J" thick, often thorny
.........
34 Branches sharply EUPHORBIA 370
angled with ANTIQUORUM
undulating and
thorny ridges ;
leaves very
small . . . . . . . . . . . .
.......
Branches round or 35
 KEY 53

slightly angled ;
leaves. at least 6"
long . . . .

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be
referred to.
Branches with EUPHORBIA 369
spines arranged in NERIIFOLIA
airs on swollen
nodes. .
5-angled, p -
35 Branches round ; EUPHORBIA 36$
spines, if present, on NIVULIA
flat corky patches . .
..
PINE
Leaves like slender PINUP 477
green needles, in LONGIFOLIA
clusters of 3 . . . . . . .
36 Leaves not needle- 37
like. (N.B. A few
trees have slender
green twigs that
may be mistaken for
pine-needles. These
all follow
immediately below.)
37 Leaves minute or 38
apparently wanting ;
branches set with
slender green
twigs which serve
the purpose of
leaves.
Leaves more than J" 42
long . . . . . . . . . . . . .
54 KEY

..
LEAVES MINUTE
OR VERY SMALL
38 Flowers yellow, PARKINSONIA I75
about I" wide ; ACIJLEATA
branches thorny . . . .
...
Flowers minute, or at 39
most I" wide . . . . . . .
.....
Twigs round, in 40
clusters or spikes,
spreading in all
directions. . .
39 Twigs flat, set in one THUJA 478
plane, forming flat ORIENTALIS
ends to the branches
rather
like the fronds of a
fern . . . . . . . . . . . . .
...

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be referred
to.
40 Large tree with drooping CASUARINA 421
twigs ; flowers minute EQUISITIFOLIA
male flowers at ends
of twigs ; female flowers in
small cone-like heads . . . .
...
Small trees ; flowers in 41
conspicuous clusters, pink,
mauve, or white. .
41 Twigs 2" long or more ; TAMARIX 27
flowering spikes in open ARTICULATA
clusters . . . . . .
 KEY 55

Twigs -mostly not more TAMARIX 25

than r" long ; flowering GALLICA
spikes in dense clusters.
42 Leaves about J" long, 4$
thorn-like, closely set on
green twigs . . . .
Leaves flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
......
43 Twigs branched or forked . ARAUCARIA 476
.... CUNN NGHAMII
Twigs neither branched ARAUCARIA 475
nor forked . . . . . . . . . . . . . COOKII
LEAVES CUP-SHAPED
44 Leaves double at the FICUS 416
base, forming a cup . . . . . KRISHNAE
......
Leaves not cup-shaped at 45
the base . . . . . . . . . . . .
45 Leaves not divided into 46
separate leaflets . . . . . . . .
..
Leaves divided into 207
separate leaflets . . . . . . . .
....

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be referred
to.
Edges of leaves lobed ;
lobes J" wide or wider.
46 Edges of leaves not I 65
lobed, or lobes less than
I" wide . . . . . .
Lobes of leaf 2 only . . . . 48
.............
47 Lobes of leaf more than 49
2...............
56 KEY

LEAVES SIMPLE,
LOBED
Lobes reaching to 1 way BAUHINEA 202
down leaf ; flowers in PURPUREA
autumn . . . .
48 Lobes reaching '~ to I BAUHINEA 203
way down leaf ; flowers VARIEGATA
in spring . . . . . .
49 Flowers chocolate- ABROMA 61
coloured, i" long or more AUGUSTA
; leaves 6" to 18" long,
very variable ; a small
tree or shrub . . . . . . . . . .
..
Flowers not chocolate-
coloured.
50 Leaves very irregularly PTERYGOTA 52
shaped, no two the same ALATA
........ VAR.
DIVERSIFOLIA
Leaves more or less 51
regular in shape . . . . . . .
.....
51 Leaves more than 12" 52
long . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Leaves not more than 55
12" long . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be referred to.

52 Flowers about 2" wide, SOLANUM 329

purplish-blue fading to MACRANTHUM
white . . . . . .
Flowers less than i'j"
across, not blue . . . . .
...
 KEY 57

53 Leaves about as wide STERCULIA 49

as long ; flowers dark VILLOSA
red and yellow ; a
large tree.
Leaves much longer 54
than wide ; small trees
with soft-wooded
stems. .
54 Leaf-stalks over 2' CARICA PAPAYA 267
long-; flowers below or
among the leaves ;
fruits
large, smooth . . . . . . .
............
Leaf-stalks not more RICINUS 377
than r' long; flowers COMMUNIS
above the leaves; fruit
small, prickly . . . . . . .
............
Flowers distinct and 56
separate, not
combined in compact
spikes or heads.
55 Flowers minute,
combined in
pendulous catkin-like
spikes, or in
compact heads .. . . . .
.............
56 Flowers more than 2" $7
wide or long . . . . . . . .
...
Flowers less than 2"
wide or long.
57 Petals bright yellow. COCHLOSPERMUM
GOSSYPIUM
Petals white or pink . . 58 ,
.............. ..
58 KEY

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be referred
to.
Petals white, not
to than the sepals
; leaves shallowly
and
irregularly lobed
58 Petals white or HIBISCUS 37
pink, h longer MUTABILIS
than the sepals ;
leaves with 3 or 5
lobes
regular PTEROSPERMUM 57
. ACERIFOLIUM
Leaves nearly as
broa long ;
flowers 5" to 6"
long . . . . .
59 tbroad ; flowers
not more than 4"
long.
Leaves much PTEROSPERMUM 56
longer HEYNEANUM
60 Flowers about 3" PTEROSPERMUM 59
long . . . . . . LANCEAEFOLIUM
Flowers less than 62
Flowers more
than
61 Flowers less than PTEROSPERMUM 5
SUBERIFOLIUM
62 Flowers whitish . . ERYTHROPSI5 52
COLORATA
Flowers not ALEURITES 39I
whitish . . . . . . . . MOLUCCANA
.
 KEY 59

63 Flowers white; a JATROPHA 372

large . . . . . . .. . . CURCAS
Flowers greenish-
yelloi small soft-
wooded tree.

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division I No.
No. to be
referred to.
141 Tail about I the FICUS 470
length of the whole RELIGIOSA
leaf ; leaf with about
8 pairs of
nerves spreading
from the central
nerve . . . . . . . . . .
Tail about r / 6 the FICUS RUMPHII 409
length of the whole
leaf ; leaf with 3 to 6
pairs .of
nerves spreading
from the central
nerve . . . . . . . . . . .
142 Leaf-stalks at least i" 143
long . . . . . . . . . . . . .
..
Leaf-stalks less than 144
1" long . . . . . . . . . . .
...
143 Leaves at least twice FICUS 407
as long as broad ; INFECTORIA
edges of leaves
wavy. . .
Leaves less than FICUS V3
twice as long as BENGALENSIS
broad ; edges of
leaves not wavy. .
60 KEY

144 Leaves usually FICUS 404

ending in a tapering .COMOSA
point ; a large
spreading tree with
drooping branches ;
receptacles. up to I"
wide. . . . . . . .
Leaves not ending in ' 405
a tapering point ; a FICUS RETUSA
medium-sized tree ;
receptacles
less than I" wide . . .
. . . . . .. . . , , , , , , , ,
145 Flowers in cylindrical ARTOCARPUS 399
heads often borne INTEGRA
on the trunk ; female
heads
up to 30" long when
ripe . . . . . . . , , , , . ,
..
Flowers in spherical ARTOCARPUS 407
or lobed heads LAKOOCHA
borne on the smaller
branches ; heads
not more than 3"
long . . . . . . . . , , , , ,
,,.

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No:
No. to be referred
to.
LEAVES SIMPLE,
ENTIRE, ALTERNATE
OR
SCATTERED
146 Young leaves enclosed FICUS 406
in pinkish sheaths which ELASTICA
 KEY 61

are q" to 8" long and

fall as soon as the leaves
open ; mature leaves up
to io" long, pointed,
shining ; flowers minute,
in the interior of small
berry-like figs which
appear during the rains .
...............
Young leaves not 147
enclosed in large pinkish
sheaths ; flowers not in
the
interior of small figs . . . .
..........,,.
147 Flowers large, pinkish, COUROUPITA 257
borne only on short, GUIANENSIS
leafless branches at the
base
of the stout trunk. . '. . . . .
..........,
Flowers not on short 148
leafless branches
springing only from the
base of
the trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.......
148 Flowers minute, yellow, ACACIA 209
forming dense cylindrical MONILIFORMIS
spikes 11" to 3" long.
Flowers not minute and 149
yellow forming cylindrical
spikes . . . .
149 Leaf-stalks with 2 CITRUS SPEC. 76
opposite green. wings
looking like a small leaf
at the
base of the main leaf . . .
62 KEY

..............
Leaf-stalks not winged . . 150
.............,

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be referred
to.
150 Leaves silvery-white HERITIERA 53
beneath, 5" to 8" long ; LITTORALIS
flowers pinkish, J" wide.
Leaves not silvery- 151
white beneath . . . . . . .
......
151 Flowers small and 152
numerous with
prominent stamens
forming stiff, brush-
like spikes near the
ends of the branches ;
leaves narrow.
Flowers not with 153
prominent stamens
forming cylindrical
brusfi-like spikes.
152 Flowers red ; leaves CALLISTEMON 249
about 2" long by r / 5" LANCEOLATUS
wide . . . . . . .
Flowers whitish ; leaves MELALEUCA 246
up to q" long by i" wide LEUCADENDRON
.......
Leaves less than I" 154
wide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
153 Leaves not less than J" 157
wide, or, if narrower,
less than r" long. . .
Leaves at least 2" long . 155
 KEY 63

...............
154 Leaves less than i" long 156
................
Leaves leathery, very PODOCARPUS 48o
dark green above ; MACROPHYLLA
flowers minute . . . . .
155 Leaves not leathery, THEVETIA 3~2
bright green, shining ; PERUVIANA
flowers 2" wide. . . ,

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, Page

No. or Division No.
No. to be
referred to.
156 Flowers about J" BRYA EBENUS 762
wide and long,
orange ; leaves
mostly in pairs
springing
from the same point
on the stem . . . . . . .
......
Flowers about '~" EMBLICA 385
wide, greenish ; OFFICINALIS
leaves narrow, in 2
opposite rows. .
157 Leaves narrow, 158
about 5" long by r"
broad, or longer . . . .
..
Leaves not more 160
than 4 times as long
as broad . . . . . . . . .
158 Flowers small, MANGIFERA 134
yellowish, in stiff, INDICA
erect, branched
clusters at the ends
of the branches,
64 KEY

scented . . . . . . . . . .
......
Flowers not in 159
clusters at the ends
of the branches . . . .
....
Leaves with wavy POLYALTHIA
edges ; flowers LONGIFOLIA
about r" wide,
greenish, thickly
cluster-
ed along and close
to the branches . . . .
......
159 Leaves scented EUCALYPTUS 246
when crushed, with CITRIODORA
straight edges ; a
graceful tree with
scanty foliage ;
flowers
inconspicuous . . . . .
.......
159A Leaves about il" JACQUINEA 285
long, ending in a RUSCIFOLIA
sharp spine ; flowers
orange. .
Leaves not ending in
a sharp spine . . . . . .
.....

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be
referred to.
160 Leaves in clusters of 3 to I CRESCENTIA 348
6 all springing from the CUJETE
same point ; a small
spreading tree; fruit up to
 KEY 65

ro" wide . . . . . . . . . . . .
Leaves not in clusters
springing from the same
point.
161 Leaves mostly over 5" 162
long, narrow, arranged
near ends of thick, pale-
coloured branches ; juice
milky ; flowers r" to 2"
wide, scented ; petals
white, red, or yellow . . . . .
...........
Leaves not clustered at
the ends of thick, pale-
coloured branches.
162 Calyx-segments about i" CERBERA 302
long . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ODOLLAM
Calyx-segments less than PLUMERIA 304
I" long . . . . . . . . . . . . . SPEC.
163 Petals 3 ; flowers 164
greenish-white, i" wide or
wider . . . . . . . .
Petals more than 3, or 165
.flowers less than J" wide
........
164 Flowers 2 or 3 together ; ANONA 14
leaves 5" to 8" long . . . . . RETICULATA
...
Flowers solitary ; leaves ANONA I'2
2" to 3" long . . . . . . . . . . . SQUAM05A
165 Flowers more than il" wide 166
..............
Flowers not more than 1" 175
wide . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be referred
66 KEY

to. I
Flowers orange . . . . . . . CORDIA 325
............. SEBESTENA
166 Flowers not orange . . . . 167
.........
Leaves at least twice as 168
long as wide . . . . . . . . .
..
167 Leaves less than twice 174
as long as wide . . . . . . .
....
Flowers pink, about 3" GUSTAVIA 256
wide ; leaves up to 20" AUGUSTA
long . . . . . .
168 Flowers white or yellow 169
......
Flowers white . . . . . . . . 170
.....
169 Flowers yellow . . . . . . . 173
...
170 Leaves brown beneath ; MAGNOLIA 3
flowers over 3" wide . . . GRANDIFLORA
......
Leaves not brown 171
beneath . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
Leaves covered with PTEROSPERMUM 59
whitish down beneath . . LANCEAEFOLIUM
.......
171 Leaves not covered with 172
down beneath . . . . . . . .
...

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division I No.
I No. to be referred
to.
Leaves narrow , MICHELIA
 KEY 67

petals and seals CHAMPACA

totallin i ; flowers VAR. ALBA
.about 2" wide.

172 Leaves broad ; MAGNOLIA

sepals 3 ; petals 6 ; PTEROCARPA
flowers over 2" wide .
....
173 Flowers over 2" wide MICHELIA
; petals and sepals CHAMPACA
totalling rg . . . . . .
Flowers over 3" wide CANANGA 77
; petals 6 . . . . . . . . . ODORATA
....
174 Flowers white, pink, BIXA ORELLANA 18
or purple ; fruit
prickly . . . . . . . . .
Flowers yellow HIBISCUS 39
fading to purplish ; POPULNEUS
fruit not prickly . . . . .
..
Flowers minute, in 176
small globular heads
..........
175 Flowers not in small
globular heads.
Heads of flowers I" to ANOGEISSIIS 236
4" wide ; leaves i" to ACUMINATA
3" long ; a large tree.
.
176 Heads not more than ANOGEISSUS 235
I" wide ; leaves less PENDULA
than 2" long ; a small
tree
or shrub . . . . . . . . . .
..........
177 Leaves covered with SOLANUM 328
dense woolly down ; VERBASCIFOLIUM
68 KEY

flowers white, about

I" across ;
berries yellow . . . . . .
.............
Leaves not covered 178
with dense woolly
down . . . . . . . . .

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be
referred to.
178 Flowers at least J" 179
wide or long . . . . . . .
......
Flowers less than I" 198
wide or long . . . . . . .
.....
Sepals 3 ; petals 3, or 189.
6 in 2 whorls of 3
each . . . . . . . .
179 Petals or lobes of the 181
flower q, 5, or 6 in
one whorl, not in
whorls or 3.
180 Petals reddish-brown POLYALTHIA 7
................. SUBEROSA
Petals greenish . . . . . POLYALTHIA
.............. CERASOIDES
Flowers white or 101 A
whitish . . . . . . . . . . . .
....
181 Flowers purplish or 181B
brownish . . . . . . . . . .
....
181 A Leaf-stalks mostly at BERRIA 68
least 2" long . . . . . . . CORDIFOLIA
.....
 KEY 69

Leaf-stalks not more 182

than rl" long . . . .. . . .
.....
181B Flowers purplish or PTERYGOTA 50
brownish ; leaves ALATA
nearly as broad as
Long.
pinkish ; leaves about ARDISIA Flowers
twice as long as SOLANACEA 284
broad . . . . . .

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be
referred to.
182 Leaves about 8" 183
long by 2" broad,
shining above ; male
and female
flowers on separate
trees.
Leaves less than 6" 184
long . . . . . . . . . . . . .
...
Leaves silky below ; DIOSPYROS 29$
flowers about' wide ; DISCOLOR
fruit velvety,
brownish
when ripe . . . . . . . .
............
183 Leaves not silky DIOSPYROS _
below; flowers about PEREGRINA 294
r" wide; fruit not
velvety,
yellowish when ripe .
. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .
184 Flowers .fleshy, MADHUKA 291
about ;" long, cream- LATIFOLIA
70 KEY

coloured; leaves
about 5" long
by 3 wide . . . . . . . . .
.......
Flowers not fleshy; 185
leaves less than 5"
long . . . . . .
Flowers at least as 186
long as wide . . . . . .
........
185 Flowers more or less 187
flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
..
Flowers bell-shaped, ACHRAS 2$7
about" wide, _ with- ZAPOTA
6 lobes . . . .
186 Flowers not bell- ALANGIUM 270
shaped ; petals 5 to SALVIFOLIUM.
10, separate, downy
outside. .

Division Alternatives. Name of tree,, Page

No. or Division No.
No. to be
referred to.
Flowers pure white or CITRUS 76
pinkish ; stamens SPEC.
partially united and
forming
a short tube . . . . . . . .
............
187 Flowers neither MIMUSOPS 288
pinkish nor pure white ELENGI
; stamens spreading,
not forming
a tube . . . . . . . . . . . . .
......
188 Flowers pink, 189
 KEY 71

brownish, or reddish .
............
Flowers white,
yellowish, or greenish.
Flowers pink, about I" KLEINHOVIA SS
wide, in large HOSPITA
conspicuous clusters .
....
189 Flowers minute, CICCA ACIDA 383
brownish-red, in small
clusters . . . . . . . . .
190 Flowers only at the 181
ends of the twigs in
conspicuous spikes or
clusters
projecting beyond the
leaves.
Flowers arranged 1
among the leaves or
along the branches,
not confined
to the tips of the twigs
................
191 Flowers yellowish, MANGIFERA 134
scented, in stiff, erect, INDICA
branching clusters,
which are
at least q' long ;
leaves more than 3
times as long as
broad . . . .
Flowers in clusters 192
less than 4" long (but
sometimes more than
q" broad) ;
leaves less than 3
times as long as
broad . . . . . . . . . .
72 KEY

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be referred
to.
Flowers minute, in SAPIUM 38o
dense, stiff spikes ; SEBIFERUM
leaves broad, with
long tapering
points . . . . . . . . . . . .
........
192 Flowers about I' wide, 193
in open clusters ;
leaves not with
tapering points
Leaf-stalks about 2" MALLOTUS 366
long ; a tall REPANDUS
scrambling shrub . . .
...
193 Leaf-stalks less than MOQUILEA 226
i" long ; a spreading PYRIFOLIA
tree . . . . . . . .
Flowers minute, in EXCAECARIA 382
compact, catkin-like AGALLOCHA
spikes I" to 2" long ;
twigs
and leaves full of
poisonous milky juice
..........
194 Flowers not in 195
compact spikes ; sap
not milky . . . . . . . .
Leaves less than 3" 196
long . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
..
195 Leaves mostly more 197
than 3" long . . . . . . . .
.....
 KEY 73

Flowers solitary or in DIOSPYROS 296

small short clusters. . CHLOROXYLON
.,.,,,,.
196 Flowers in stiff, ANTIDMSMA 388
branched spikes . . . . GHAESEMBILLA
......
...
197 Leaves strongly CINNAMOMUM 363 .
aromatic when CAMPHORA .
rubbed, smelling of
camphor, waxy
beneath . . . . . . . . . . .
........
Leaves not strongly 198
aromatic when
rubbed . . . . . . . . . . .

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be
referred to.
198 Leaves usually slightly 199
aromatic when rubbed ;
flowers minute, 4 to 6
joined in small heads
about I" wide, which
resemble separate
flowers ;
male and female flowers
on separate trees . . . . . .
..
Leaves not aromatic ; 2W
flowers not joined in
heads resembling
separate
flowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.....
199 Leaves pale beneath . . . LITSAEA 359
74 KEY

.............. CHINENSIS
Leaves covered with LITSAEA 36o
brownish down beneath . MONOPETALA
.....
200 Flowers in narrow spikes
or clusters among the
leaves at the ends of the
branches ; stamens 10 in
each flower.
Flowers scattered along 204
the branches, or in
broad, open clusters ;
stamens
more or less than io, or
none . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
201 Flowers in small 202
unbranched spikes ;
leaves not in opposite
pairs. .
Flowers in branched 203
clusters ; leaves usually
in nearly opposite pairs.
202 Flowers white ; fruit TERMINALIA 22$
about 2" long . . . . . . . . . CATAPPA
....
Flowers greenish-yellow ; TERMINALIA 23p
fruit about r" long . . . . . . BELERICA
...
203 Leaf-stalks over j;" long ; TERMINALIA 232
fruit without wings .... . CHEBULA

Leaf-stalks less than j" TERMINALIA 234

long ; fruit with 5 wings . . ARJUNA
.....

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be
 KEY 75

referred to.
204 Leaf-stalks less than ,J" 205
long ; flowers scattered
along the branches. .
Leaf-stalks at least i" CORDIA 323
long ; flowers in DICHOTOMA
branching clusters . . . . .
205 Leaves hairless, shining, 206
not recessed at the base DIOSPYROS
.......
Leaves downy, recessed CORDIFOLIA 293.
at the base . . . . . . . . . .
..
206 Twigs pendulous . . . . . . PUTRANJIVA 387
............. ROXBURGHII
Twigs not pendulous . . . GELONIUM 379
............., MULTIFLORUM
207 Leaflets 3 per leaf . . . . . 208
.............
Leaflets more than 3 per 217
leaf . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LEAVES
TRIFOLIOLATE
208 Flowers minute, green ; BISCHOFIA 390
leaflets dark green, JAVANICA
shining, with notched
edges.
Flowers at least J" wide, 29
not green . . . . . . . . . . . .
209 Flowers not more than 210 ,
,J" wide or long, usually
bluish, in long clusters
at the ends of the twigs .
...............
Flowers not less than I" 211
long or wide, never
bluish . . . . . .
76 KEY

Division Alternatives. Nalf tree, or Page

No. Division N be No.
referred to.
Leaflets pointed . . . . NEGUNDO 355
...............
210 Leaflets blunt . . . . . . TRIFOLIA 356
.............
211 Flowers white: . . . . . 212
. . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Flowers not white . . 214
....:...........
212 Flowers in dense EHRINA INDICA 158
spikes or clusters . . ARALBA
..........
Flowers not in dense 213
spikes or clusters . .
.........
213 Flowers about wide ; AE MARMELOS 93
branches usually
thorny ; fruit
spherical,
over 1" wide . . . . . .
.............
Flowers about z" RMENTERIA 344.
wide, borne on the ERIFERA
trunk and larger
branches;
fruit cylindrical, over
3" long . . . . . . . . . . .
.....
Flowers- yellow with RATAEVA 75
dark purplish XBURGHII
stamens . . . . . . . . .
214 Flowers red. 215
Flower-stalks BU I6o
velvety-brown ; MONOSPERMA
leaves silky beneath
.......
 KEY 77

215 Flower-stalks not 216

velvety-brown;
leaves smooth and
hairless;
small, soft-wooded
trees . . . . . . . . . . . .
.......

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, Page

No. or Division No.
No. to be
referred to.
Leaflets as broad as ERYTHRINA 157
long . . . . . . . . . . . . . . INDICA
216 Leaflets about twice ERYTHRINA 158
as long as broad . . . . OVALIFOLIA
.,,,,,.,
Leaflets all spreading 218
outwards from the
end of the leaf-stalk .
...
217 Leaflets arranged on 2`13
either side of a
central midrib or
"rachis'
LEAVES DIGITATE
218 Flowers over z" long, TABEBUIA 331
bright yellow ; petals SPEC.
joined into a funnel-
shaped tube . . . . . . .
. _. . . . . . . . . . .
Flowers not bright. 219
yellow ; petals not
joined into a tube . . .
.
Flowers over z" wide.
219 Flowers less than 2" 221
wide . . . . . . . . . . . .
78 KEY

220 Flowers red (or SALMALIA 43

occasionally. . MALABARICA
yellowish , or.
whitish) ;. .flower-
stalks
short ' or absent.
Flowers white, ADANSONIA 45
hanging on long DIGITATA
stalks . . . . . . . . . . .
221 Flowers less than 1" VITEX 355
long, usually bluish, NEGUNDO
in long clusters at the
ends
of the twigs . . . . . . . .
...........
Flowers not blue or 222
white, or if white
more than i" long . . .
..

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, Page

No. or Division No.
No. to be
referred to.
222 Flowers yellowish-red, STERCULIA 47
about I" wide, with an FOETIDA
offensive smell. . .
Flowers yellowish-white, CEI BA 41
about long . . . . . . . . . . PENTANDRA
223 Midrib of leaf unbranched 2224
; leaflets in 2 rows, all
springing from
the midrib. . , , , , , . , , . . .
..,,.,
Midrib with lateral 286
branches which bear
leaflets ; leaflets in more
than 2 rows . . . . . . . . . . .
 KEY 79

........
224 Midrib with a terminal 225
leaflet ; number of leaflets
usually odd.
Midrib without a teWninal 25¢
leaflet ; number of leaflets
usually even. .
LEAVES
IMPARIPINNATE
Midrib of leaf with a leafy FILICIUM 777
wing on either side DECIPIENS
between the leaflets.
225 Midrib of leaf not winged 226
between the leaflets : or
wing less. than wide. .
Leaflets deeply divided GREVILLEA 365
into narrow pointed lobes, ROBUSTA
silvery-grey beneath.
226 Leaflets not deeply 227
divided into narrow
pointed lobes, not silvery-
grey
beneath . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.....

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be
referred to.
Edges of leaflets 228 .
toothed, notched,
saw-like, or
shallowly lobed. . .
227 Edges of leaflets 234
smooth, neither
toothed, notched,
nor lobed. . .
. Lateral leaflets in 229
80 KEY

opposite pairs . . . . .
........
228 Lateral leaflets not in 232
opposite pairs . . . . .
.......
229 Flowers only at the 230
ends of the twigs,
appearing with or
before the
new leaves . . . . . . .
............
Flowers appearing 231
among mature
leaves . . . . . . . . . . .
Flowers yellow GARRUGA 99
;leaflets up to 6" PINNATA
long; fruit black
when ripe. . .
230 Flowers greenish- SPONDIAS 133
white ; leaflets not DULCIS
more than 3j" long ;
fruit yellow
when ripe . . . . . . . . .
..........
Flowers white, less AZADIRACHTA
than I" long; leaflets INDICA
more than 7 . . . . . .
231 Flowers yellow, TECOMA 335
more than long ; STANS
leaflets 5 or 7 . . . . . .
.
Leaflets mostly over 233
il" long, coarsely
toothed, or lobed . . .
..
232. Leaflets not more MURRAYA 74
than long, minutely KOENIGII
toothed.
 KEY 81

Division Alternatives. . Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be
referred to.
Leaflets r" to 3" long, AZADIRACHTA IOI
smooth and hairless INDICA
; flowers sweet-
scented. .
233 Leaflets 4" to 6" AILANTHUS 95
long, hairy ; flowers EXCELSA
not sweet-scented . .
...
Branches thorny ;
fruit spherical, at
least 2" wide when
ripe ; leaflets
not more than ..
............
234 Branches not thorny 236
; fruit not spherical,
or less than 2" wide.
..
Leaflets usually 3, AEGLE 93
occasionally 5 ; MARMELOS
flowers over i" wide,
greenish-white.
235 Leaflets 5 to 7 ; FERONIA 90-
flowers about I" LIMONIA
wide, usually
reddish . . . . .
Lateral leaflets not 236A
arranged in opposite
pairs . . . . . . . .
236 Lateral leaflets in 243 ,
opposite or nearly
opposite pairs . . . . .
..
82 KEY

236A Leaflets usually 7 or MYROXYLON 141

9, up to 31" long, PEREIRAE
shining, with wavy
margins
and a small blunt
point at the apex
ending in a small
notch . . . .
Leaflets not with 237
wavy margins.. . . . .
.....
Flowers white . . . . . 238. . . .
237 Flowers not white . . 239
. . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . .

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No Division No.
No. to be referred
to.
238 Flowers about long ; MURUAYA 73
leaflets 4 to 9 . . . . , . . . , PANICULATA
Flowers about J" long ; MURRAYA 74
leaflets 10 to 20 . . . . . : : KOENIGII
...
Flowers orange or PTEROCARPUS
golden-yellow . . . . . . . . INDICUS
.....
239 Flowers neither orange
nor bright yellow.
240 Leaflets ii or more ; 241
.flowers pink, mauve, or
reddish.
Leaflets less than 242
flowers yellowish or
cream-coloured.
241 Flowers about I" long, DALBERGIA 155
pink or mauve. LANCEOLARIA
Flowers very small in CICCA ACIDA 383
 KEY 83

dense clusters, reddish-

brown or pink . . . ..
Leaflets 3 to 5, pointed . DALBERGIA 152
............... SISSOO
242 Leaflets 3 to 7, blunt . . . DLATIBFOLIA 154
..............
Flowers at least long.,, 244
243 Flowers less than long . . 246
............

Division Alternatives: . . Name of tree, or Page

Division No.
No. to be referred to.
No. Flowers red or 244A
orange. . . 245
244 Flowers white or SPATHEA 338
yellowish-brown. PANOD
Flowers about 4" ATA 164
long. CAB
CASTANOSPERMUM
AUSTRALE
244A Flowers less than DOLICHANDRONE 337
long . . . . . .
Flowers white, SPATHACEA 34
over 4" long . . . . . IIETEROPHRAGMA
... ADENOPHYLLUM
245 . . . . . . . . .
Flowers yellowish-
brown, less than
4" long.
Flowers shaped 247
like a pea-flower
(i.e. with g petals,
of which the z
lowest
more or less
joined to form a
keel or beak and
84 KEY

are enclosed by
the
bent back).
246 are 250
z lateral, the fifth
and upper petal
usually being
not shaped like a
pea-flower . . . . . .
Flowers MILLETTIA 145
leaflets ALIFOLIA
OV
247 Flowers about 248
long, pale purple ;
Flowers more than
long. . .
leaflets usually GLIRICIDIA 146 -
more than 10 . . . . MACULATA
..
248 Flowers about 249 ............
long; ............
Flowers about
long; leaflets less
than 10 . . . .

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be referred
to.
249 Leaflets at least twice PISCIDIA 147
as long as broad . . . . . ERYTHRINA
.......
Leaflets less than PONGAMIA =49
twice as long as broad PINNATA
..........
250 Flowers pink, purplish, 251
or brownish . . . . . . . . .
...
 KEY 85

Flowers white, `1.52

greenish, or yellowish .
...........
251 Flowers about" wide, AVERRHOA 70
pink, or purple and CARAMBOLA
white.; leaflets g to ii;
fruit winged . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . .'
Flowers about" long, AVERRHOA 7T
brownish-purple ; BILIMBI
leaflets 11 to 35 ; fruit
not winged . . . . . . . . .
..........
Flowers white, APPANAMIXIS 105
appearing during the POLYSTACHYA
rains ; leaves
evergreen. . .
2 52 Flowers ,greenish-
yellow, appearing with
the new leaves, or
before them,
during the hot season ;
leaves fall during the
cold season.
Leaflets 7 to 9 ; fruit LANNEA 129
about wide . . . . . . . . . GRANDIS
...
253 Leaflets 9 to 13 ; fruit SPONDIALI I3I
11 to 12 wide when MANGIFERA
ripe . . . . . . . .

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be referred
to.
LEAVES PARIPINNATE
254 Midrib of leaf with leafy FILICIUM 117
wings between the DECIPIENS
86 KEY

leaflets . . . . . . .
Midrib of leaf not winged 255
...............
255 Leaflets more than 50, EMBLICA 38S
about long by wide . . . . OFFICINALIS
...
Leaflets less than 50, 256
more than I" long . . . . .
.....
Flowers at least J" long 257
or wide . . . . . . . . . . . . .
256 Flowers not more than 274
long or wide . . . . . . . . .
..
257 Flowers about 3" long ; SESBANIA I4I
leaflets about 40 . . . . . . GRANDIFLORA
....
Flowers less than 3" 258
long ; leaflets less than
34 . . . . . . . .
258 Flowers about 3" wide, KIGELIA 346
dark purple, in hanging PINNATA
clusters . . . . .
Flowers not dark purple 259
in hanging clusters . . . .
......
Flowers, red, or red and 290
yellow (not pink or
purplish).
259 Flowers pink, white . or .. .
yellow. . . . . . . . . .

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, Page

No. or Division No.
No. to be
referred to.
Flowers over 2" wide AMHERSTIA 181
in hanging clusters . . . NOBILIS
 KEY 87

.......
260 Flowers not in hanging 261
clusters.
Leaflets less than long TAMARINDUS 183
; flowers yellow striped INDICA
with red . . . .
261 Leaflets more than 2" 262 .
long . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Flowers over long ; in BROWNEA 180
compact round COCCINEA
clusters about 4" wide
leaflets about 14 . . . . .
..............
262 Flowers less than SARACA 178
long, in small clusters INDICA
scattered along the
branches;
leaflets 6 to 12 . . . . . .
.............
Flowers yellow . . . . . . 264
............
263 Flowers pink or white . 269
................
Leaflets less than wide 5
; flowers shaped like a
pea-flower, often
striped with red.
264 Leaflets at least" wide 266
; flowers not shaped
like a pea-flower, not
striped with red . . . . . .
..............

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be
referred to.
A large tree ; pods TAMARINDUS 783
88 KEY

swollen . . . . . . . . . . : INDICA
....
265 A shrub or a small SESBANIA 743
short-lived tree ; SESBAN
pods slender . . . . . .
.
Flowers in hanging CASSIA 1188
clusters ; leaflets up FISTULA
to 6" long . . . .
266 Flowers in ' erect 267
clusters ; leaflets not
more . than 3" long. .
Leaflets more than CASSIA 197
30, not more than MULTJUGA
wide . . . . . . . .
267 Leaflets less than 30,
at least 1 wide.
Leaflets 12 to 28, 2" CASSIA 198
to 3" long ; pod 6" to SIAMEA
9" long . . . . . .
268 Leaflets 6 to 18, 1" to CASSIA 1199
2" long ; pod 3" to 6" GLAUCA
long . . . . . . .
Leaflets more than 8 270
; flowers more or less
pink . . . .. . . .
269 Leaflets 6 ; flowers CYNOMETRA 2011
white . . . . . . . . . . . . POLYANDRA
....
Leaflets io to 24 ;
flowers 1" to 2" wide:
....
270 Leaflets 14 to 20; 272
flowers about wide . .
.........
Leaflets pointed, CASSIA. Igo
usually at least 2" NODOSA
long; flowers April till
 KEY 89

August.
271 Leaflets blunt, less CASSIA 1192
than 2" long ; flowers JAVANICA
mostly in April. . : .

Division Alternatives. N No. to be Page

No. referred vision
Pod rough, CASSIA GRANDIS 196
curved, slightly
flattened ; flowers
February to April
in long
spikes ; leaflets
narrow, round at
both ends ; young
leaflets usually
reddish.
272 Pod smooth, 273
straight, cylindrical
; flowers in short
clusters ; young
leaflets not
reddish . . . . . . . .
.
273 Leaflets narrowed CASSIA 795
at base, unequal- MARGINATA
sided, about twice
as long as broad ;
flowers June/July .
.......... ....
. ..
Leaflets rounded CASSIA 193
at base, 3 to 4 RENIGERA
times as long as
broad ; flowers
April/ May.
274 Leaflets less than HAEMATOXYLON 185
1" long; flowers CAMPECHIANUM
90 KEY

very small;-
yellow, in catkin-
like clusters . . . . .
..............
Leaflets more 275
than 2" long . . . . .
.........
Leaflets nearly LEPISANTHES 119
always 4, in 2 TETRAPHYLIA
opposite pairs,
leathery, 3" to 8"
long,
the outer pair the
larger . . . . . . . . . .
.. . . . ..
275 Leaflets usually 276
more than 4 per
leaf . . . . . . . ., . . .
Flowers about 1" 277
wide, whitish with
a red or orange
disk inside at the
base of the flower
...............
276 Flowers less than 279
1" wide, without a
red or orange disk
within. . .

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be referred
to.
277 Leaves less than 9" SWIETENIA 107
long ; leaflets less MAHAGONI
than 3" long . . . . . . .
Leaves at least 12"
long ; leaflets at least
 KEY 91

3" long.
Leaves I to 3 feet CEDRELA IIO
long; leaflets 3" to 5" TOONA
long, light green, often
toothed or notched . . .
.........
278 Leaves 1 to 2 feet SWIETENIA log
long ; leaflets 3" to 8" MACROPHYLLA
long, dark green
above when
mature, neither
toothed nor notched . .
..........
279 Leaflets coarsely 280
toothed, saw-edged,
or lobed . . . . . . . . .
Leaflets neither 281
toothed, notched, nor
lobed . . . . . . . . .
280 Leaflets 1" to 3" long, AZADIRACHTA IOI
hairless ; flowers INDICA
sweet-scented . . . . . .
Leaflets 4" to 6" long, AILANTHUS 95
hairy ; flowers not EXCELSA
sweet-scented . . . . .
281 Fruit spherical or egg- pn
shaped, often reddish 282
when ripe, covered
with
small raised points . . .
...............
Fruit not covered with 283
small raised points . . .
.......
Leaflets up to 12" long EUPHORIA 122
; flowers yellowish LONGANA
;fruit less than 1" wide.
.
92 KEY

282 Leaflets not more than LITCHI. 124

6" long ; flowers pale CH2hTENEjIS
green ; fruit at least 1"
wide when ripe . . . . . .
.............

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No:
No. to be
referred to.
.... 28'4
283 Leaflets in opposite SAPINDUS 127
pairs . . . . . . . . . . . .MUKOROSSI
Leaflets not quite in
opposite pairs . . . . .
.......
Leaflets about 12 ; BLIGHIA 118,
fruit about 3" long . . SAPIDA
.........
284 Leaflets not more 285
than 8 ; fruit less
than 2" long . . . . . . .
Flowers yellowish or SCHLEICHERA 121
greenish ; fruits OLEOSA
separate . . . . . . . . .
285 Flowers white ; fruits SAPINDUS 726
roundish, partially LAURIFOLIULI
joined in groups of 2
or 3.
Leaflets springing 287
direct from the
branches of the
midrib of the leaf
(i.e. leaves
bipinnate). .
286 Leaflets springing 312
from subdivisions of
the branches of the
 KEY 93

midrib
(i.e. leaves
tripinnate) . . . . . . . .
.........
(N.B.-The branches
of the midrib of a
compound leaf are
known as
"pinnae", by which
name they will be
referred to in the
remainder of this
key.)
LEAVES
BIPINNATE
287 Flowers less than 4" 288
wide, densely
clustered in heads
or spikes ; stamens
long and prominent .
................
Flowers at least 1" 298
wide, seldom
clustered in heads
or spikes ; stamens
not the most
conspicuous part of
the flower . . . . . . . .
.

Division Alternatives Name of tree, or Page

No. . Division No.
No. to be referred
to.
288 Flowers pink . . . . . ENTEROLOBIUM 224
..........::.: SAMAN
Flowers .yellow, 289
white, or greenish
94 KEY

......,..,,..
289 Flowers bright 290
yellow, in spherical
heads about" wide
.....
Flowers not bright 281
yellow . . . . . . . . . ,
,,
290 Twigs VACHELLIA 2I`4
conspicuously zig- FARNESIANA
zag ; flowers
scented . . . . . . . .
.
Twigs almost ACACIA ARABICA 212
straight ; flowers
not scented . . . . .
.....
291 Flowers in heads ALBIZZIA 219
about 1" wide, LEBBEK
scented ; pinnae 4
to 6 ; leaflets 8 to
18 in each pinna .
...............
...
Flowers in heads 292
less than 1" wide .
.......,..,
292 Pinnae not more 293
than 4 ; leaflets
not more than 8 in
'each pinna. .
Pinnae more than 294
293 Pinnae 2 ; leaflets PITHECOLOBIUM 222
2 (i.e. leaflets 4 in DULCE
each leaf) . . . . . . .
.
Pinnae 2 or 4 ; ALBIZZIA LUCIDA 276
leaflets usually 4
 KEY 95

or 6 (i.e. leaflets
more than 4 in
each leaf)

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be
referred to.
294 Leaflets more than" 295
wide . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
Leaflets less than 296
wide . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
295 Leaflets in opposite ALBIZZIA 217
pairs; flowers in PROCERA
numerous small heads
....
Leaflets not in opposite ARA 20&
pairs ; flowers, in, PAVONINA
slender ,spikes. . .
296 Leaflets 20 to 30 ; LEUCENA 207
pinnae 8 to 16 . . -. . . . GLAUCA
......
Leaflets more than 40 297
in each . pinna. . . . . . .
....
297 Pinnae 10 to 14 ; ALBIZZIA 220
flowers in small RICHARDIANA
spherical heads. . . . .
Pinnae 20 to 40 ; ACACIA SUMA 2II
flowers in long
cylindrical spikes . . . . .
.
298 Leaves with an even 299
number of pinnae in
opposite pairs,
terminating
96 KEY

in a pair of pinnae
opposite one another .
...........
Leaves more or less
narrowed to a point,
with an odd number of
pinnae,
or terminating in a
leaflet attached to the
end of the midrib.
299 Pinnae not more than
10., . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pinnae more than 10.

Division Alternatives Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be referred
to.
300 Leaflets less than 1 PARKINSONIA 175
long, or sometimes ACULEATA
altogether wanting, . , ,
Leaflets at least J" long 301
......,,..,..
301 Leaflets 1." to 2" long ; CAESALPINIA 167
flowers' yellow . . . . , , , CACALACO
.
Leaflets 3" to 4" long. , ACROCARPUS 776
...,,,,,,. FRAXINIFOLIUS
302 Flowers yellow, red, or 30$
orange . . . . . .. . . . . , ..
Flowers blue or 306
purplish . . . . . . , . , , , ,
303 Flowers yellow . . . . . . 304
.... ........
Flowers red or, ,,
orange., ., . . . . . , , . , ,
..
304 pinnae 16 to 20 ; PELTOPHORUM
 KEY 97

leaves less than 1 feet INERME

long.
305 Pinnae 4„or more.; SCHIZOLOBIUM 773
leaves about 3 feet. EXCELSUM
long., . . „ ,.
Flowers .in broad DP' LONIX REGIA . .
clusters,. appearing .
from., April 'to July .
Flowers in compact COLVILLEA. I76
spikes, appearing from RACEMOSA
August to October . . . .

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No.
No. to be referred
to.
306 Leaflets about 4" long ; JACARANDA 341
pinnae up to 6o or more . OVALIFOLIA
...
Leaflets about" long; JACARANDA 343
pinnae not more than 36 . FILICIFOLIA
.....
307 Some or all the leaflets GREVILLEA 365
divided into narrow ROBUSTA
segments, usually silvery-
grey beneath . . . . . . . . . .
...,,,,,,
Leaflets not divided into 308
segments, not silvery-
grey beneath. . .
308 Leaves at least z feet 309
long ; flowers at least z"
long . . . . . .
Leaves less than z feet 310
long; flowers less than i"
long . . . . .
30.9 Flowers. white, about i" MILLINGTONIA 333
wide ; leaflets less than HORTENSIS
98 KEY

1" wide. . .
Flowers purplish or OROXYLUM 331
yellowish, about 3" wide ; INDICUM
leaflets over i" wide.
310 Leaves over 9" long ; MELIA 104
leaflets with toothed or AZEDARACH
notched edges ; flowers
bluish or purplish . . . . . . .
.
. . ,. . . . . .. . . .
Leaves less than 6" long ; 311
leaflets with smooth
edges ; flowers yellow
or whitish. - , , . . . . . . . . .
.......
Pinnae 5 ; leaflets about. PELTOPHORUM 16
4" .wide ; flowers bright BRASILIENSE
yellow . . . . .
Pinlfae about, leaflets CAESALPINIA 165
less than" wide ; flowers CORIARIA
pale yellow or
greenish . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.,,,.

Division Alternatives. Name of tree, or Page

No. Division No:
No. to be
referred to.
LEAVES
TRIPINNATE
Leaflets notched or MELIA 704
toothed ; flowers AZEDARACH
bluish or purplish . .
...
312 Flowers white or 313
whitish ; leaflets with
smooth edges . . . . .
.
 KEY 99

313 Leaflets less than r" MORINGA 137

long; flowers less OLEIFERA
than 2" long . . . . . . MILLINGTONIA
Leaflets r" to 2" long HORTENSIS 333
; flowers over 3"
long . . . . . . . . .

DILLENIACEAE

A small family containing about 12 genera and 180

species of tropical trees, shrubs, and climbers, of which 7
species are found in India. The leaves are not set in
opposite pairs, and are not divided into separate leaflets.
The large, white or yellow, flowers have 5 persistent
sepals, and 5 petals that soon fall. The stamens are
usually many, and there are generally several or many
divisions of the ovary (carpels), which are more or less
joined together below but have separate styles.
DILLENIA. (Named by Linnaeus in honour of J. J.
Dillenius, a contemporary professor and botanist of
Oxford). A genus of about 12 species of trees, shrubs, and
climbers, all found in tropical Asia. The leaves are large,
with toothed margins, and are crowded at the ends of thick
branches. The flowers are solitary or in small, dense
clusters. The divisions of the ovary are joined to form one
fruit, which is enclosed by the fleshy sepals.
6 species are found in India, but only x is wild in
Lower Bengal. Y D. pentagyna Roxb. is a fine tree with
immense leaves up to 3 feet long, producing masses of
bright yellow flowers along the leafless branches in March
and April; it is a native of deciduous forests all over India,
and is said to be planted in Barrackpore Park.
Dillenia indica Linn. Syn. D. speciosa Thunb.
(Indica means "of India". Speciosa is Latin meaning
"beautiful").

Bengali, chalta, chalita, hargesa.

100 KEY

Hindi, chalta, girnar.

English, elephant apple. (This name is also
given to Feronia Elephantum).
(F.I. p. 451. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 36. B.P. Vol. I. p. 195.)

A medium-sized evergreen tree; leaves lanceolate,

coriaceous, serrate, hard when old, 8 to 14 inches long;
petiole 1 to 2 inches; flowers solitary, 6 inches diam.;
sepals green, orbicular, thick and fleshy; petals obovate,
caducous, white; styles 20, linear, recurved; fruit 3 to 5
inches diam., hard outside, fleshy within; seeds reniforrn,
numerous.
This is an evergreen tree of moderate size, with a
short but straight trunk, smooth reddish bark, and
spreading branches forming a dense, round, shady head.
The narrow, pointed leaves are set on short stalks near the
ends of the branches ; they have conspicuous veins and
sharply toothed edges. The large, scented flowers grow
singly among the leaves ; their sepals are pale green,
thick, and fleshy ; they have five pure white petals, which
surround numerous yellow stamens and a yellow style with
twenty narrow divisions radiating outwards. The thick,
rounded sepals form an outer covering for the large,
spherical fruit, which
contains many seeds set in
a glutinous pulp.
This is one of the
most beautiful trees to be
found wild in Bengal, owing
to its handsome evergreen
foliage, and more
particularly to its enormous
flowers, which appear
during the early part of the
rains, in June and July.
Unfortunately, however, the
white petals last but a brief
time and soon fall to the
 KEY 101

ground, leaving the calyx and the rest of the flower to

develop into the round, green fruit.
The fleshy sepals surrounding the fruit have a
pleasant acid taste, and are eaten either raw or cooked,
but chiefly in curries, especially prawn curries. They also
make a good jelly, or a cooling drink. There are several
varieties, some of which have sweeter fruits than others,
but in general
their flavour is rather like that of an unripe apple, and when
cooked they have a flavour like an apple similarly cooked,
though they are rather spoilt by the large amount of fibre
contained in the sepals. The fruits ripen in Lower Bengal
about September.
The wood is close-grain ed and fairly hard,
weighing about 44 lb. per cubic foot when seasoned. It is
used for making helves, gun stocks and rafters, and for
boat-building, and some times for panelling and
inlay-work. It makes good firewood and charcoal, and is
said when placed underwater to turn jet black and to last
for a very long time.
Horn and ivory are sometimes polished with the aid
of the rough leaves of this plant. The bark and leaves are
astringent. The juice of the fruit has laxative qualities, and
is used as a cough mixture and as a cooling drink in
fevers.
The fruits of this tree are believed to be adapted to
make use of "white ants", or termites, in the process of
germination. The pulpy insides of the fallen fruits are eaten
away by the termites and the pulp is replaced by their
earthy nests, in which the seeds germinate readily. The
seedlings then burst out of the shell of the fruit.
The tree is found from Nepal and Assam to Ceylon,
and in Malaya. It is indigenous near Calcutta, and is often
planted in villages, and elsewhere. A specimen is to be
found (in 1942) near the Ladies' Golf Club on the Maidan.

MAGNOLIACEAE
102 KEY

A small family of about 9 genera with 70 species of

trees, shrubs, and climbers, natives of warm countries. The
leaves are not set in opposite pairs and in some genera
are covered with a thimble-like hood when in bud; as each
leaf expands it throws off the hood of the next older leaf.
The sepals and petals are similar, and each flower has
many of them arranged in circles or spirals round
numerous stamens. The fruit usually consists of many
divisions (carpels) borne on a more or less elongated stalk.
MAGNOLIA. (Named after Pierre Magnol, a
professor of medicine and botany at Montpellier,
1638-1715). A genus of about 15 species of trees and
shrubs, natives of North America and East Asia. The
flowers are adapted to trap insects in order to assist
cross-fertilisation of one flower by another. The petals at
first stand vertically, leaving only a small opening by which
insects enter in search of honey. At that time the stigmas
are ripe, but no pollen has been shed. The insect visitors
are at first unable to escape owing to the shape assumed
by the petals, but later when the pollen has been shed, the
petals open, and the insects are freed to carry the pollen to
the stigmas of the next flower. The genus is known by its
conspicuous "stipules", or hoods, that cover the leaf buds,
by its stamens and carpels together forming a compact
cone that is not borne on a long stalk, and by the presence
of only 2 seeds in each carpel.
A number of species are cultivated in temperate
climates for their beautiful flowers, several of which are to
be found in Indian gardens, especially in the hills.
Magnolia grandiflora Linn.
(Grandiflora is Latin meaning "with large flowers".) .

Hindi, anda champs, him champs.

English, lily tree, laurel magnolia, bull bay.
(Not in F.I., F.B.I., and B.P.)

An evergreen tree up to 8o feet high ; branchlets,

buds, fruit, and leaves beneath, rusty-pubescent ; leaves
 KEY 103

thick and firm, oblong to obovate, glossy above, 5 to 8

inches long ; flowers up to 8 inches diam.; sepals large,
petaloid, white ; petals 6 to 12, obovate, white ; stamens
purple ; fruit ovoid, 3 to 4 inches long ; seeds red,
ultimately suspended by capillary funicles.
This is a very handsome evergreen tree with
smooth grey bark and an erect pyramidal habit. It reaches
a fair height in suitable climates but in Bengal only attains
a moderate size. The large, thick, pointed leaves are of a
dark, glossy green above, but below are covered with fine
rust-coloured down. The leaf-buds are encased in thin,
buff-coloured sheaths, which fall to the ground as the
leaves open. The egg-shaped flower-buds are borne singly
at the ends of the twigs and are coated with silky white
hairs. The huge flowers have many pure white sepals and
petals, which surround a
tight cluster of purple
stamens forming a compact
mass with the many
divisions of the ovary. The
fruit consists of an
egg-shaped cone from which
a number of red seeds
ultimately hang at the ends
of fine threads.
This tree is
occasionally planted in
Calcutta, but although it
grows fairly well in the
climate of Bengal, it does not
produce many flowers there.
The few flowers that appear
open in the hot weather.
North America is its native
country, but it is widely
cultivated, and does well in many parts of India up to a
height of nearly 7000 feet in the Himalayas. A number of
distinct varieties are known in the U.S.A.
104 KEY

Magnolia pterocarpa Roxb. Syn. M. sphenocarpa Roxb.

Liriodendron grandiflorum Roxb.
(Pterocarpa in Greek means "with winged fruit";
sphenocarpa in Greek means "with wedge-shaped fruit".)

Bengali, duli champs, anda champs.

(F.I. p. 452. F.B.I. VOL I, p. 41. B.P. Vbl. I. p. 197.)

Evergreen; young parts tawny-pilose ; leaves

glabrous when mature, oblong, obtuse or acute, tapering
to the base, thick, coriaceous, 8 to 16 inches long ; flowers
terminal, to 31 inches across on a stout peduncle, fragrant;
petals 6, oval, fleshy, white ; fruiting spike 5 to 7 inches
long by to 21 inches wide ; carpels narrowed into long
beaks ; seeds orange.
This is a big evergreen tree with a heavy rounded
crown, and large, handsome, thick and leathery leaves
which are broad near their tips but taper gradually towards
their short stalks. The large, white, scented flowers have
six fleshy petals, and grow each on a short thick stalk near
the ends of the branches. The fruit consists of a dense
spike formed of many long narrow divisions (carpels),
which are elongated into spreading, leathery beaks.
This fine tree is a
native of Assam, Burma,
and the foothills of the
eastern Himalayas. It is
often grown in Indian
gardens for its flowers,
but does not succeed
well in lower Bengal,
where the blooms seldom
come to perfection.
Specimens may
occasionally be seen in
Calcutta gardens. The
flowers open in April and
May.
 KEY 105

In Assam the sheaths of the young leaves are

collected by forest people for sale to the Assamese, who
chew them to blacken the teeth and gums. The timber is
useful for making boxes, but does not stand exposure to
damp ; it is white, soft, even-grained, light and fairly strong.
MICHELIA. (Named after P. A. Micheli, a Florentine
botanist, 1679-1737). A genus of 16 species of trees,
natives of India, Burma, and Malaya. The sepals and
petals are similar, 9 to 15 in number, and arranged in
whorls of three. The stamens are separated from the
divisions of the ovary (carpels), and both the stamens and
the carpels are borne on a stalk. The fruit is a long spike of
separate leathery carpels, each of which usually contains
more than 2 seeds.
Michelia Champaca Linn. M. aurantiaca Wall.
(Champaca is the Sanskrit name of this tree. Aurantiaca
means "orange-yellow".)

Bengali, champa, champaka.

Hindi, champ, champa, champaka.
English, golden champa, yellow champa.
(F.I. p. 453- F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 42, B.P. Vol. I. p. 197.)

An evergreen tree; young shoots silky ; leaves

nearly glabrous when fully grown, 8 to 10 inches long,
lanceolate, acuminate, entire ; petiole 4 to 1 inch ; flowers
yellow or dull orange, strongly scented, 2 inches across ;
petals and sepals 15, the outer oblong, the inner linear ;
fruiting spike 3 to 6 inches long ; carpels ovoid ; seeds
scarlet or brown.
This is a beautiful evergreen tree with smooth grey
bark, and narrow leaves somewhat resembling those of the
mango. In Bengal the tree seldom exceeds 40 feet in
height, though in more suitable climates it may attain zoo
feet. The leaves are dark green and shining above, and in
the bud are covered with hood-like stipules, or sheaths,
which fall off as the leaves expand. The large flowers grow
singly, each from the base of a leaf ; their usual colour is a
106 KEY

dull yellow, but a variety

with pure white flowers
(var. albs) is sometimes
grown. The blooms are so
strongly scented that even
the bees are said to find
their perfume too heavy,
and to pass them by. The
fruits consist of long
clusters of capsules, from
which the scarlet or brown
seeds ultimately hang out
on long cords. After
flowering the trees
sometimes become so
heavily laden with fruit that
from exhaustion they are
unable to produce further
flowers for years.
The tree is often
planted in the vicinity of temples for it is held in special
reverence by the Hindus, and is considered sacred to
Vishnu. In Ceylon images of Buddha are made from the
wood.
Various parts of the tree are used for a wide variety
of medicinal purposes. The bark in particular is employed
as a tonic, and to reduce fever. The flowers are used to
cure coughs and rheumatism. The scented oil obtained
from the flowers is believed to be useful in ophthalmia and
gout, and the seeds and fruit for healing cracks in the feet.
The flowers when boiled yield a yellow dye. The
fruit is said to be edible.
The heartwood is light brown and the sapwood
white, the weight being 37 to 42 lb. per cubic foot. The
timber is soft, but seasons and polishes well, and is
extremely durable. It is used for furniture, house building,
planking, boats, and drums. In some parts of the country it
 KEY 107

is said to be reserved for rajas, and in others it is seldom

used because of its sacred character.
The tree is indigenous in low hills in many parts of
tropical India, and in Malaya. It is much cultivated
throughout the plains of India and Burma, and is not
uncommon in Calcutta gardens. The white variety is also
found there, and may be seen in the Royal
Agri-Horticultural Gardens at Alipore ; it can only be
propagated by grafting.
The flowers appear in April and thereafter at
intervals throughout the hot weather and rains. In the case
of the yellowflowered variety the new leaves are produced
about March, but those of the white-flowered variety mostly
appear later in the hot season.

ANONACEAE

A family of about 40 genera including about 400

species of trees, mostly natives of the tropics of the Old
World. The leaves are not set in opposite pairs, and are
neither toothed nor divided into separate leaflets. The
flowers have 3 sepals, and either 6 or 3 petals. The
numerous stamens are arranged round the divisions of the
ovary (carpels), which are usually many. The fruits are of
various kinds.
POLYALTHIA. (Greek, "healing much"). A genus of
about 30 species of trees and shrubs, native of tropical
Asia and Australia, distinguished principally by the flowers
having 6 erect or spreading petals, and by the ripe
divisions of the fruit (carpels) having only r seed each. The
fruit consists of a cluster of berries, each on a separate
stalk. About g species are natives of India, and 3 are found
in lower Bengal.
Polyalthia suberosa Hk. f. & T. Syn. Ovaria
suberosa Roxb.
(Suberosa in Latin means "corky".)
Bengali, bara chali.
(F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 65. B.P. Vol. I. p. 204.)
108 KEY

Young branches rusty-pubescent ; leaves oblong,

obtuse, glabrous above, puberulous beneath, 21 to 5
inches long ; petiole 12 inch ; peduncles 1 to 1 inch solitary
or geminate, extra-axillary ; sepals small ; inner petals 2/5
inch lorg, silky outside, red-brown or yellowish ; drupels
broadly ellipsoid, about inch long, reddish ; stalks of
drupels about inch long.
This is a small tree or shrub, with thick, corky,
brown bark, and rather narrow shining leaves with very
short stalks, arranged in two rows on opposite sides of the
stem. The small, yellowish or reddish-brown flowers are
borne, usually singly, on stalks which are shorter than the
leaves. The flowers have three minute sepals and six
pointed petals in two whorls of three, of which those in the
inner whorl are much the longer. The fruit consists of a
cluster of reddish berries, each about the size of a pea, on
stalks not more than twice
their own length.
The wood of this
plant is hard, close-grained,
tough, and durable,
weighing 40 to 45 lb. per
cubic foot. It is used in
carpentry generally, and for
making the masts and spars
of small boats.
The tree is a native
of Bengal, the Western
Peninsula, Tennaserim, and
Ceylon. It is not uncommon
in thickets and village
shrubberies near Calcutta,
and often flowers when still
a small bush. The flowers
appear in the hot weather or
at the end of the cold
season. The fruits ripen
 KEY 109

quickly.
Polyalthia cerasoides Hk, f. & T. Syn. Ovaria cerasoides
Roxb.
(Cerasoides means "resembling the cherry".)
Hindi, kudunai.
(F.B.I. Vol. I, p. 63. B.P. Vol. I. p, 204.)

A deciduous tree up to 30 feet high ; branches

spreading ; young branches tomentose ; leaves distichous,
lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous
above, pubescent below, 3 to 8 inches long ; petiole inch ;
peduncles axillary, r to 3 flowered ; petals 1 inch long, dirty
green ; drupels 1 inch across, globose-oblong, red ; stalks I
inch long, slender ; seeds brown, ovoid, 4 inch long.
This is a middle-sized deciduous tree with rough,
grey bark, and downy twigs. The leaves are narrow and
pointed, dark green above, pale and more or less downy
beneath, and arranged in
two rows on either side of
the branches. The dull
green fragrant flowers
grow on short stalks the
leaves; each flower h
thick petals in two whorls
of three. The fruit consists
of a cluster of numerous
red berries, resembling
small cherries, each set
on a slender stalk at least
twice its own length.
The wood is fairly
hard and close-grained,
weighing 52 lb. per cubic
foot. It is used for general
structural purposes and
for making small masts
and spars for boats.
The tree is a
110 KEY

native of Behar, the Northern Circars and the Western

Ghats. It is found occasionally near villages in the
neighbourhood of Calcutta, and there are two specimens
in the grounds of the Tollygunge Club.
The flowers appear in the hot weather.

Polyalthia longifolia Hk. f. & T. Syn. Guatteria longifolia

Wall. (Longifolia in Latin means "with long leaves".)

Bengali, debdaru, devadar.

Hindi, asok, devidari, devadaru, devadar.
English, debdar, niast tree, Indian fir.
(F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 62. B.P. Vol. I. p. zoo. Not in F.L)

A tall, evergreen, glabrous tree ; leaves lanceolate,

long acuminate, undulate, pellucid dotted, 5 to 8 inches
long, by 1 to 2 inches broad ; petiole 1 inch ; flowers
numerous, crowded, yellow-green ; petals 6, valvate,
narrow linear, to r inch long, spreading ; ripe drupels ovoid,
1 inch long ; peduncle , inch, stout ; seeds smooth.
The debdar is a handsome evergreen tree with
smooth, dark bark, a tall straight trunk, usually rather short
but numerous branches, and long, tapering, narrow,
drooping leaves with wavy edges. The yellowish-green
flowers have six spreading, pointed petals, and are
produced in dense masses along the branches, which then
have the appearance of being swathed in moss. The fruit
consists of a cluster of yellowish or purple berries on short
thick stalks, each berry containing a single seed.
 KEY 111

This tree is very commonly planted in all the hotter parts of

India as a roadside and avenue tree, for which purpose it
is very suitable owing to its graceful appearance and
dense shade. The
flowers, which
appear in March
and April, are not
very conspicuous,
because they are
largely congealed
by the foliage, and
the tree is most
beautiful when its
fresh, translucent,
green leaves
appear in February
and early March.
The fruits
are borne in very
large numbers, and
in July and August
when they ripen,
they are much
sought after by
various creatures,
especially , by
flying-foxes. The
rejected stones of
the berries may be
seen scattered over
the ground for a
wide distance round
the trees. The fruit
is sometimes eaten
by men in times of
scarcity. A fibre can
be prepared from
the inner bark, and
112 KEY

the bark as a whole is used as a febrifuge. The wood is

white, or whitish-yellow, light, very flexible and fairly close
and even-grained. Its weight, when seasoned, is about 37
lb. per cubic foot. It is used for various purposes including
making drums, pencils, small boxes, and, in China,
matches.
Hindus use the leaves to adorn doorways, pillars,
and pandals on festive occasions but no special sacred
significance is attached to the tree and its name "debdaru"
or "debday" is probably due not to any religious association
but to a supposed resemblance to the true Cedrus
Deodara of the Himalayas.
The tree is a native of Ceylon, and is now planted
in most parts of India. It is very common on roadsides near
Calcutta and on the Maidan. In Malaya it is associated with
cemeteries, funerals, and other mournful ideas,-a
reputation that is very far from its position in the minds of
Indians.
A beautiful "weeping" variety of this tree, named
Polyalthia longifolia vor pendula, is often grown in Calcutta
gardens. It has short branches, which slope steeply
downwards and are densely covered with drooping leaves.
The lower branches often reach nearly to the ground, and
the narrow outline of the tree is reminiscent of a cypress or
a poplar.
CANANGA. (From a vernacular name in
Macassar). A genus of 3 species of tall trees with large
membranous leaves, natives of Burma and Malaya. The
flowers have 3 sepals and 6 flat narrow petals, spreading
from the base and not overlapping. The stamens are many
and closely crowded, and have long tapering points at their
tips. Each flower produces several separate divisions of
the fruit (carpels), which are more or less egg-shaped and
are borne on short stalks ; each contains many seeds.
Cananga odorata Hk. f. & T. Syn. Canangium odoratum
Baill. Uvaiia odorata Lam.
(Odoratum in Latin means "sweet smelling".)
 KEY 113

English, ylang-ylang, alangilang, motooi.

(F.I. p. 454, F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 56, B.P. Vol. I. p. 202.)

Evergreen; trunk straight ; bark smooth, ashy ;

leaves alternate, ovate-oblong or elliptic, finely acuminate,
puberulous beneath, 5 to 8 inches long, margins waved ;
petiole I inch ; flowers usually 3-nate, drooping, yellow,
scented ; petals 6, narrow-linear, 3 inches long ; carpels
about 12, 1 inch or more long, globose or ovoid, black, 6-
to -seeded.
This is a tall handsome evergreen tree with smooth
bark, and rather large, narrow, pointed membranous
leaves with wavy edges. The fragrant, drooping, pale
yellow flowers are borne on long stalks usually in small
clusters among the leaves. There are six long, narrow,
spreading petals, at the centre of which is a tight cluster of
stamens surrounding numerous minute styles. The fruit
consists of a bunch of about twelve black berries, each of
which is borne on a short stalk and contains several seeds.
This tree yields a popular scent known as
"ilang-ilang", or "ylang-ylang", and an oil known as
"cananga oil" or "Macassar oil", which are important
articles of commerce in the Philippines and Java, where
they are chiefly produced. These products are obtained by
steam distillation from the flowers, of which 20 lb. may be
obtained from a single tree in
one season, enough to
produce about il ounces of
the "ilang-ilang" essence.
The so-called "Macassar"
hair-oil is said to be a
solution of cananga oil in
cocoanut oil.
The oil is applied
externally as a cure for
headache, ophthalmia and
gout.
114 KEY

The tree is a native of Burma, Java, and the

Philippines. It is cultivated throughout India and is
occasionally planted in Calcutta gardens. A fine specimen
grows in the compound of the Alipore Court near the
boundary of Hastings House (in 1944).
The flowers appear from May to July, and again in
September and October.
ANNONA. (A Latin word meaning "year's harvest",
suggested by the Haitian name of one species of this
genus. Also spelt "anona"). A genus of about 6o species of
trees and shrubs, natives of tropical America and Africa.
The flowers have 3 small sepals, and 3 thick, rigid petals,
or sometimes 6 petals of which 3 are very small. The
stamens are crowded round numerous carpels, which are
joined together and finally form a composite (syncarpous)
fruit, consisting of a large fleshy mass containing many
seeds.
There are a number of species with edible fruit, and
in addition to the two plants described below A. anuricata
Linn., the sour sop, is also occasionally cultivated in India.
It is distinguished from the other species by its fruit having
numerous fleshy spines.
Annona squamosa Linn.
(Squamosa is Latin meaning "rough".)
Bengali, ata, luna, meba.
Hindi, sitaphal, sariplaa.
English, custard apple, sugar apple.
(F.I. p. 453. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 78. B.P. Vol. I. p. 206.)

A straggling shrub or small tree ; glabrous ; leaves

oblong-lanceolate. pellucid dotted, scented, 2 to 6 inches
long ; petiole 1 inch ; flowers on short Icaf-opposed
peduncles, drooping, greenish, single or in pairs ; petals 3,
lanceolate thick and fleshy, r inch long ; stamens many,
crowded ; fruit 2 to 4 inches diam., irregularly globose,
tuberculed, greenish.
This is a low straggling tree with thin grey bark, and
rather small, narrow leaves, which when rubbed have a
 KEY 115

peculiar scent like that of ivy. The greenish flowers grow on

short drooping stalks
scattered along the
branches, each stalk
opposite a leaf. There are
three thick, firm petals,
within which is a compact
mass of stamens
surrounding the numerous
stigmas. The fruit is
irregularly spherical in
shape, and has a very
distinctive look owing to its
remarkable soft, greenish
rind which seems to be
composed of scales, and is
vaguely reminiscent of
tortoiseshell. As the fruit
ripens the scale like
divisions of the rind burst
apart, and the fruit falls to pieces by its own
weight.
The interior of the fruit consists of a sweet, white,
custard-like pulp, in which many large, black seeds are
embedded. The pulp has a delicate flavour and is much
appreciated by many people, though not liked by some
Europeans. It is said to make a very good cold drink.
The fruits are in season from August to November,
and may sometimes be had later in the year. Owing to the
great attraction that they have for birds and animals the
tree has to be netted before they are ripe, or alternatively
they must be picked long before they are ripe and then
ripened in straw.
Several parts of the tree are employed for
medicinal purposes. The root is a strong purgative, and the
leaves are used for dressing wounds and ulcers. The
crushed leaves are applied to the nostrils of women in
hysteria and fainting fits. The seeds are a powerful irritant
116 KEY

to the eye, and have been used to cause blindness. The

seeds, leaves, and the unripe fruits contain an acrid
substance which is poisonous to insects ; insecticides are
made from the powdered leaves and seeds, and the
immature fruits are also used for this purpose 1 after being
dried, powdered, and mixed with gram-flour.
The wood is white and soft, and weighs about 46
lb. per cubic foot.
The tree is a native of tropical America, but is
cultivated in most warm countries, and is commonly grown
in Bengal.
The flowers appear from April to July.
Annona reticulata Linn.
(Reticulata is Latin meaning "netted".)
Bengali, luvuni, nona, non ata.
Hindi, ramphal, luvuni,nona.
English, bullock's heart, sweet sop,
sugar apple.
(In the West Indies this tree is known as the custard apple,
and A. squamosa as the sugar apple or sweet sop.)
(F.I. p. 453. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 78. B.P. Vol. I. p 206.)

A small tree ; leaves oblong or oblong-lanceolate,

acuminate, quite glabrous, 5 to 8 inches long by to 2
inches wide ; petiole -I inch ; flowers usually 2 or 3 together
or. short lateral peduncles ; sepals 3, 3 / 16 inch long ;
outer petals 3, r inch long, rigid, fleshy, greenish-white ;
inner petals very small ; stamens many ; carpels many,
subconnate ; fruit subglobose, roughish, up to 6 inches
diam., brownish red when ripe ; seeds smooth, blackish.
 KEY 117

This small tree differs

from the custard apple
(see above) chiefly in
having i longer and
narrower leaves, and
fruits which, although
slightly rough and
marked with an
indistinct network of
depressed lines, do
not appear to be
covered with
projecting scales as in
the case of the
custard apple. The
flowers are much like
those of the custard
apple but are usually scattered along the branches, often
in the axils of the leaves, and are not borne each opposite
to a leaf. The fruits are dark brown in colour when ripe their
interior is not unlike that of the custard apple, but it has a
very inferior flavour and a sandy consistency as compared
with the smooth pulp of the custard apple ; they are
therefore little eaten except by poor people. However, they
ripen during the hot weather when custard apples are not
available, and for this reason they are very welcome, and
are much grown in Bengal gardens. The common English
name of the fruit is due to the fact that it often has the
shape of an animal's heart.
The fruit is said to be a cure for biliousness and for
diseases of the blood. The bark is a powerful astringent
and is used as a tonic. The seeds, leaves, and young fruits
have insecticidal qualities like those of A. squamosa (see
above).
The tree is a native of tropical America. It is very
common in villages' near Calcutta. The flowers appear in
October and continue throughout the cold weather ; they
are also occasionally produced in June.
118 KEY

CAPPARIDACEAE

A family of about 35 genera with over 300 species

found in warm countries only. The flowers have 4 sepals, 4
petals, numerous stamens, and an ovary borne at the end
of a long slender stalk (gyitophore). The fruits are INchy
containing many seeds embedded in pulp.
The family is represented in Bengal by several
species of Catayis, mostly thorny climbers, of which the
best known is C. horyida Linn. f. (Bengali, bagnai). It also
contains the genus Cleome, which includes some
well-known garden annuals, and a troublesome weed with
yellow flowers and sticky leaves, C. viscosa Linn. '
(Bengali, huyhuria).
CRATAEVA. (After Crataeva, an obscure writer on
medicinal plants at the beginning of the first century B.C.).
A genus of about 12 species of deciduous trees with
leaves divided into 3 leaflets, radiating from the end of the
leaf-stalk. Only the trees described below are found in
India.
Crataeva Roxburghii R. Br. Syn. C. unilocularis
Ham.
(Roxburghii is in memory of Wm. Roxburgh, the first
superintendent of the Royal Botanical Garden, Calcutta.
Unilocularis is Latin meaning "one-celled".)

This tree has been wrongly named Crataeva

religiosa Forst, which is the name of a Pacific island plant.
Bengali, tikta shak, bayun:
Hindi, barna, bayun, bila, bilasi,
biliana, varvunna. Urdu,
barna.
English, Bengal quince, caper tree.
(F.I. p. 426. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 172. B.P. Vol. I. p. 227.)

A deciduous, spreading tree; leaves clustered at

the ends of the branches, trifoliolate, common petiole 2 to
 KEY 119

4 inches long; leaflets lanceolate, acuminate, the lateral

oblique, 3 to 8 inches long, pale beneath ; petiolules short ;
flowers in corymbs, 2 to 3 inches wide ; sepals 4, 2 / 8 inch
long ; petals q, about r inch long, clawed, white or
creamcoloured ; stamens about 15, about 2 inches long,
purple; gynophore longer than stamens ; fruit a fleshy
berry, globose obovoid or ovoid, r to 2 inches diam.
This is a spreading tree, usually of moderate size,
with smooth but rather thick, grey bark, a much branched
crown, and foliage thickly clustered at the ends of the
twigs. The leaves are divided into three narrow pointed
leaflets, glossy green above but pale beneath, each borne
on a short stalk springing from the end of the main stalk of
the leaf. The delicate and
graceful flowers grow in
broad, open clusters at
the ends of the
branches, on long
slender stalks. The four
petals are all arranged
on the upper side of the
flowers and are white
when they first develop
but soon turn a pale
yellow or cream colour ;
each petal consists of a
broad blade at the end of
a narrow stalk, or claw.
The many long purple
stamens exceed the
petals in length, but are
themselves exceeded by
the slender stalk of the
green ovary. The fruit is spherical or eggshaped with a
rough, hard, greyish rind containing many seeds set in
fleshy pulp.
The flowers are not enclosed in buds when
immature, but develop gradually with all their parts
120 KEY

exposed. When young they are green, and quite

symmetrical ; for the petals do not group flower till they are
nearly themselves on the upper side of the mature.
When in full flower this is a very beautiful tree
owing to the contrast between the purple of the stamens
and the creamy yellow of the petals. Unfortunately it is
rather capricious in its flowering and is seldom seen at its
best. The leaves usually fall early in the year to be
replaced by new foliage in March or April. The flowers
generally develop soon after the new leaves, but some
trees occasionally, though by no means regularly, produce
a fine display of bloom in November or early December.
This species comprises a number of forms which
some authorities (with good reason) have divided into
three species, as follows:-
1. C. Roxburghii R. Br. A fairly large tree, said to
attain 100 feet in height in Assam. Leaflets not more than 3
inches long. Stamens inches long. Fruit spherical. Seeds
kidney shaped.
2. C. Nurvala Ham. A middle-sized tree up to 50
feet high. Leaflets 5 to 7 inches long, not bitter. Stamens
over 2 inches long. Fruit egg-shaped. Seeds flat. Usually
flowers in March before the preceding species,
3. C. lophoeerma Kurz. A small or middle-sized
tree, Leaflets 5 to 8 inches long, very bitter. Stamens about
2 inches long. Fruit spherical or egg-shaped. Seeds
crescent-shaped with minute spinous lumps on the back.
The commonest form in Assam, where it is often found on
the banks of streams.
In several parts of India this tree has been much
confused with the bel (Aegle Marmelos), and these two
very different trees have the same vernacular names in
some districts. This confusion seems to have misled some
of the earlier botanists, and the uses of the two plants still
tend to be confounded, though the points of resemblance
are slight and quite superficial.
The leaves are used to treat rheumatism and gout.
The bark is considered good for indigestion and for
 KEY 121

promoting the appetite. Both the bark and leaves after

being bruised and mixed with vinegar are made into
poultices, which are said to be equal to mustard plasters.
The bark of the stem and roots are the principal remedy in
the Hindu Pharmacopoeia for calculus affections. It is not
clear whether the different forms of the plant vary in their
medicinal qualities.
The fruit is said to be edible. The wood is fairly hard
and even-grained and weighs about 42 lbs. per cubic foot.
It is used in turnery and for making drums, models,
ornaments, and combs, but it is not durable and is liable to
attack by insects.
Various forms of this plant are wild in most parts of
the plains of India, but not in lower Bengal though it is
occasionally planted there in gardens and in villages. In
some parts of India it is often grown near temples and
mosques and the tombs of Moslems. It is not common in
Calcutta, but there is (in 1944) a specimen on the
south-west boundary of the Government House garden,
and another in the south-east corner, of Dalhousie Square.

BIXACEAE

A small family of only a few genera. of trees and

shrubs, mostly tropical, having in the bark and elsewhere
minute channels full of mucilaginous sap. The leaves have
nerves which radiate outwards (digitately) from the end of
the stalk and are often lobed. There are or 5 sepals, 4 or 5
coloured petals, and numerous stamens. The fruit opens
by from 2 to 5 valves, and contains numerous seeds which
are sometimes attached to long hairs.
This family was united by earlier authorities with
Flacourtiaceae under the name Bixaceae.
BIXA. (A South American vernacular name). A
genus of one species, distinguished from other genera by
its leaves without lobes, fruits opening by 2 valves, and
seeds without floss.
Bixa orellana Linn.
122 KEY

Bengali, latkan, vatkana.

Hindi, latkan. vatkana, latkhan.
English, annatto, aynotto, roucou.
(F.I. p. 429. F. B. I. Vol. p. 190 B.P. Vol. I. p. 230).

A shrub or small tree ; leaves alternate, cordate,

acuminate, glabrous, 4 to 8 inches long by 21 to 5 inches
broad ; petiole 2 to 3 inches ; flowers in terminal panicles,
2-sexual, 2 inches diam.; sepals 5, imbricate, deciduous ;
petals 5 purple or white ; capsule ovoid or subglobose,
softly echinate, inches long.
The annotto is a
small, evergreen tree or
shrub with smooth, grey
bark, few branches, and
dense foliage consisting of
shining heartshaped leaves
set on long stalks. The large
iosecoloured, purple or white
flowers, which are borne in a
profusion of clusters at the
ends of the branches, are
reminiscent of
peachblossom, though the
individual flowers are
considerably larger than
those of the peach tree. Each
flower has five distinct but
overlapping sepals, five large
coloured petals, and many
stamens with
horse-shoe-shaped anthers
surrounding a single style. The fruits consist of clusters of
brownish or greenish capsules covered with soft spines.
The small seeds are surrounded by a red pulp, which
yields a valuable dye.
The fruits are collected when nearly ripe, and the
seeds extracted as the fruits burst. The seeds are then
 KEY 123

either boiled and pressed into cakes to make "annatto

paste", or dried with their covering of pulp to make "annatto
seed". Both products are employed in the colouring of
cloth, cheese, butter and sweetmeats, and considerable
quantities of them are exported from India to Europe.
The pulp was formerly used by the American
Indians to paint their bodies for "full war paint" said to
prevent mosquito bites.
The leaves are valued as a febrifuge, as also are
the seeds and the bark of the root. The whole plant is
attributed with a variety of medicinal properties useful in
the cure of many diseases. The dye is used to colour
ointments.
The plant is a native of America, but is cultivated in
many parts of India, especially in the South. It is very
ornamental and is occasionally planted in Calcutta
gardens. A specimen may be seen in the Zoo (in 1944)
near the centre of the garden.
The flowers usually appear in October and
November, but sometimes during the hot season also. The
fruits mostly ripen in the hot season.
COCHLOSPERMUM. (From the Greek "kochlos", a
spiral shell, and "sperma", a seed, in allusion to the shape
of the seeds). A genus of about 13 species of trees and
shrubs, of which only i species is a native of India. The
leaves are more or less deeply divided into lobes, which
radiate outwards from the centre of the leaf. The flowers
have 5 sepals, petals, and many stamens. The seeds are
cottony.
Cochlospermum Gossypium DC. Syn. Bombax
Gossypium Willd.
(Gossypium is the generic name of the cotton plants).

Bengali, golgol, gabdi.

Hindi, kumbi, gabdi, ganiar, galgal,
gejya, guneri.
English, yellow silk-cotton, torchwood
tree, buttercup tree.
124 KEY

(F. I. p. P5. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. r9o. B.P. Vol. I. p. 229).

medium-sized deciduous tree ; leaves near ends of

branches, alternate, palmately 3-5 lobed, tomentose
beneath, lobes acute, 3 to 8 inches diam.; petioles 4 to 6
inches ; flowers in few-flowered terminal panicles, 4 to 5
inches diam.; sepals 5, silky ; petals 5, spreading,
emarginate ; stamens many ; capsules globose or
pyriform, 3 to 4 inches long, pendulous, 5-celled at the
base ; seeds many, reniform, brown, rough, densely
clothed with white floss. When applied to the skin it is.
This is a deciduous tree
of moderate size, (sometimes
flowering as a shrub only a few
feet high), with short, stout,
spreading branches, and thick,
fibrous, light-coloured bark
marked with deep furrow. The
large leaves have several
pointed lobes and are borne on
rather long stalks clustered near
the ends of the twigs. The
foliage falls during the cold
season and from the end of
January till early in April the
branches remain quite bare of
leaves. Early in March many
large flowers of a brilliant yellow
colour are produced in clusters
of a few flowers each, at the
ends of the twigs. There are five
broad yellow petals surrounding
a ring of golden stamen,. which
encircle the single style. The
fruit is a large, pendulous, pear-shaped capsule containing
a number of brown, kidney-shaped seeds, to each of which
is attached a quantity of pure white, silky floss.
 KEY 125

The flowers have a startling beauty which is greatly

increased. by the complete absence ,of green leaves at
the time of their appearance. There can be few things in
nature to surpass them when viewed against the
background of a blue sky. But when the tree is not in flower
its rather ungainly growth and coarse foliage make it an
unattractive plant for gardens. Several varieties are known,
most of which seldom, if ever, produce fruits in the climate
of Calcutta, but one variety produces many large fruits of a
purplish colour.
An orange-coloured juice exudes when the bark is
cut, which forms a clear gum, known as "hog gum"; this,
together with the gum of certain other trees (particularly
Bombax mblabaricum), is often sold as "katira" gum,
though the true katira is the more valuable tragacanth,
which is found in Persia. These gums have various uses
as book-binding materials, in cosmetics, and for thickening
ice-creams, as well as in medicine.
The floss from the seeds is valued for stuffing
pillows, and would probably be more employed for this
purpose were it not for the difficulty of collecting it. A useful
cordage fibre is sometimes obtained from the bark. A red
oil can be extracted from the seeds, but is little used. It is
said that the leaves were formerly made into bellows for
smelting iron.
The gum is considered a cure for coughs. The dried
leaves and flowers are used as stimulants. The floss being
soft and woolly has been recommended for padding splints
and bandages.
The timber is extremely soft, and weighs only 17 lb.
to the cubic foot. It is of very little use for any structural
purpose but is said to be eaten in Sambalpur District after
long soaking in water, and then being pounded into a
paste with flour and fried.
Owing to the abundance of inflammable gum in the
wood, the branches of the tree, even when green and
fresh, will burn freely, and show a clear bright light ; for this
reason the tree is useful for making torches.
126 KEY

The tree is a native of dry hilly country in many

parts of India and Malaya. It is common in the Chota
Nagpur hills, but is not found wild in Bengal. In Ceylon it is
often grown near Buddhist temples, and the flowers are
used as temple offerings. In Calcutta it is not common but
is occasionally planted in gardens. It is propagated from
seeds, which ripen in June or July.

FLACOURTIACEAE

A family of about 30 genera with r6o or more

species, all tropical trees and shrubs. By some authorities
it has been united with Bixaceae, from which it differs
chiefly in not having mucilage or resin canals in the bark, in
its leaves rarely with radiating (digitate) nerves, and in its
small flowers, often without petals and often unisexual. The
stamens are numerous in the male and bisexual flowers.
The fruit is a capsule or berry with r or more seeds.
FLACOURTIA. (Named after E. de Flacourt,
1607-1660, General Director of the French East India
Company). A genus of about 20 species of shrubs and
small trees, natives of tropical Africa. and Asia. The
branches are usually thorny. The male and female flowers
are borne on separate plants (dioecious), and grow in
small clusters. There are no petals, many stamens, and
several styles. The fruit is a berry containing several
seeds.
In addition to the plants described below,
Flacouytia Ramontchi L'Her. (Bengali, beuchi), the
governor plum, or batoko plum, is commonly grown in
India, but only in the dryer districts. It is a small thorny-tree
bearing a purplish edible fruit resembling a plum.
Flacouytia ine"nis Roxb., a Malayan tree occasionally
grown in South India and elsewhere, is quite thornless,
and has bright red, cherry-like berries, which are
ornamental but very sour.
Flacourtia Jangomas (,Lour.) Raeusc. Syn. F.
cataphracta Roxb.
 KEY 127

(Cataphracta is a Latin form of a Greek word

meaning "armoured", or "covered with protection", in
allusion to the thorns of the tree. Jangomas is a vernacular
name of South India).
Bengali, paniala.
Hindi, talispatri, paniamalak,
paniaonla.
English, puneala plum, many-seined
flacourtia.
(F. I. p. 739. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 193. B.P. Vol. I. p. 231).

A small dioecious tree armed with decompound

spines on the trunk ; branchlets glabrous, white-dotted ;
leaves alternate, oblong or ovate-lanceolate, long
acuminate, crenate-serrate, membranous, glabrous, up to
¢ inches long ; petiole about : inch, tomentose ; flowers
dioecious, inch diam., in irregular racemes ; stigmas q. to
6, capitate ; fruit ellipsoid, smooth, purple when ripe, up to
1 inch long.
This is a shrub, or a small spreading tree, with
smooth, pale brown bark, which flakes off in small pieces
to show paler patches
beneath. Its trunk is often
ferociously armed with
sharp compound spines,
and the young branchlets
are sometimes set with
formidable single spikes.
The long-pointed leaves
have toothed or saw-like
edges and are very thin,
smooth, and tender in
texture ; they are set on
short stalks in two rows on
either side of the branchlets,
but not in opposite pairs.
The minute greenish flowers
grow in small irregular
128 KEY

clusters among the leaves, the male and female flowers

being produced on separate trees (dioecious). The fruit
resembles a small red or purple plum, usually slightly
compressed into a five or six-sided shape.
This tree is well known in some parts of India as a
fruit tree, and its "plums" may sometimes be seen offered
for sale, threaded in a row on a straw. Firminger describes
their flavour as "something better than a sloe but worse
than an indifferent plum".
Before eating the fruit it is usual to roll and pinch it
between the palms of the hands, when it loses much of its
astringency and becomes quite palatable. It makes a good
preserve when cooked with sugar. The leaves and young
shoots taste like' rhubarb and are used medicinally for their
astringent and stomachic properties. The fruit is employed
as a cure for biliousness. The powdered leaves are
regarded as a remedy for coughs and bronchitis, and the
bark for hoarseness.
The wood is heavy, rather hard, and brittle, but
takes a good polish. It is used for agricultural implements.
This tree is a native of North Bengal, East Bengal
and Chittagong. It is commonly cultivated in some parts of
India, but in Calcutta is rarely seen, though a specimen
may occasionally be found in orchards and shrubberies
among other fruit trees. A single male tree grows on the
western boundary of the Belvedere Garden (in 1943) and
overhangs Alipore Road.
The flowers appear in the early part of the rains and
the fruits usually ripen in September and October. The new
leaves mostly appear in the early part of the hot season,
and are reddish in colour.
Flacourtia indices (Burro. f.) Merr. Syn. F. sepiaria
Roxb.
(Indices is Latin meaning "Indian". Sepiaria is Latin
meaning "forming hedges").
Bengali, benchi.
Hindi, kondai, sherawane.
(F.I. p. 739. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 194. B.P. Vol. I, p. 23x.)
 KEY 129

A much-branched, spinous, deciduous shrub or

small tree ; spines up to 2 inches long, straight ; leaves
mostly in fascicles near the base of the spines, glabrous,
obovate, crenate-serrate, usually cuneate at the base, up
to 2 inches long ; petiole very short ; flowers dioecious,
yellowish, about i / 5 inch diam., in small axillary or terminal
cymes ; stamens many, crowded ; styles 6 or 7 ; berry with
6 or 7 pyrenes, about inch diam., rugose.
This plant is usually a bushy shrub with numerous
stiff, thorny branches, but it occasionally grows into a small
straggling tree as much as twenty feet in height. The bark
is brownish and fairly smooth, flaking off in large, thin
pieces to show a darker colour beneath. The small shining
leaves have blunt tips and slightly indented edges ; they
grow on short stalks in clusters, which are usually situated
at the bases of the many sharp, straight spines that lie
along the numerous twigs. The flowers are unisexual and
the two sexes are found on separate plants (dioecious),
the male plants apparently greatly outnumbering the
female.
Both male and female flowers
are very small, and yellowish in
colour ; they grow in clusters of a few
flowers each, usually springing from
the leaf-clusters, and have several
greenish sepals, but no petals. The
male flowers have many crowded
yellow stamens, and the female,
which are rather larger than the male
and grow on stouter and shorter
stalks, usually have six or seven
styles:
The fruit is a small purple
berry with several angles round its
circumference, and contains about
six seeds.
130 KEY

The leaves and roots are supposed to be an

antidote to snake-bite. The bark, ground and mixed with
sesamum oil, is used as a liniment in the treatment of
rheumatism.
The leaves are often lopped for cattle fodder, and
the fruits are occasionally eaten, though they are hard, and
insipid. The plant is much used for making hedges in some
parts of the country, but apparently not often in Bengal.
The wood is of no value except as fuel. This plant is widely
distributed throughout most parts of India, Ceylon, and
Malaya. It is very common in Bengal, and is one of the
most abundant constituents of scrub jungles and thickets
on waste lands in the neighbourhood of Calcutta.
The flowers appear in February, March, and April,
together with the new leaves, which are of a very beautiful
fresh green.

TAMARICACEAE

A family of desert, shore, and steppe plants

adapted for life in sandy places. The leaves are always
small, and often minute and scale-like, the long, slender,
green branchlets then performing the functions of leaves.
The flowers are generally minute and grouped in small
spikes or clusters. The family contains 5 genera with about
90 species, natives of temperate and subtropical countries,
mostly shrubs.
TAMARIX. (The ancient Latin Dame). A genus of
over 60 species of shrubs and small trees, natives of
Europe, Africa, and Asia. The leaves are minute and
scale-like, and the small or minute flowers are grouped in
spikes, usually at the ends of the branches. The genus is
distinguished by their presence of 5 or 10 stamens, which
are not joined together, and 3 or 4 styles on the ovary. The
fruit is a capsule with 3 valves.
In addition to the two following species of small
trees, Tamarix dioica Roxb. is also found in sandy places
in Bengal, and is occasionally planted in Calcutta gardens.
 KEY 131

This plant is a shrub with unisexual flowers, the two sexes

being found on separate trees (dioecious). In this species
the spikes of flowers are denser and larger than in the
others, being nearly 2 inches long by 3 inch thick, and the
tips of the branches are drooping.
Tamarix gallica Linn. Syn. T. indica Rox. T. Troupii
Hole.
(Gallica means "of French origin," Indica means of "Indian
origin". Troupii is a commemorative name).

Bengali, jhau, ban jhau, jaura.

Hindi, jhau, jhav.
Urdu, tamarisk.
English, tamarisk.
(V.I. p. 274. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 248. B.P. Vol. I. p. 242).

A glaucous shrub or small tree ; branches slender,

articulated ; leaves minute, not sheathing, smooth,
subulate or scale-like, acute ; flowers bi-sexual, r/8 inch
diam., white or pink, crowded in slender spikes collected in
dense panicles at the ends of branches ; bracts shorter
than flower ; stamens 5 ; styles 3 ; disk 5-lobed ; capsule r
8 inch long.
This tamarisk is a low tree or shrub with a very
graceful, light and feathery look. The stems are repeatedly
branched to form small green twig, usually not more than
one inch in length, on which the minute leaves appear as
insignificant scales. The diminutive white or pink flowers
are produced in many small spikes about one inch long,
which are clustered in dense, irregularly shaped masses at
the ends of the branches, making an attractive display
when the tree is in full bloom. The bark of mature trees is
brownish and rough, but that of young trees is smooth and
reddish-brown with small pale specks.
This plant is well adapted to grow in sandy places
and it even flourishes on land impregnated with salt. In
some parts of northern India it covers large areas as a
common jungle shrub, and 'in Bengal) it is found on the
132 KEY

banks of rivers and on the edges of marshes. It is

occasionally planted in Calcutta gardens.
The galls that are commonly found in the leaves
are used for dyeing and tanning, their properties being
much the same as those of T. articulate. The bruised twigs
are also used for the same purposes in India, and the galls
are sometimes exported to foreign countries.
Medicinally the galls are employed as an astringent
in the cure of dysentery and similar diseases. The fruit and
leaves are used for the same purpose as well as for the
treatment of skin troubles,
and eye diseases. The
steam from the cooked
twigs is said to be good for
wounds and ulcers, and
the galls are also used for
treating them.
A variety of this
plant (var. mannifesa
Ehrenb.) produces the
manna that is much eaten
by Bedouins and others in
Arabia and Persia, and is
sometimes found in Indian
bazars. The manna
exudes from the branches,
through the minute holes
made by an insect, in
small honey-like drops,
which solidify on
exposure. It is employed
medicinally in India as an
aperient and expectorant, and as a cure for enlargement of
the spleen. It is not known whether the varieties of this
plant that are found in India are capable of producing
manna.
The flowers appear in Bengal towards the end of
the rains.
 KEY 133

The tree is indigenous from the Mediterranean to

Japan, and in most parts of India. A variety is found as if
wild in England, this being perhaps the only instance of a
tree being established in both England and lower Bengal.
The various varieties of this plant are, however, sometimes
regarded as distinct species, and the Indian form is then
named T. indica it is distinguished from other forms by
more slender clusters (racemes) of flowers, by the deeper
pink of the flowers, and by more upright branches.
Tamarix articulata Vahl. Syn. T. aphylla Lanza. T.
orientalis Forsk.
(Articulata in Latin means "jointed". Orientalis is Latin
meaning "eastern". Aphylla is from the Greek meaning
"leafless").

Bengali, rakta jhaac.

Hindi, lal jhav.
(F.I. p. 274. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 249. B.P. not described).

A middle-sized tree, attaining 60 feet in height ;

branchlets articulate at base of sheath, often greyish,
fastigiate, slender, cylindric, jointed, 2 inches long or more
; leaves reduced to a small sheath with a minute tooth ;
flowers pink, r / 8 inch diam., bi-sexual or monoecious,
5-merous, sessile, scattered on long slender spikes, which
are generally in loose panicles at the ends of branches;
stamens 5, inserted in alternate notches of the ro-lobed
disk ; capsule r j 8 inch long:
This is a low, spreading tree with rough grey bark,
134 KEY

and an erect trunk

often six feet in girth.
The branches are set
with clusters of
slender, minutely
jointed, green twigs, on
which the leaves
appear as insignificant
membranous sheaths.
The numerous, but
minute, mauve or 'pink
flowers are borne in
narrow dense spikes
which form loose, open
clusters at the ends of
the branches. When in
flower during the rains,
the tree is a beautiful and graceful sight with its drooping
clusters of delicately-coloured blossom. At other times it
might easily be mistaken for a casuarina, fir, or pine.
The bark and galls of this tree, especially the latter,
are much used for tanning and dyeing, as in the case of
Tamarix gallica. The flowers also are said to be made into
a dye. The galls are often sold in bazars for medicinal and
other purposes.
The bark is bitter and astringent, has tonic
properties, and is also employed to cure skin diseases.
The galls are very astringent and are made into a gargle.
The namma that is sometimes obtained from the twigs
after they have been punctured by insects is used for
various medicinal purposes, and to adulterate sugar.
In some places the twigs are occasionally found to
be covered with an efflorescence of salt, which is collected
by poor people for flavouring food.
The timber is white and fairly hard, weighing about
61 lb. to the cubic foot. It is used for many purposes such
as making ploughs, beds, and ornaments. The rapid
 KEY 135

growth of the tree makes the wood a valuable source of

fuel, but it gives an offensive smell if burnt when green.
The tree is a native of Sindh, the Punjab,
Baluchistan, and countries westward to Egypt and South
Africa. It is well adapted to life in sandy and salt places. It
is occasionally planted in Calcutta gardens, but is
short-lived in lower Bengal.

HYPERICACEAE

This is a small family of 8 genera with about 210

species, mostly herbs and shrubs but including a few trees,
natives of temperate countries and of hills in the tropics.
The leaves are set in opposite pairs, the sepals and petals
each number 5, and the numerous stamens are arranged
in 3 or 5 bundles. The family is best known by the various
species of Hypericum (St. Johns-wort), which are common
in temperate countries.
CRATOXYLON. (Greek "kratos", strength, and
"xulon", wood). A genus of about 12 species of shrubs and
trees, natives of tropical Asia. The seeds have wings and
the fruit splits open down the middle of each carpel. Large
yellow glands are found alternating with the bundles of
stamens.
Cratoxylon cochinchinense (Lour.) Bl. Syn. C.
formosum (Benth. & Hook f.) .
(Cochinchinense means "from Cochin-China". Formosum
in Latin means "beautiful").
(F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 258. Not in F.I. & B.P.)

A glabrous tree, usually small ; leaves opposite,

decussate, broadly elliptic, membranaceous, 2 to 31
inches long ; flowers pink, J inch diameter, in lax,
few-flowered, terminal panicles ; stamens 3-adelphous ;
hypogynous glands triangular, attennuate ; capsule 4 inch
long, 3 times the length of the calyx ; seeds r / 3 inch long,
with an obtuse, obovate, unilateral wing.
136 KEY

This low straggling tree has smooth, greyish-brown

bark that flakes off in large pieces to expose a yellowish
colour beneath, and thin, rather narrow, pointed leaves set
in opposite pairs, those in adjoining pairs being at right
angles to one another. The small pink flowers are borne
in little clusters at the ends
of the branches. Inside the
five petals are three
bundles of stamens
alternating with
conspicuous yellow
glands. The fruit is a
three-cornered capsule
borne on a drooping stalk.
This tree is a native
of the Andamans and
Malaya. It is occasion ally
planted in Calcutta
gardens, and a specimen
may be seen (in 1944) in
the south-east corner of
Dalhousie Square.
The flowers appear
towards the end of the hot
weather and during the rains.
The tree is said to yield a useful timber.

GUTTIFERAE

A family of about genera with ego species of trees

and shrubs abounding in a yellow or greenish juice,
natives of tropical Asia, America, and Africa. The leaves
are evergreen and set in opposite pairs, and are usually
smooth and shining. The flowers are sometimes unisexual
and sometimes bisexual male, female, and hermaphrodite
flowers occasionally occurring on the same tree. The
stamens are usually numerous and often joined in
 KEY 137

separate bundles. The sepals are usually arranged in pairs

and the petals in a spiral formation. The fruit is generally in
the form of a berry.
GARCINIA. (Named after Laurence Garcin, who
lived in India and collected plants in the r8th Century). A
genus of about 50 species of trees, natives of tropical Asia,
Africa, and Polynesia. The male, female, and
hermaphrodite flowers are often found on the same tree.
The sepals and petals each number 4 or 5. The stigmas
rest on the ovary, not on the end of a slender style. The
fruit is a berry with a hard leathery rind containing seeds
embedded in soft pulp.
This genus includes Gaycinia Mangostana Linn.,
the mangosteen, which is commonly grown in Burma and
elsewhere for its delicious fruit.
Several other species may also be found
occasionally in West Bengal, and over 20 species are
found in India.
Garcinia Cowa Roxb.
(Cowa is an Indian vernacular name).

Bengali, kau.
Hindi, kowa.
English, cows snangosteen.
(F. I. p. 442. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 262. B.P. Vol. I. p. 247).

An erect, dioecious, glabrous tree ; leaves

broad-lanceolate, acute at both ends, 3 to 5 inches long,
membranous, secondary nerves faint in 6 to 10 pairs;
flowers 1 inch diam., tetramerous, yellow ; males in 3 to 8
flowered umbels, stamens numerous, densely covering a
fleshy central mass ; females, ovary globose, staminodes
forming a ring style grooved, stigma broad, 6 to 8-lobed,
granular ; fruit globose, 6 to 8-grooved, about 2 inches
diam., slightly depressed at the apex and there bearing a
small sessile stigma.
This is a tall, slender tree with rather short,
drooping branches, th
138 KEY

as a small orange, slightly

lobed apex dark grey bark
and numerous lowest of
which often reach the
ground. The smallish,
pointed, shining leaves are
dark green below, and
frequently have a
pronounced reddish tint
above. The yellow or
reddish-yellow flowers are
borne in small clusters
mostly at the ends of the
twigs. They are of two
kinds, male and female, the
male being smaller than
female and in denser
clusters. Each flower has four or five rounded sepals, and
an equal number of petals of about the same size ; the
male flowers have numerous stamens, and the female an
interrupted ring of barren stamens surrounding the ovary.
The fruit is a yellow or reddish berry, sometimes as large
and with a hollow at the apex.
This tree produces a resinous gum which is used to
make a yellow varnish, and in Burma is employed for
medicinal purposes. The bark is also used in Burma to
make a yellow dye for colouring the clothes of Buddhist
monks. The fruit is said to be edible, though not very
palatable. The timber is moderately hard, but, is heavy,
coarse-grained, and very perishable, and so is very little
valued.
The tree is a native of several parts of eastern and
southern India, but is rare in west Bengal. It is also found in
Burma and the Andamans. A specimen (heavily burdened
with an epiphytic banyan) may be seen in the Alipore
Infantry Lines near the Alipore Road (1944).
 KEY 139

The flowers appear in March and April and the

fruits ripen in May and June.
OCHROCARPUS. (From the Greek "ochros",
yellow, and “karpos", fruit). A genus of about 20 species of
trees, widely spread in the tropics. The leaves are leathery
and set in opposite pairs or in whorls of 3. The flowers
have 2 sepals, 4 or more petals, and many stamens;
unisexual and bisexual flowers occur together on the same
tree (polygamous). The fruit is, a berry containing a few
large seeds.
Ochrocarpus longifolius Benth. & Hook. f. Syn:
Calysaccion longifolium Wight.
(Longifolius is Latin meaning "with long leaves").

Bengali, nagesar.
Hindi, nag kesar, surgi, suringi.
(F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 270. B. P. Vol. I. p. 245. Not in F:I.)

A large evergreen tree ; leaves opposite or

3-whorled, stybsessile, oblong, coriaceous, glabrous,
about 8 inches long by 21 inches wide ; petiole I inch ;
flowers polygamous or hermaphrodite, fragrant, .pinkish,
about 2 J3 inch diam., in axillary, clusters ; sepals connate
is a closed calyx opening in flower into 2 valvate sepals ;
petals 4 to 7 or more ; stamens numerous ; ovary 2-celled ;
style short, stout ; stigma 3-lobed ; fruit obliquely ovoid, r to
4-seeded, inch long.
In its native habitat this is a large tree, but in the
climate of lower Bengal it only attains a small size and its
trunk often branches from near the base. The bark is
smooth and dark grey in colour. The handsome evergreen
foliage consists of rather large, narrow, glossy leaves,
which are very dark green on their upper surface but
beneath are much paler in colour, and beautifully marked
with a very delicate network of fine veins: The leaves are
arranged on very short stalks in opposite pairs, or
sometimes in whorls of three. The intensely fragrant
flowers grow in small clusters above the branchlets, and
140 KEY

are rose-coloured, or white striped with red. Each flower

has two sepals, four or more petals, and in the case of
male or bisexual flowers numerous yellow stamens ; but
unisexual and bisexual flowers are found mingled on the
same tree. The fruit is about the size of an acorn,, which it
resembles in general
appearance. It encloses one
or more large stones,
between which and the rind is
a soft pulpy juice with a
flavour like rose=water. The
juice is much appreciated by
some people, but the tree
can scarcely be considered a
"fruit tree".
A dye extracted from
the flower-buds is used for
colouring silk red, and a
perfume resembling violets is
also said to be obtained from
them. The buds are believed
to have stimulant and
astringent properties and are
employed in the treatment of
dyspepsia and haemorrhoids.
The wood is red in
colour; haxd, and
even-grained, weighing about 55 to 60 lb. per cubic foot. It
is used in Burma for planking and for the masts and yards
of boats.
The tree is a native of the Western Ghats, Orisssa,
Chittagong and Burma. It is commonly cultivated in some
parts of India for its handsome foliage, but is uncommon in
Bengal. Firminger records that in his time two or three
specimens were thriving near Calcutta. In 1943 a small
tree was growing in the garden of Hastings House at the
side of judge's Court Road, and a young tree was planted
in the garden of the Royal Agri-Horticultural Society.
 KEY 141

The flowers appear in the early hot weather, when

the trees are infested by thousands of bees in search of
honey. The fruits ripen in May. The new leaves, which are
produced from time to time throughout the year, are
pinkish or copper-coloured when quite young, but rapidly
turn pale green and then dark green.
CALOPHYLLUM. (Greek, "beautiful-leaved"). A
genus of about 25 species of trees, natives of tropical Asia
and America of which 5 species are found in India. The
shining, leathery leaves are remarkable for their
innumerable slender, parallel veins set at right angles to
the midrib. The flowers have numerous stamens, 4 sepals,
and 4 to 8 (or sometimes no) petals ; of the 4 sepals, all, or
the two inner only, often resemble petals. The female and
hermaphrodite flowers have a long style with a flat stigma.
The fruit is a berry containing a single seed.
Calophyllum inophyllum Linn.
(Inophyllum is from the Greek meaning "bearing leaves
with pronounced nerves or veins").

Bengali, kath champa, sultana

champa, punnag.
Hindi, sultana champa, surpan,
suypunka, undi.
English, Alexandrian laurel, dilo oil
tree.
(F.I. p. 437. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 273. B.P. Vol. I. p. 246).

middle-sized, glabrous, evergreen tree ; leaves

elliptic-lanceolate, obovate, 4 to 8 inches long, coriaceous,
glabrous ; nerves numerous, parallel, very fine,
conspicuous below ; petiole ,I inch to i inch long ; flowers
scented, in axillary racemes, polygamous, r inch diameter ;
petals 4, white ; stamens yellow in 4 bundles ; ovary
usually bright pink ; drupe globose, r inch diam., pulp
scanty.
This beautiful evergreen tree is much used in India
for planting on roadsides and in avenues. Its bark is
142 KEY

smooth, and grey of

blackish-brown in colour.
The thick shining, dark
green leaves are set in
opposite pairs and are
marked on the under side
with innumerable fine,
parallel nerves, which run
at right angles to the mid
rib of the leaf. The
fragrant, white flowers
are borne in small
clusters in the axils of the
leaves. They are of two
kinds, male and
hermaphrodite. Both
kinds have a cluster of
yellow stamens in the
centre, and the hermaphrodite flowers have a bright pink
ovary within the cluster of stamens. The fruit is spherical
and yellow with a skin.
The tree yields a smooth resinous gum, which is
sometimes sold under the name of "tacamahaca gum",
though the same name is applied to the gum of several
other trees. From the seeds is extracted a dark green,
thick, and strongly scented oil known as Pinnay, pun,
domba, or dilo oil which is employed in medicine, and for
burning. This oil is much used as an application for the
cure of rheumatism, and is also believed to be a remedy
for ulcers, for hoof disease of cattle, and for skin diseases.
The bark of the tree is applied to stop internal
haemorrhages, while the juice is a strong purgative, and
the leaves soaked in water are considered a remedy for
sore eyes.
The timber is moderately hard and close-grained. It
is used for masts, spars, railway sleepers, and various
purposes in shipbuilding. It has also been described as a
 KEY 143

valuable wood for cabinet making, being reddish brown in

colour. The weight is about 42 lb. per cubic foot.
The tree is a native of most of the southern parts of
India, Ceylon, Malaya, Polynesia, and Australia, being
generally found near the sea. It is much planted in tropical
countries, and is not uncommon in Calcutta streets and
gardens. A number of these trees are planted in Camac
Street and in Diamond Harbour Road.
The flowers appear during the rains and early cold
weather. The seeds are principally distributed by the
agency of fruit bats.

MALVACEAE

A family of about 60 genera with 700 species,

mostly herbs, but including a few trees and shrubs. The
family is spread over the whole world except the arctic
regions, and is widely represented in India. The plants
have leaves not set in opposite pairs, generally with nerves
radiating outwards from the base (digitate), and often
lobed. The sepals and petals number 5 each (the sepals
being more or less joined together), and below the sepals
there are usually 3 or more "bracteoles", which are often
joined to form an "epicalyx", i.e., a third whorl of floral
leaves below the petals and the sepals. The flowers are
generally bisexual and the numerous stamens are usually
joined to form a tube round the slender style. The anthers
each have one pollen-cell only. The fruit consists of a
number of separate divisions (carpels), or a single capsule.
The genera that do not have their stamens combined to
form a tube are by some authorities included in a separate
family under the name Bombacaceae.
This family contains a number of herbs and shrubs
of importance in India, including several species of
Gossypium, which yield the cotton of commerce. Among
garden plants belonging to this family are Althaea rosea
Cav, the hollyhock, and Malvaviscus Canzottii Greenman,
a large shrub with scarlet flowers, commonly used in
144 KEY

Calcutta gardens to form tall hedges. Kydia calycina Roxb.

(Hindi, Pula or bayanga) is a large shrub or small tree with
pale bark, large, almost round, slightly lobed leaves, and
big clusters of pure white flowers which are produced from
September to November ; it is a native of the dryer parts of
India, where it is often cultivated, and is occasionally grown
in Bengal.
The family takes its name from the genus Malva,
which includes several species of herbs common in
Europe, and others found in the north of India.
HIBISCUS. (The classical Latin name of a mallow).
A genus ,of about zoo species of herbs, shrubs, and small
trees, chiefly indigenous in the tropics. The leaves have
their principal nerves spreading outwards from the base of
the leaf, and are often lobed. Beneath the calyx there is an
additional whorl of floral leaves known as bracteoles. The
calyx has 5 lobes or teeth, and there are 5 large, separate
petals, which often take a bell-like or funnel-like shape.
The numerous stamens are joined to form a narrow tube
which encloses the slender styl6 ; the anthers spread
outwards near the top of the tube ; and 5 stigmas project
from the end of the tube on 5 branches of the style. The
fruit is a dry capsule which opens by 5 valves.
More than 30 species of this genus are wild or
cultivated in India ; several are of considerable economic
importance, and some are among the most beautiful of
tropical garden shrubs. H. esculentus Linn. (Bengali bhindi)
is an important annual vegetable, commonly known as
ladies' fingers. H. sabdariffa Linn. (Bengali, mesta), the
roselle, is another annual and is grown for its juicy calyces,
which are used for making jams and jellies, and for its
fibre, which resembles jute. Of the numerous shrubs and
herbs grown for their flowers the best known is H.
Rosa-chinensis Linn., (Bengali, joba), "The rose of China",
a large shrub found in a number of beautiful varieties, and
much hybridised. Other well-known species are H. syriacus
Linn. (Bengali, swet joba), a shrub with white or bluish
flowers, and H. schizopetalus Hook f., a, straggling or
 KEY 145

semi-climbing shrub with pendulous scarlet flowers having

deeply cut and fringed petals.
Hibiscus tiliaceus L inn. Syn. H. tortuosus Roxb.
(Tiliaceus means "like a lime-tree" in reference to the
shape of the leaves).

Bengali, bola, bala, bhola.

Hindi, bola.
English, corkwood, lime-tree-leaved
hibiscus.
(F. I. p. 528. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 343. B.P. Vol. I. p. 269).

A much-branched shrub or small tree ; young

shoots and inflorescence pubescent ; leaves alternate,
crenulate, orbicular-cordate, shortly acuminate, up to 8
inches diam., grey-pubescent beneath, petiole r to 5
inches long ; stipules falcate-oblong, 2 inch; flowers in
axillary or terminal few--flowered racemes ; bracteoles 10,
connate, half as long as the calyx ; sepals lanceolate,
about as long as the capsule ; corolla campanulate, 3 to 4
inches diam., yellow with crimson eye, fading to reddish
capsule ovoid, tomentose, 10-celled, 5-valved ; seeds
black, glabrous, with pale dots.
This is an evergreen,
straggling, bushy tree with a
stout, crooked trunk, smooth,
pale bark, and numerous
contorted branches, which
spread widely close to the
ground. The large leaves are
almost round in outline with a
shallow recess at the base
where the rather long stalk is
attached, and a short point at
the outer end. The edges of
the leaves are minutely
notched ; the upper surface is
dull green and smooth, and
146 KEY

the lower surface is pale grey owing to a layer of down. At

the base of each young leaf-stalk is a pair of large leaf-like
appendages (stipules), which are usually pinkish or reddish
and contrast prettily with the green and grey of the leaves.
The large drooping flowers grow at the ends of the
branchlets and among the leaves, singly or in loose
clusters of a few flowers. The five petals take the shape of
a bell, and the inside of the bottom of the bell is dark
crimson ; the rest of the petals is bright yellow when the
flowers open in the morning, but the yellow turns reddish in
the afternoon. The calyx is cleft into five segments, and is
supported beneath by from seven to ten narrow,, pointed
bracteoles, which are joined above their base. The stigma
is divided into five branches and the style is clothed with
many crimson stamens joined into a tube. The fruit is an
egg-shaped capsule, the size of a nutmeg, containing a
few black seeds.
This tree is a native of the beaches and tidal forests
of most tropical coasts, including Bengal, forming dense
thickets near the shore and sometimes growing in places
that are frequently flooded by salt water. It ascends rivers
as far as the tide is felt, and is said to be found wild on the
banks of the Hooghly as far north as Calcutta, though it is
certainly not common there, and may have been planted in
the few places where it is now found. It is sometimes
grown in large gardens for its flowers, and for its
handsome foliage, which gleams with silver as the
light-coloured under-surface of the leaves are ruffled by the
wind. Occasionally the banks of rivers and tanks are
planted with this tree in order to preserve them from
erosion.
The bark yields a coarse fibre of fair quality, which
is used in the Sunderbans for cordage and in Ceylon for
mats. It can be readily separated from the bark and does
not easily rot under water. The wood is soft and almost
valueless except for fuel, but it is said to be used in Tahiti
for planking and for building light boats.
 KEY 147

The root is regarded as a febrifuge, and is

employed in the preparation of embrocations. In the
Philippines the powdered bark is given as an emetic, an
infusion of the leaves is used to wash wounds, and the
flowers, boiled in milk, are applied as a cure for earaches.
In Madagascar the plant is said to have emollient
properties.
Sir George Watt records that the bark is said to be
sucked in times of scarcity.
The flowers appear sporadically during most of the
year, but particularly in the cold and hot seasons. The
seeds ripen three or four months afterwards.
Hibiscus mutabilis Linn.
(Mutabilis is Latin meaning "changeable", in allusion to the
colour of the flowers).

Bengali, thalpadsna, sphalpadma.

Hindi, shah Tiara, sthalkamal.
Urdu, guli-i-ajaib.
English, changeable rose,
confederate rose (in
America).
(F.I. p. 525. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 344. B.P. Vol. I. p. 268).

A large deciduous shrub or small tree, branches

tomentose ; leaves suborbicular, cordate, 3- to 7-lobed,
irregularly crenate, more or less stellately pubescent, 4 to 9
inches long and broad ; petioles usually longer than the
leaves, tomentose ; flowers up to 5 inches diam., axillary or
terminal, pedicels up to 7 inches long ; involucral bracts 7
to 10, linearlanceolate, about 2 inch long, shorter than the
calyx ; calyx-lobes g, ovate, pubescent, green ; petals
twice as long as the calyx, white, pink or red ; staminal
tube shorter than the petals ; stigmas 5, yellowish ; capsule
sub-globose, hirsute, endocarp lined with dense white
hairs ; seeds brown, densely bearded.
Almost every gardener in Bengal knows this
remarkable plant, which is usually grown as a shrub, but
148 KEY

which, if allowed to grow without pruning, soon develops

into a small tree, though its straight branches, covered with
smooth, greyish bark, generally spread outwards from near
the ground and give it a rounded, bushy shape. The large,
dull-green leaves grow on long stalks covered with fine
down ; their general shape is roundish, but they are
recessed at the base and have about five pointed lobes or
angles round the edge, from the apex of each of which a
nerve leads to the point where the stalk is attached. The
whole of the edge of the leaf is more or less broken by
small, irregular teeth, or notches; and both surfaces are
thinly covered with minute hairs. The large flowers are
borne singly on rather long
stalks in the axils of the
leaves, or, sometimes in small
clusters at the ends of the
branches. Below the green,
downy, five-lobed calyx is a
whorl of narrow bracteoles,
and from within the calyx
spread several wide petals,
which in the case of the
normal "single" flower number
five, and form a wide-mouthed
bell, but in the case of the
commoner "double" variety,
are much more numerous and
give the flower a resemblance
to a double peony, or a
fullblown double rose. Within
the petals is a column formed
by the stamens, surrounding
the five-lobed style. In a single
flower the column is straight and covered with the pale
yellow anthers which spring from it, but . in a double flower
the stamens are contorted and mingled with the bases of
the inner hairy capsule containing a and a number of
 KEY 149

brown petals. The fruit is a spherical, quantity of white,

cottony hairs bearded seeds.
The typical varieties of this species produce flowers
the petals of which open pure white in the morning, but
soon turn pink and at the end of the day a beautiful deep
crimson or cerise. There are, however, other less
well-known varieties differing in the colour of their flowers,
their degree of "doubleness", and their tendency to change
colour ; one of these has white petals which do not turn
pink ; another has pink petals which show little or no
inclination to darken ; and a third has double flowers which
open and change colour in stages, with the result that the
flowers are mottled white and pink. The commonest and
most beautiful variety has double flowers four or five
inches in width, but. single varieties are not rare.
This plant cannot be described as beautiful when
not in bloom, but its curious and lovely flowers are very
welcome when they open in large numbers and in constant
succession during October and November, at which time
gardens are usually lacking in colour. If heavily pruned
after the main flowering, the plants will again bloom during
the cold and hot seasons. The double forms are usually
propagated by cuttings, but the single forms, which are
more ephemeral than the double, are sometimes grown
from seed. The fruits ripen soon after the flowers fall.
The change in the colour of the petals is in some
way affected by sunlight, for if a freshly opened white
flower is cut and taken indoors, it turns pink very slowly
and only at the extremity of its petals.
The bark yields a strong fibre, but it has been found
to be inferior for cordage purposes and it seems to be
seldom, if ever, used. The wood is white, soft, and useless.
In Malaya and China the flowers are said to be
considered an established remedy for diseases of the
chest, and the leaves are applied to swellings. In Guiana
the plant is used as an emollient.
China is the native habitat of this species, but it is
now cultivated in most hot countries, including all parts of
150 KEY

the plains of India. It is common in Calcutta gardens and in

the neighbouring villages.
Hibiscus populneus Linn. Syn. Thespesia populnea
Cav,
(Populneus means "poplar-like").

Bengali, paras, paras pipal, poras,

gajashundi.
Hindi, parsipu, paras pipal, porush,
bhendi, gajahanda.
English, tulip tree, Portia tree,
umbrella tree.
(F.I. p. 522. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 345. B.P. Vol. I. p. 270).

An evergreen tree ; leaves cordate, acuminate,

entire, covered with minute scales, 3 to 5 inches long ;
petiole 1 to 4 inches ; flowers axillary, solitary or 2 together
; peduncle shorter than petiole ; calyx campanulate ;
corolla 2 to 3 inches diameter, yellow turning mauve ;
staminal tube toothed at the top, filaments ascending ;
capsule rj inches long, oblong, depressed, scaly, 5-valved.
This middle-sized evergreen tree has brown, rough, and
often knobbly bark, and dark-green, heart-shaped leaves
ending in pronounced points, rather resembling the leaf of
the peepul tree but without such a long tail at the tip. Their
venation is delicate and their surface is covered with
minute rusty scales, especially beneath. The rather large
funnel-shaped flowers are yellow with a deep-red centre
when fresh, but fade to dull purple as they wither. When
young the flowers are not unlike yellow tulips, but with
crinkly petals and a central column consisting of numerous
stamens united into a tube. The smooth fruit is oblong with
a depression in the centre above, and contains in five
compartments a number of silky seeds.
This is a very quick growing tree with dense
evergreen foliage and spreading branches, which make it
 KEY 151

eminently suitable as a shade

tree. It is, therefore, very
much planted on roadsides,
and may be seen lining some
of Calcutta's principal streets,
as well as in parks and
gardens everywhere.
A number of useful
products are obtained from
this tree. The flowers and
fruits give a yellow-dye,
though this does not seem to
be widely used. From the
bark a strong fibre is prepared, which is made into cordage
and in Demarara into coffee-bags. An oil obtained from the
seeds is burnt as an illuminant. The timber is hard and
durable, and is used for gunstocks, boats, cart-making,
and wheel spokes ; its weight is about 50 lb. to the cubic
foot. A red colouring matter can be obtained from the bark
arid wood.
The medicinal uses of the tree are numerous. The
root is taken as a tonic, while the bark is astringent and
employed to cure dysentery. The heartwood is a remedy
for biliousness and colic, and the fresh capsules, bruised
and applied to the forehead, are considered a cure for
migraine. But the tree is most used to heal skin diseases,
for which purpose the flowers, fruits, leaves and bark are
all employed in various ways.
The tree grows near the sea throughout the tropics,
and flourishes best not. far from the coast.
The flowers appear at all seasons but principally in
the hot weather. As in the case of many other trees of this
family, the flowers are largely pollinated by honey-seeking
birds.
CEIBA. (An aboriginal name of Central America).
152 KEY

A genus of about 9 species of trees, natives of

America and tropical Africa. The leaves are divided into
separate leaflets, which radiate outwards from the end of
the leaf-stalk. The large white or pink flowers are borne in
clusters at the ends of the branches and appear before the
leaves. The stamens number 5 only, and are joined at the
base into a short tube each stamen has 1 or 3 anthers.
The fruit is a capsule full of white silky wool and many
seeds.
Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaertn. Syn. Eriodendron
anfructuosum DC. E. pentandrum Kurz. Bombax
pentandrum. Willd.
(Anfractuosum means "twisted". Pentandra means "with
five stamens")

Bengali, swet simal.

Hindi, hattian, katan, safed simal,
senibal.
Urdu, sambal.
English, white cotton tree, kapok tree.
(F.I. p. P3. F.B.I. VOL I. p. 350. B.P. Vol. I. p. z7r).

A large, deciduous, glabrous tree ; branches

horizontal in whorls ; young trees armed with prickles ;
leaves digitate ; leaflets 5 to 8, usually 7, elliptic, acute, 3
to 4 inches long, subsessile ; petiole as long or longer than
leaflets ; flowers in numerous axillary fascicles near ends
of branches; calyx green, campanulate, with 5 acute teeth ;
petals 5, oblong, connate at the base, r to rl inches long,
fleshy, creamy white ; stamens 5, each with z or 3 anthers;
capsule oblong, 3 to 5 inches long, 5-valued.
This is a tall tree with a straight trunk, which is
prickly when young, greyish brown bark, and numerous
branches, several of which usually spring from the trunk at
the same level and radiate horizontally outwards. The base
of the trunk is often supported by several wide-spreading,
narrow buttresses. The leaf consists of from 5 to 8 narrow,
pointed leaflets, which spread outwards from the top of the
 KEY 153

rather long leaf-stalk. The foliage falls during the early part
of the cold weather, and the creamy-white flowers appear
in numerous small clusters near the ends of the twig,
before the new leaves open, or sometimes at the same
time as the leaves. The petals are shiny within but downy
outside, and the five long stamens end in orange or
brownish anthers. The fruit consists of a cylindrical
capsule, rather like a small cucumber in shape, which is
densely lined with long white silky floss. The tree closely
resembles the simal, or red cotton tree (Salmalia
malabarica), but may be distinguished by its small leaflets,
and much smaller whitish flowers.
This tree is important owing to the excellent quality
of the white floss obtained from its fruit, which is superior in
quality to any other vegetable floss and is the real "kapok"
of commerce. Being very elastic, it is much used for
stuffing cushions and, owing to its great buoyancy and
resistance to water-logging, is in demand for making
lifebuoys. It is also used mixed with other fibres for textile
purposes. The principal supplies of this floss come from
Java, and the tree seems to be little exploited in India.
The young fruits are cooked as a vegetable and the
seeds are said to be
occasionally eaten; also
they have sometimes been
made into cakes which are
used as fodder for cattle.
The wood is soft and very
light, weighing only about
28 lb. to the cubic foot, and
is inferior to simal. It is
sometimes hollowed out to
make dug-out canoes, and
is also used to help the
tanning of skins.
The juice obtained
from the roots is
considered a valuable cure
154 KEY

for diabetes. A gum extracted from the trunk is given as a

cure in bowel complaints. The bark is employed as a
febrifuge, and the fruit to cure migraine. The very young
plant is used to make a lotion, which is applied externally in
cases of fever.
The tree is indigenous America, and possibly in
Western India. It is now not uncommon in most of the
hotter parts of India, and is occasionally found near
Calcutta. A single tree grows (in 1942) on the Maidan on
the west side of Saint George's Gate Road.
The flowers appear from January to March.
SALMALIA. (From the Sanskrit name of S,
malabayica).
A genus of about 6o species of deciduous trees
with digitate leaves, natives of the tropics, principally of
America. The flowers are clustered near the ends of the
branches, each springing singly from near the base of the
leaf. The calyx is a leathery, slightly lobed tube. The
stamens are numerous but are joined near the base into a
short tube, each stamen having one anther only. The fruit
is woolly within. Two species of this genus are found in
India, but only one in west Bengal.
Salmalia malabarica Schott. et Enal. Syn. Bombax
malabaricum DC. B. Ceiba Linn. B. heptaphyllum Cav.
(Malabarica means "from Malabar", Ceiba is a vernacular
name. Heptaphyllum is from the Greek meaning "having
seven leaves", in allusion to the leaflets).

Bengali, sitnal, rakta simal, tula.

Hindi, simal, semuy, shimbal, sonny,
kantisembal,
English, Pagun, ragatsemal. cotton tree, red
silk-cotton tree.
(F.I. p. 514. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 349. B.P. Vol. I. p. 271).

A large deciduous tree, prickly when young ;

branches in whorls of 5 or 7 ; leaves digitate, leaflets 5 to
7, lanceolate, 4 to 8 inches long, petiolules about i inch
 KEY 155

long ; common petiole as long or longer than leaflets ;

flowers scarlet, (very rarely white or yellow); calyx silky
within, glabrous without, deciduous with the corolla ; petals
2 to 3 inches long ; filaments about 70, much longer than
tube, united into 5 clusters opposite the petals ; capsule
hard, woody, oblong, 4 to 5 inches long; seeds glabrous,
embedded in silky white wool.
This is a tall, stately, upright tree with fairly smooth,
silvery grey bark, and leaves divided into separate narrow,
pointed leaflets which
radiate outwards from the
top of the leafstalk. The
under-bark is deep red in
colour. The trunk of the
young tree is covered
with stout conical
prickles, while the mature
tree is usually supported
by several large
buttresses, which reach
about 5 feet up the trunk,
but are only a few inches
in thickness. The
branches are more or
less horizontal and spring
from the trunk in whorls.
The leaves fall at the end
of the year, and in
February or March,
before the new leaves
appear, the large crimson
flowers burst out of their dark buds, and cover the ends of
the branches with close-set blooms. The numerous scarlet
stamens are almost as long as the petals, and are
separate except at the base, each being tipped with a
single purple anther.
The woody fruits contain many smooth,
egg-shaped seeds embedded in white woolly floss.
156 KEY

In its whorled branches and radiating leaflets this

tree closely resembles Ceiba Pentandya from which,
however, it may be known by its deep red under-bark, and
by the length of the stalks of the leaflets, which measure
about an inch in S. malabarica, but are very short in C.
pentandra. Its foliage also closely resembles that of
Sterculia foetida, which, however, has longer leaflets, and
longer main leaf-stalks, and does not have its branches
arranged in definite whorls.
The cotton tree is perhaps the best known of all
Indian "flowering" trees owing to the very conspicuous
crimson blooms, which appear in the early spring on the
bare branches before most other trees produce their
flowers. The tree is made more noticeable by the great
number of birds which are attracted by the honey in the
huge blooms. Mynas, tailor birds, babblers, sunbirds,
bulbuls, and even crows, all throng the trees, and are the
principal agents in the pollination of the flowers.
The wood (known as "simul") is light and soft, and
more or less white in colour. Its weight is variable but
averages about 23 lb. to the cubic foot. It is not durable
(except under-water, where it lasts fairly well), but is widely
used for planking, packing cases, tea-boxes, floats, coffins,
dug-out canoes, and the linings of wells. Recently it has
also been much utilised in India for making matches, for
which it is very suitable. The tree is common and
quick-growing, with the result that this is probably the most
important cheap timber in India. It makes good charcoal,
and fairly good paper-pulp.
The flowers are edible, and the fleshy calyces are
often eaten in curries. The seeds are used as a food for
cattle, and the silky floss is sold as a substitute for the true
kapok (the floss of Ceiba Pentandra), under the names of
"Indian kapok", and "silk cotton" or "simli cotton". It is
claimed that as a material for making floats and life-jackets
it is equal to the real kapok owing to its great buoyancy
and resistance to water-logging ; but both this floss and the
true kapok are of little use for spinning into yarns, because
 KEY 157

the fibre is too slippery to hold together. The blunt thorns

from the trunk of young trees are chewed as a substitute
for betel nut. The leaves and twigs are lopped for fodder.
The gum, or dried juice, yielded by the trunk, is
known as "katira", and is sold as a substitute for the true
"gum tragacanth", which is much used for book-binding
and similar purposes. The gum under the name of
"mochras" also has a reputation as a tonic. The root has
stimulant and tonic properties, and the flowers are
employed to cure skin diseases.
The simul sheds its smaller branches as other trees
shed their leaves, and numerous twigs up to one inch in
thickness may sometimes be gathered beneath the tree.
The thorns at the base of the trunk are said to prevent
monkeys from eating the pulp in the young pods.
The tree is a native of Malaya and of all the hotter
parts of India. It is common in the neighbourhood of
Calcutta, but not plentiful. Varieties with white and yellow
flowers are occasionally found and are much sought after
to plant in gardens.
ADANSONIA. (After Adanson, a great French
botanist).
A genus of 3 species of trees, natives of Africa and
Australia. The leaves are divided into several leaflets that
radiate outwards (digitately) from the top of the leaf-stalk.
The calyx is cleft into 5 segments. The stamens are many
and are joined at the base only into a short tube. The fruit
is a woody capsule filled with mealy pulp.
Adansonia digitata Linn.
(Digitata in Latin means "fingered", in allusion to the
leaves).

Hindi, gorakamali, gorakhamli,

goramlichora.
English, baobab, monkey bread, African
calabash, sour gourd.
(F.I. p. Sri. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 348. B.P. Vol. I. p. 270.)
158 KEY

A tree with a short thick trunk ; leaves digitate ;

leaflets 5 or 7, lanceolate, downy beneath ; flowers solitary,
axillary, pendulous on long peduncles ; calyx cup-shaped,
5-cleft ; petals 5, white, adnate to the stamens below ;
staminal tube short, cylindrical, divided into numerous
filaments above ; ovary 5- to 10-celled, style slender,
exerted, stigmas radiating ; fruit oblong, woody,
indehiscent, full of mealy pulp ; seeds kidneyshaped,
brown, hard, shining.

This curious tree has smooth, greyish bark and a

short trunk, which is very broad at the base and tapers
rapidly upwards. It is said to live to a great age, possibly as
long as thousands of years, and its trunk expands steadily
during the early part of its life until it reaches a thickness at
the base of as much as forty feet.. In its native home the
tree thrives in almost desert places, and the trunk,
decaying with age, becomes hollowed out in the centre
and so forms a storage reservoir for water, of which as
much as 250 gallons has been found in one tree; thus the
old trees are, helped to survive periods of drought. The
branches spread widely from the tapering trunk and form a
mushroom-shaped head. The, leaves are divided into
separate narrow, pointed leaflets, which radiate from the
end of the leaf-stalk. The large white flowers, hang singly
on long pendulous stalks from the branches ; their five
petals are recurved upwards leaving a central column of
stamens pointing downwards, and terminating in a dense
spherical cluster of golden anthers, through the middle of
which the slender style projects. The fruit is a large, green
or brownish, velvety capsule almost cylindrical in shape,
which is suspended at the end of the long stalk, and at a
distance is reminiscent of a roosting bat. It contains a
number of brown, kidney-shaped seeds embedded in soft
white pulp.
 KEY 159

The dried fruit is used as a float for

fishing nets, and the pulp makes a
cooling drink with a pleasant,
slightly acid taste. The bark yields
a strong fibre useful for cordage,
which has given rise to an Indian
saying "As secure as an elephant
bound with a baobab rope". The
wood is soft and spongy, but is
suitable for making rafts. The dried
and powdered leaves are
sometimes mixed with food as a
condiment.
The fruit is used medicinally
as a cure for biliousness and
dysentery, and as a febrifuge,
while the leaves and bark are also
employed for similar purposes. In
Africa the cooked and ground
seeds are given as a cure for
toothache.
Certain peoples in Africa suspend dead bodies that
they wish to mummify in the interior of hollow baobab
trees. The explorer Livingstone records how he found
some corpses being treated in this way.
The tree is a native of tropical Africa, whence it was
originally brought to Ceylon and India by Arab traders. It is
now widely cultivated in the tropics, especially in dry
districts. A few trees have been planted in Calcutta ; two
good specimens of considerable age may be seen in the
Calcutta Zoo, and another near the first tee on the
Barrackpore Golf Course.
The leaves fall in the cold weather leaving the tree
altogether bare for several months. The new leaves appear
in May and are followed by the flowers in June and July.
The flowers first open at midnight, but do not close by day.
160 KEY

STERCULIACEAE

A family of about 45 genera with over 700 species

of trees, shrubs, and herbs, abundant in all tropical
countries and in sub-tropical Africa and Australia. The
plants are often covered with a down composed of minute,
star-shaped hairs. The leaves are alternately arranged on
the stems, and are often lobed. The calyx is more or less
divided into 5 segments, and the petals are 5 in number, or
sometimes wanting. The stamens are usually 5, xo or x5 in
number, and are joined together in a column. The anthers
each have 2 pollen-cells. The flowers are either all
bisexual, or male, female, and hermaphrodite flowers are
found on the same tree, (i.e., polygamous). The fruit is
often divided into a number of separate divisions (carpels)
but sometimes consists of a single capsule.
The family includes Theobyoma Cacao Linn., the
cocoa tree, a native of tropical America, now cultivated in
South India. It also comprises the genus Dombeya, of
which several species and various hybrids are grown in
Indian gardens ; all have dense clusters of pink or white
flowers which are produced during the cold weather.
STERCULIA. (From the Latin "stercus", muck or
manure, in allusion to the evil smell of the flowers of
Sterculaa foetida). A genus of trees and shrubs, natives of
the tropics and especially of tropical Asia, of which 3
species are found in India. The leaves are often lobed, and
sometimes divided into separate leaflets that radiate from
the end of the leaf-stalk (digitate). The flowers have no
petals, and are often unisexual, the male, female, and
hermaphrodite flowers being sometimes found on the
same tree (polygamous). The stamens are 5 to 25 in
number, and are united into a column bearing a head or
ring of anthers. The fruit consists of several spreading
capsules which open along the inner edge (follicles).
Sterculia foetida Linn.
(Foetida means "evil-smelling")
 KEY 161

Bengali, jangld badam.

Hindi, jangal badam, jangli badam.
English, dung tree.
(F.I. p. 510. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 354. B.P. Vol. I. p. 274.)

A tall deciduous tree ; branches more or less

horizontal and whorled ; leaves digitate ; leaflets 7 t6 g,
elliptical-lanceolate, about 6 inches long, sub-sessile,
petiole 8 inches long; flowers polygamous, in panicles,
apetalous ; calyx red and yellow, or purplish, I. inch diam.,
deeply 5-partite, villous within ; gynophore as long as calyx
tube or longer; anthers x2 to 15; carpels 5 ; follicles woody,
scarlet, boat-shaped, shortly beaked ; seeds 10 to 15,
black, 1 inch long.
This is a tall tree with branches tending to be level
near the base and to spread outwards in whorls, but to rise
steeply from a point not far from the trunk. The leaves are
crowded at the ends of the branches, and consist of
separate leaflets radiating from the end of a rather long
leaf-stalk. The numerous red and yellow, or dull purple
flowers are borne in clusters at the ends of the bare, or
almost bare, branches, and are quickly overtopped by the
bunches of new leaves. The flowers are remarkable :or
their exceedingly offensive smell, which is often very
noticeable to passers-by, especially when the fallen
flowers litter the ground beneath the branches. Male,
female, and hermaphrodite flowers are found intermingled
on the same tree. The fruit consists of from one to five
boat-shaped pods several inches in length and red in
colour, which contain large black seeds.
162 KEY

This tree when

not in flower or fruit,
resembles Salmalia
malabarica, the simal,
or red cotton tree, but
may be distinguished
by its branches not
strictly arranged in
whorls, its trunk devoid
of prickles, and its
whitish-brown bark,
which flakes off in
patches and is usually
sprinkled with corky
warts. The leaves of S. foetida may be distinguished from
those of the simal by their longer leaflets and much longer
leaf-stalks.
The seeds are roasted and eaten like chestnuts,
but if eaten raw are said to cause nausea and vertigo. A
gum is obtained. from the trunk and branches, which
resembles tragacanth and can be used for book-binding
and similar purposes. A fibre can be got from the bark, and
is made into ropes and cordage. The wood is light and of
no value.
The oil from the seeds is used medicinally as a
laxative and carminative. The leaves have aperient
qualities, and the fruit is astringent.
This handsome tree is a native of East Tropical
Africa, Western India, Burma, Ceylon, Malaya and
Australia. It is occasionally planted in Calcutta and is a
common roadside tree outside the city. A good specimen
may be seen near Lower Circular Road, north of the Zeerut
Bridge.
The foliage falls at the end of the cold season, and
the flowers appear in great profusion in the latter part of
February and in March, to be closely followed, or
sometimes just preceded, by the new leaves. At this time
the dull red of the clusters of flowers contrasts curiously
 KEY 163

with the yellowish-green of the young foliage. The flowers

are pollinated by flies, which are attracted by their. smell.
The old pods of the previous year may sometimes be seen
on the branches together with the new clusters of flowers
and the young leaves.
Sterculia villosa Roxb.
(Villosa is Latin meaning "shaggy").
Hindi, udal, uday.
(F.I. p. 5io. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 355. B.P. Vol. I. p. 274.)

A moderate-sized deciduous tree ; leaves oblong or

ovate-oblong, deeply 5- to 7-lobed, lobes again 3-lobed,
base cordate, 12 to 18 inches each way ; petiole as long
as the leaf ; stipules large, deciduous ; flowers
membranous, male and bisexual mixed in long pendulous
panicles ; calyx campanulate, hairy outside, yellow with
purple centre, 1 inch diam.; anthers 10; follicles 2 to 5,
sessile, coriaceous, to 3 inches long, scarlet when ripe ;
seeds oblong, black, shining.
This is a middle-sized spreading tree with whitish
bark, and very large deeply lobed leaves crowded at the
ends of the branches. The lobes of the leaves radiate from
the end of the leaf-stalk, and mostly have several
subsidiary lobes on their sides. The whole leaf is densely
covered with down beneath. Both male and hermaphrodite
flowers are found intermingled on slender stalks in long
drooping clusters before the leaves appear, so that the
otherwise bare boughs are then covered with scented,
yellow and crimson blooms. The fruit consists of several
large hairy capsules. joined at the base and spreading
outwards ; they turn a brilliant red when ripe and then split
along their inner edge to show a number of large black
seeds within. The old leaves turn yellow in October and
soon fall, leaving the branches bare for a time. The flowers
appear at the end of January, or early in February, to be
closely followed by the new leaves, and the fruits ripen in
April, when their scarlet colour gives the tree a gay look.
The seeds fall in June.
164 KEY

The inner bark of this tree yields a coarse fibre,

which is much used in many parts of India for ropes,
cordage, and bag-making.
The fibre is whitish-pink in colour and strips off the
tree in broad flakes which have a peculiar net-like
appearance. The ropes
made from it are valued for
the purpose of harnessing
elephants, and are often
used to make halters for
cattle and for tying rafts.
They are said to get
stronger from being wetted.
The root of the tree
is occasionally eaten and
the trunk yields a
transparent gum. The
timber is almost useless,
being very light and spongy
and very bad fuel.
The tree was once
common in most of the
hotter parts of India, but
alas been largely
exterminated in many
places owing to its useful fibre. It does not seem to be wild
now near Calcutta, but is occasionally planted in gardens.
Some good specimens are to be Seen in the Agri-Horti.
Gardens, Alipore.
PTERYGOTA. (A Greek word meaning
"wing-shaped"). A genus of 4 species of trees with simple
undivided leaves, formerly united with Sterculia. The
flowers are either unisexual or bisexual, and male, female,
and hermaphrodite (polygamous) flowers are found on the
same tree. The flowers are without petals. The stamens
are joined (in male flowers) into a cylindrical tube. The
fruits are large, roundish, hard, and woody, and open by
one valve to release many broadly winged seeds.
 KEY 165

Pterygota alata R.Br. Syn : Sterculia alata Roxb,

(Alata in Latin means "winged", in allusion to the seeds).

Bengali, buddha narikella.

English, Buddha's coconut.
(F.I. p. 509. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 360. B.P. Vol. I. p. 274.)

A tall deciduous tree ; leaves broadly

ovate-cordate, acute, 4 to 12 inches long, clustered near
ends of branches ; petiole 1 to 4 inches ; flowers in short
racemes from the leafless axils, few flowered ; racemes
shorter than the leaves ; calyx campanulate, densely
tomentose, deeply 5-partite, segments lanceolate,
red-veined within, nearly 1 inch long ; anthers in male
flowers about 5 in a ring at the top of column, in
hermaphrodite flowers in sessile groups in the sinuses
formed by the carpels ; follicles stalked, woody,
subglobcse, about 5 inches diam.; seeds many; oblong,
compressed, with a about 21 inches long and z4 inches
broad.
This is probably the tallest tree growing in the
neighbourhood of Calcutta, and its short branches, which
often spring from all parts of the straight trunk, give it a
distinctive slender outline. The leaves are broadly
heart-shaped, and are clustered near the ends of the
branches on rather long stalks. The flowers, which are
166 KEY

borne in small
dense clusters
along the
branches, are
greenish, purplish
or rusty brown
outside and
marked with red
veins within ; they
have an
unpleasant smell.
The large and
almost spherical
fruit is woody,
covered with a
fine, mealy down without, and lined with a layer of corky
material within. The woody case eventually splits down one
side, and gapes widely to release a number of broadly
winged seeds. The bark is smooth and grey and the base
of the trunk is often strengthened by several narrow,
widespreading buttresses.
In some parts of India and Burma the seeds are
eaten, it is said, as a cheap substitute for opium, though
the tree does not seem to be otherwise recognised as
having any narcotic properties. The timber is light, coarsely
fibrous and of no value.
The tree is a native of south-western India, Sikkim,
Assam, Chittagong, Burma and the Andamans. It is often
planted near Calcutta, where it is conspicuous owing to its
great height. Its upper branches are a favourite nesting
place for vultures.
The flowers appear in February and March, at
which time the old leaves begin to fall. The fresh leaves
open in April and May, but for a little while after the
flowering period the branches are almost bare, and the
new foliage is produced irregularly, the lower branches
usually becoming covered before those higher up.
 KEY 167

A curious veriety of this tree (var. diversi folia) has

been called "Paula gachh", because no two of its leaves
are the same shape. Specimens of this are very
occasionally found in Bengal gardens. Some good
examples are to be' seen in the Royal Agri-Horticultural
Society's garden at Alipore, one of which has almost all its
leaves of fantastic shapes, looking as if they had been
bitten or gnawed by animals. Other specimens have only
some of these freakish leaves, the remainder being more
or less normal.
ERYTHROPSIS. (From the Greek "eruthros", red,
and "opsis," appearance).
A genus of trees, formerly united with Sterculia.
The leaves are divided into several lobes which spread
outwards from the base of the leaf. The brightly coloured
flowers are borne in open clusters (panicles) at the ends of
the branches. The calyx is covered with down and is
tubular in shape. There are no petals, and the stamens are
joined into a tube bearing about 30 anthers. The fruit
consists of 5 papery divisions (follicles), each on a short
stalk ; the divisions open before they are ripe by 2 valves
and disclose 2 seeds, one of which adheres to each valve.
Erythropsis colorata (Roxb.) Burkill. Syn. Sterculia
colorata Roxb. Firmiana colorata R. Br.
(Colorata in Latin means "colourdd").

Bengali, mula.
Hindi, bodula, walena, samari.
(F.I. p. 507. F.B.I. Vol. p. 359. B.P. Vol. I. p. 274.)

Leaves roundish, 6 to 12 inches wide, shallowly 3-

or 5-lobed, lobes triangular, acuminate ; petiole 3 to 8
inches long ; panicles numerous, erect ; the entire
inflorescence covered with orange or scarlet stellate
tomentum ; calyx 2 / 3 to il inches long, funnel-shaped, the
mouth toothed ; follicles r to 5, stalked, oblong-lanceolate,
obtuse, membranous 2 to 3 inches long; seeds ovoid,
168 KEY

about 1 inch long, 1 on one or both of margins of the

follicle.
This is a medium-sized or tall tree with grey bark,
and often rather short branches that give the tree a narrow
shape. The leaves are large and more or less round, with
several broad lobes, each tapering to a point. The foliage
is shed during the cold season, after which the tree stands
bare for several months, but in March a number of stiff,
erect clusters of narrow flowers appear at the ends of the
twigs, and give the bare branches a strange and cheerful
beauty. The stalks of the flowers. as well as the unopened
buds and the flowers themselves, are densely covered with
scarlet or deep orange down, giving the whole clusters the
look of a mass of coral. Each fruit consists of from one to
five papery sections, borne on long stalks, which open
wide by two valves to reveal the seeds, usually two each of
the gaping valves. and finally, at the end of April or in May,
become pale straw-coloured. The new leaves are
produced after the fruits ripen.
This tree is a native of eastern Bengal, Burma,
south-western India, and Ceylon. It is occasionally planted
in Indian gardens and a few trees are to be found in
Calcutta. A good specimen may be seen in the Calcutta
Zoo, not far from the
north-east corner of the
garden.
The aborigines of
Ceylon regard this tree as
sacred. The flowers are
used in some parts of
India to decorate the horns
of cattle during the Holi
festival.
HERITIERA. (After
Charles Louis Heritier de
Boutelle, a French
botanist, 1746-IHOO). A
genus of 6 to 7 species of
 KEY 169

evergreen trees, natives of the seashores of the tropical

Old World, and of Australia. The trees are remarkable for
the minute silvery scales that cover the lower sides of the
leaves. The flowers are unisexual and without petals, and
the male flower has 5 stamens only. The fruits consist of a
number of woody capsules, which have keels or wings
projecting from their surface, but do not split open.
Heritiera littoralis Dryander.
(Littoralis in Latin means "found on the seashore").

Bengali, sundri, sunder.

Hindi, sundri, sundari.
English, looking-glass tree,
(F.I. p. 506. F.B.I. VOL I. p, 363.)

A middle-sized gregarious or spreading tree ;

leaves elliptic-oblong from a rounded or slightly cordate
base, silver-scaly beneath, 5 to 10 inches long ; petiole 1
inch long ; panicles shorter than leaves ; flowers
monoecious, pinkish, calyx r/6 inch long ; ripe carpels x to
3, glabrous, shining, with a sharp keel, 12 to 3 inches long.
This medium-sized evergreen tree in its natural
state is usually found growing in dense coppices, but when
a solitary specimen is grown apart from other trees it
acquires a handsome rounded outline. The large leathery
leaves are dark green and glossy above but of a beautiful
silvery colour beneath due to a layer of minute shining
scales, which have caused the tree to be called by
Europeans "the looking-glass tree". The small pinkish
flowers are borne in dense clusters in the axils of the
leaves. The fruit consists of a group of shining, woody,
nut-like objects encircled by a hard and sharp ridge or keel.
170 KEY

This tree is
adapted for life on the
seashore, and often
flourishes in places
reached by the highest
tides. The roots do not
penetrate to any depth
into the soil but spread
about on the surface
with numerous stout
offshoots, which stand
out from the ground,
often with narrow ridges
forming plank-like
projections above the
soil and flat, narrow buttresses to the trunk. The fruits are
capable of floating for weeks in the sea, and then
germinating where they are stranded at high tide.
The Sunderbans (Bengali, sundariban, meaning
"sundari-forest") have taken their name from another
closely related tree, Heritiera Fomes Buch., which has
been much confused with H. littoralis, and has the same,
vernacular names. H. Fomes is very common in the
Sunderbuns and is an important source of timber and
firewood in Calcutta. It may be distinguished from H.
littoyalis by its smaller leaves, which are narrowed towards
the base, orange coloured flowers and pods which are only
slightly keeled.
The timber of both species is strong, tough, and
durable, weighing about 65 lb. to the cubic foot, but that of
H. littoralis seems to be rather the lighter and the more
open in grain. Both are widely used for boat-building, piles,
rafters, and similar purposes. They are also said to make
excellent charcoal.
Heritiera littoralis is a native of many coasts of the
tropics of the Old World, including South India and possibly
including the Sunderbuns, where according to some
authorities it is found along with H. Foines, though
 KEY 171

apparently in much smaller numbers. A single fine

specimen of H. littoralis grows in the middle of the garden
of Belvedere in Alipore.
The flowers appear in February and March, and the
fruits ripen during the rains.
KLEINHOVIA. (After Kleinhoff, a Dutch botanist, d.
1777). A genus containing a single species distinguished
by hermaphrodite flowers, unequal petals, and
membranous inflated fruit.
Kleinhovia Hospita Linn.
(Hospita in Latin means "hospitable", in allusion to
the fact that the tree harbours parasites, or possibly to the
well-known hospitality of Kleinhoff, in whose honour the
tree was named).
Bengali, bola.
English, tree antigonon. (Owing to its
supposed resemblance to
the garden climber Antigonon
leptons Endl.)
(F. I. p. 505. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 364. B. P. Vol. II. p. 272):

Leaves broadly ovate, often cordate, smooth, 3 to

12 inches long (in Calcutta seldom more than 4 inches),
petiole nearly as long as the blade; flowers bisexual, in
large pendulous terminal panicles, pink, I inch diam.;
sepals 5, equal, nearly free ; petals unequal, zygomorphic ;
staminal tube slender, ending in a 5-fid cup, each segment
bearing 3 anthers; capsule membranous, inflated, pyriform,
loculicidally 5-valved ; seeds i to 2 in each cell, black.
This is a fair-sized tree with a roundish crown and
rather straggling branches. The bark is pale brown and
often bears a number of knobbly excrescences. The leaves
are broadly oval or heart-shaped, and are borne on rather
long stalks. The small, bright pink flowers are arranged in
large branched clusters which droop from the ends of the
branches, and sometimes almost cover the tree with
blossom. The fruit is a hollow, papery bladder, roughly
172 KEY

pear-shaped in outline, but with 5 lobes round its

circumference.
The tree retains its leaves almost throughout the
year, and during the cold weather is, as a rule, partially
covered with a delicate tracery of old flower stalks, to
which the curious inflated pods are an added ornament.
The flowers appear intermittently from May to November,
but principally in August and September. The new leaves
open in February or March and the branches are
sometimes almost bare for a short period before their
arrival.
The timber is white and
soft, weighing only about 28 lb.
to the cubic foot. When old it is
said to be highly valued in Java.
In the Philippines the shoots and
young leaves are eaten as
vegetables. A decoction of the
leaves is used in Cochin China
to cure skin diseases.
The tree is a native of
tropical Africa, Malaya, and
Australia. It was introduced into
Calcutta from the Moluccas in
2798 and is widely planted in
India as an avenue tree,
especially in the South, and is
not uncommon in Calcutta.
Several specimens may be seen
on the Maidan.
PTEROSPERMUM. (Greek, "winged seed".) A
genus of about species of trees and shrubs, all natives of
tropical Asia, of which about rr species are found in India,
and several are planted in lower Bengal. The leaves are
often lobed, and generally covered with dense stellate
down beneath. The flowers are hermaphrodite and usually
large, with 5 sepals more or less united, g long petals, and
10 stamens joined into a tube, of which only 15 have
 KEY 173

anthers. The fruit is woody, and splits into g valves to

release the winged seeds.
In addition to the 3 species described below. P.
Heyneanuna Wall. is represented in Calcutta (in 1944) by a
single specimen in the Victoria Memorial garden. This is a
handsome tree not unlike Yaceyifolium but with smaller
leaves not exceeding 6 inches in length, and smaller
flowers. It flowers from October to December and ripens its
fruits in the hot weather. It is a native of the western side of
South India.
Pterospermum suberifolium Lam.
(Suberifolium in Latin means "with leaves like the cork
tree").

Bengali, muchkand, muchukunda, muskunda.

Hindi, inuchkand.
(F.I. p. 512- F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 367. Not in B.P.)

A medium-sized tree ; leaves oblong, acuminate,

often coarsely and irregularly lobed in the upper part, base
rounded oblique or subcordate, 3-5 nerved, very hoary
beneath, 2 to 4 inches long, distichous ; petiole J inch long;
flowers scented, yellowish-white, y inches long, on short
axillary x- to 3-flowered peduncles ; calyx-lobes acute,
reflexed, linear ; petals 5, deciduous with the calyx,
lanceolate-oblong ; capsule
2 to 3 inches long,
ovoid-oblong, tapering at
both ends, white-velvety ;
wing of seed twice as long
as the seed.
This handsome
middle-sized tree has fairly
smooth, greyish bark, and
rather small leaves arranged
all in one plane in two
opposite rows on either side
of the twigs. The leaves
174 KEY

taper to a point, and are usually irregularly waved or lobed

near the outer end. Their lower sides are densely covered
with pale down. The scented flowers are arranged on short
stalks in the axils of the leaves, each having five narrow,
brownish sepals, five rather shorter but broader whitish
petals, and twenty prominent stamens. The narrow,
pointed, woody fruit is covered with white, velvety down
and contains a number of broadly winged seeds.
The flowers, made into a paste with rice-vinegar,
are a well-known cure for headache. The timber is
moderately hard and very tough ; it is used for building,
cart-making, and other purposes.
The tree is a native of the south-west of India, and
Ceylon. It is occasionally planted in Bengal. A specimen
may be seen near the centre of the Calcutta Zoological
Gardens.
The flowers appear in the early part of the hot
season.
Pterospermum acerifolium Willd. Syn. P. aceroides
Wall.

Bengali, kanak champa.

Hindi, kanak champa, kaniay,
hathachampa.
(F.I. p. Sri. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 368. B.P. Vol. I. p. 276.)

A tall evergreen tree ; leaves more or less orbicular,

often peltate, shallowly and irregularly lobed, glabrous
above, grey-tomentose beneath, 6 to 15 inches long ;
petiole 4 to 12 inches ; calyx segments linear, up to 5
inches long, densely tomentose outside, brownish ; petals
5, linear-oblong, pure white ; capsule oblong, angled, 4 to
6 inches long, 5-celled, 5-valued, clothed with brown
furfuraceous deciduous tomentum.
This is a tall and usually rather slender, evergreen
tree with smooth grey bark, and twigs covered with
rusty-coloured do«-n. The leaves are usually almost round
in general shape, but are more or less lobed or waved
 KEY 175

along the margins, the lobes often terminating in sharp

points. The upper surface of the leaf is dark green and
shining, but the lower surface is covered with grey down.
This down is particularly
noticeable at the end of the
rains and during the cold
weather, at which season the
foliage, when ruffled by the
breeze, appears silvery-white,
and can be picked out from
that of all other trees at a
great distance.
The very large flowers
consist of narrow, pure white
petals enclosed in a calyx
covered with rusty down,
which splits into five slender
sepals, and bends backwards
to release the petals. Within
the petals is a tassel of white
and gold stamens. The
flowers are very fragrant due
to small glands located on the
sepals, which retain their
scent long after they are dry.
The fruit is a large woody capsule, with five angles,
covered with brown scurfy hairs ; it takes about a year to
ripen, and then releases numerous seeds with splits open
along its five seams, and large, brown, membranous
wings.
The leaves are used as plates, for packing tobacco,
and as fodder for cattle, and are laid on roofs as an inner
lining for thatch. The down from the backs of the leaves is
employed to stop bleeding from wounds and as tinder. The
flowers are much valued by Bengalees as a disinfectant
and as a means of keeping insects away from clothes ;
they are also used medicinally as a general tonic, and
occasionally as a cure for inflammation, blood troubles,
176 KEY

ulcers; leprosy, and tumours. The bark and leaves are

employed in smallpox.
The sapwood is white, and the heartwood soft to
fairly hard, weighing about 45 lb. to the cubic foot. It is
used for planking and other purposes, and is said to take a
good polish.
The tree is a native of the foot of the Himalayas,
Assam, Chittagong, and Burma. It is often planted in other
parts of India, and is not uncommon near Calcutta.
The flowers appear in February, March, and April.
Hindus make use of them for religious purposes, but they
are not offered to Vishnu.
Pterospermum lanceaefolium Roxb.
(Lanceaefolium means "with lancet-like leaves"). Bengali,
ban kalla.
(F.I. p. 513. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 368.)

A large tree ; young shoots and underside of leaves

tomentose ; leaves lanceolate or oblong, base rounded,
acuminate, entire, or shallowly lobed, 3 to 6 inches long ;
petiole very short ; peduncles axillary, half the length of the
leaves, stellately pubescent ; calyx rj inches long ; petals 5,
1 inch long, white ; capsules lanceolate, hairy, 3 inches
long ; seeds 2 to 4 in each cell.
This is a large
tree with fairly smooth,
light greyish bark,
slender drooping
branchlets, and narrow
leaves, which are
some times shallowly
lobed at the end
opposite the stalk,
are suddenly
contracted into a fine
point at the apex, and
are covered beneath
with dense, grey or
 KEY 177

tawny down. The fragrant white flowers are borne on short

stalks from near the bases of the leaves ; they are similar
to those of Pacerif olium but very much smaller. The fruit is
egg-shaped and tapers to a point ; it is not quite circular in
section, has five indefinite angles, and is covered with grey
down.
The tree is a native of the north-west Himalayas,
Assam, Chittagong, and Burma, and is occasionally
planted in Calcuttai A specimen may be seen in the Royal
Agri-Horti. gardens at Alipore.
In Assam the leaves are chewed to redden the lips.
The wood is fairly hard.
The flowers appear in May and June.
GUAZUMA. (A South American vernacular name).
A genus of 5 species of trees, natives of tropical America.
The leaves are not lobed or angled, and are covered with
fine down. The small bisexual flowers are borne in
branched clusters, and the 5 petals have long ribbon- or
clawlike appendages. There are 15 fertile stamens joined
into a tube in groups of 3 alternating with 5 barren stamens
(staminodes). The fruit is a woody capsule resembling a
mulberry in outward appearance.
Guazuma tomentoss Knuth. Syn. Buboma
tomentosa. Spreng.
(Tomentosa in Latin means "densely covered with short
hairs").

Bengali, nipaltuntk.
English, bastard cedar, honey-fruit
tree, musket tree.
(F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 375. B.P. Vol. I. p. 278)

Herbaceous portions stellate-tomentose ; leaves

oblong-lanceolate, obliquely cordate, acuminate, serrate,
41 to 3 inches long ; petiole short ; flowers -,1 inch across,
numerous, in terminal and axillary panicles ; calyx
campanulate, sepals ultimately reflexed ; petals yellowish,
clawed, hooded, terminating in 2 slender, ligulate, yellow or
178 KEY

purple appendages ; capsule ovoid or globose, woody,

tubercled, black, r inch diam., indehiscent, many-seeded.
This is a small or middle-sized tree, with rough
brown bark, often with gnarled branches and a straggling
habit of growth. The rather narrow, pointed leaves have
toothed margins, and are rough above but covered with
minute down beneath, their general look being slightly
reminiscent of the foliage of an English hazel bush. The
small yellow, or yellow and chocolate-coloured, flowers are
borne in short-branched clusters from the axils of the
leaves. There are five minute hood-shaped petals, each
ending in two narrow ribbons, which are usually dark in
colour. The round fruit is woody, and covered with small
raised lumps, the whole closely resembling a black
mulberry in general appearance, though of quite a different
consistency.
The fruit contains a sweet, gummy substance and
is edible, while the leaves make excellent cattle fodder. A
glutinous decoction of the inner bark is used in the West
Indies for clarifying sugar. The young branches yield a
strong fibre which is occasionally made into ropes. The
timber is soft and even-grained, weighing about 38 lbs. to
the cubic foot ; it is made into rough furniture and packing
cases.
The bark is
employed as a tonic. In the
West Indies the inner bark
is valued as a remedy for
elephantiasis, and the old
bark is used to cure skin
troubles and diseases of the
chest.
 KEY 179

The tree is a native of tropical America, but is now

established in many hot countries. In Calcutta it is
commonly planted in shrubberies and as an avenue tree,
though it does not serve well for the latter purpose in
Bengal owing to its rather stunted growth. It also occurs
spontaneously in thickets and jungle.
The flowers appear from March to May, and again
in September and October. The new leaves are produced
in February and March. The fruits remain on the tree until
they fall off at the next flowering period.
ABROMA. (From the Greek "a", not, "broma", food ;
in contradistinction to the name of the closely allied genus
Theobyonxa, meaning "food of the gods", which includes
the well-known Tzeobrosna Cacao Linn., the cocoa plant.)
A genus of 3 species of evergreen trees and shrubs,
natives of the tropics of the Old World. The flowers are
bisexual and have 5 petals, concave or hooded at the
base, and terminating in 2 long limp appendages. 5 fertile
stamens alternate with 5 barren stamens (staminodes).
The fruit is a membranous capsule containing many
wingless seeds.
Abroma augusta Linn. Syn. Gossipium Demonum
Rumph.
(Augusta is Latin meaning "majestic").

Bengali, ulat kambal, ullat kuvnul.

Hindi, kumal, ulatkaxnbat.
English, devil's cotton, perennial
Indian hemp.
(F.I. p. 5ro. F.B.I. Vol. I p. 375. B.P. Vol. I. p. 278.)

An evergreen shrub or small tree ; branchlets

pubescent ; leaves membranous, finely acuminate ; the
upper ovate or lanceolate, cordate, sometimes entire,
about 6 inches long, short-petioled ; the lower
orbicularcordate, more or less lobed and serrulate, in
young trees up to 18 inches diam., long-petioled; flowers in
terminal or leaf-opposed, few-flowered cymes ; sepals pale
180 KEY

green, lanceolate, acute, 1 inch long- petals below

concave, whitish and dark purple with purple hairs, 1 inch
long, terminating above in chocolate-coloured, elliptic
appendages inch long ; anthers sessile, minute,
alternating with larger white and purple staminodes ; styles
5 ; fruit a membranous, 5-angled, winged, septicidally
5-valved capsule with truncate apex, 2 inches long and
wide ; seeds numerous, surrounded by silky hairs.
This curious plant is a large quick growing shrub, or
a small tree, with fairly smooth, greyish bark, and
horizontal branches
terminating in green, finely
downy twigs. The evergreen
foliage consists of thinly
membranous, rather rough,
leaves of very varied size and
shape. The upper leaves are
narrow and with more or less
margins, and a the base near
the with the short while the
lower tapering smooth recess
a junction stalk leaves are
more or less round in general
shape, have slightly toothed
edges, and usually have about
five pronounced lobes. The
tips of the leaves always
terminate in a fine, sharp
point, and the lobes, when
present, are usually pointed
also. The lower leaves of
young plants sometimes measure eighteen inches across,
but those of old trees are usual and the outermost leaves
on the young twigs may be only two or three inches in
length. The pendulous flowers hang two or three together
at, or near, the ends of the twigs. The calyx consists of five
pointed, pale-green sepals, joined at their base. The
conspicuous part of each of the five petals is a pale
 KEY 181

chocolate-coloured flap or appendage, soft and limp in

texture, attached by a very narrow ribbon to a much
smaller, stiff, spoon-shaped base, which is studded with
short purplish hairs. Within the circle made by the five
spoon-shaped bases of the petals are five barren stamens,
or staminodes, in colour whitish and purple, which
alternate with five minute yellow anthers and within the ring
of staminodes are five small white styles. The fruit quickly
develops into a large, green, leathery capsule with five
pronounced wings, which taper towards the base and end
squarely above with five sharp corners. Nearly a year after
the opening of the flowers, the fruits, which by then have
turned a dull brown colour, open at the top, and spread
wide to release a number of seeds. The centre of the fruit
consists of a mass of silky, whitish fibres which by
springing apart serve to eject the seeds. The cottony
appearance of the open fruits has no doubt given rise to
one of the plant's English names, but the reason for its
diabolic association is less obvious.
This tree is a native of Malaya and possibly of India
also, though it is generally thought to be an escape from
cultivation in the various parts of the plains where it is now
established in scrub forest and thickets. It is sometimes
grown in gardens, but probably more as a curiosity than as
an ornamental plant, though Firminger remarks that the
character of gloom that pervades the plant contrasts
pleasingly with the other gay things of the garden.
Certainly the pale chocolate-coloured, eardrop-like flowers,
with their delicate petals, are attractive, and the huge
leaves of the young plants would be a handsome addition
to any collection of shrubs.
The bark contains a strong silky fibre which has
been used for cordage, and the plant has been
recommended as a source of a substitute for hemp. But
experiments have shown that the cost of extracting the
fibre, which must be done by retting, is too high, and the
plant does not now seem to be cultivated anywhere for this
purpose. It is, however, grown for its medicinal properties,
182 KEY

the root-bark being used as an emmenagogue, and for this

reason it is not uncommonly planted in Bengal villages. A
number of plants may be seen in the neighbourhood of
Behala, south of Calcutta.
The timber is soft and useless. The plant is easily
propagated by cuttings.
The flowers appear during the rains, and the fruits
ripen during the ensuing cold and hot seasons.

TILIACEAE

A family of about 35 genera and 380 species of

trees, shrubs and herbs, mostly natives of the tropics. The
leaves are not arranged in opposite pairs, are often lobed,
but never divided into separate leaflets. The flowers are
usually small and bisexual, with 5 sepals and 5 white or
yellow petals. The stamens are numerous, and either quite
separate or joined in 3 or 5 bundles ; each anther has 2
pollen-cells. The fruits take various forms.
GREWIA. (Named after Nehemiah Grew of
Coventry, the author of a work on the anatomy of plants,
1628-1682.) A genus of over 100 species of trees and
shrubs, of tropical and subtropical countries from Africa to
Australia. The leaves are toothed, and usually more or less
unequal-sided at the base. The sepals are separate and
distinct, and the petals have a thickened or glandular
appendage at the base. The fruit is a berry, often deeply
lobed, and containing 1 to 4 seeds.
About 30 species are found in India, and 6 in the
plains of Bengal. Gyewia multifloya Juss. (Bengali, pani
Sara) is a large evergreen shrub often used to form
hedges, and not uncommon in the neighbourhood of
Calcutta. It resembles G. glabya Bl. (see next page), but
differs in having smaller leaves not exceeding 4 inches
long by ii inches wide, and smaller flowers less than I inch
across. The sepals of G. multiflora do not exceed inch in
length but those of G. glabra are at least I inch long. The
flowers of G. multiflora are produced from June to October
 KEY 183

and the leaves are renewed in the hot weather. The fruit
consists of two small berries conjoined, which turn black
when ripe. The plant is said occasionally to attain the size
of a small tree.
Grewia subinaequalis , DC. Syn. G. asiatica Linn.
(Asiatica means "from Asia". Subinaequalis means "rather
unequal").

English, dhamani, phalsa, sukri.

Hindi. phaysa, dhamin, birhla,
dhamani, phalsa, kayya,
pharoah, shukyi, phulsa.
Urdu, phalasah.
(F.I. p. 431. F.B.I. Vol. I p, 386. B.P. VOL I p. 283.)

Leaves alternate, broad-cordate to obliquely ovate,

tomentose, coarsely and irregularly toothed, 2 to 7 inches
long ; petiole ,J inch, thickened at the top ; peduncles
axillary, in fascicles of 2 to 1o, from I to 2 inches long, each
bearing 3 to 5 flowers ; sepals 1 inch to J inch long ; petals
to 1 inch long, yellow, or red and yellow, not bifld ; stamens
orange ; stigma with 4 short lobes ; fruit globose,
indistinctly lobed, pilose, about J inch diam.
This is a small tree, or a large straggling shrub,
rather resembling the English hazel in its foliage and habit.
The leaves are variable in shape but are always wide and
pointed with toothed margins, and are usually broadly
heart-shaped with an unequalsided base. They are
arranged close together in one plane on either side of the
rather long, straight twigs. The leaf-stalks are short, and
the young leaves are often pink or reddish in colour. The
yellow or orange flowers are borne in numerous small
clusters in the axils of the leaves. The fruit is a red or
purple berry about the size of a pea, thinly covered with
long fine hairs and containing one or two seeds. The bark
is rough and grey.
The fruit is very acid and is used for making a
pleasant cooling drink. From it a spirit is sometimes
184 KEY

distilled, and it has various

medicinal qualities, being
specially valued as a tonic
and as a cure for heart and
chest troubles. The
root-bark is used by the
Santals to cure
rheumatism, and the
leaves are applied as a
remedy for certain kinds of
skin diseases.
A fibre is
sometimes extracted from
the bark and is made into
ropes. The timber is light,
strong, and elastic, and is
much prized for purposes where combined lightness and
strength are required: its weight is about 43 lb. to the cubic
foot. The bark is, or used to be, employed to clarify sugar.
This very variable tree is believed to be a native of
the north-west of India, but is now generally cultivated for
its fruit throughout the country, except in the Gangetic plain
and East Bengal, where it is not very common. It is often
planted near Calcutta in gardens and near villages.
The flowers appear in March or April together with
the new leaves. The fruits ripen soon after.
Grewia glabra Bl: Syn: G. disperma Rottl. G.
laevigata Vahl. G. didyma Roxb.
(Laevigata is Latin meaning "smooth", probably with
reference to the leaves. Glabra means "hairless".)

Bengali, kath bimla.

Hindi, kath bewal, bhimul, kakki.
(F.I. p. 432. F.B.I. VOL I. p. 389. B.P. VOL p. 283.)

Leaves alternate, elliptic, acuminate, membranous,

finely serrate, shining, nearly glabrous, distichous, 3 to 6
inches long ; petiole to inch long ; flowers in axillary cymes
 KEY 185

of 3 to 4 flowers ; sepals to inch long, greenish white ;

petals 6 inch long, white ; stamens numerous,
yellowish-white ; drupes usually didymous or 4-lobed,
green ; drupels about I inch diam.,
This is a small tree or a large straggling shrub, with
thin, dark grey bark. The leaves are narrow, pointed, and
shining with finely toothed edges, and are borne on short
stalks in two rows on either side of the slender twigs. The
teeth situated towards the base of the leaves are
converted into minute
cup-shaped glands. The
inconspicuous greenish
flowers grow several
together on short stalks
springing from the axils
of the leaves. The fruit
consists of one or
several small, hard,
smooth green berries,
which, if more than one,
are joined together near
their base.
The wood is
rather soft but
close-grained, weighing about 36 lb. per cubic foot. It is
white when freshly cut, but turns yellow and then brown. A
useful cordage fibre is said to be obtainable from the bark,
and the leaves are lopped for fodder.
The tree is a native of the outer Himalayas and
most of peninsular India. It is occasionally found in. village
shrubberies near Calcutta, but probably only south and
west of the city.
The flowers appear from June to October. The
foliage is nearly evergreen, the leaves being renewed
during the hot season. The fruits ripen in the cold weather.
MUNTINGIA. (After A. Munting, a German
physician and professor of botany at Goetingen, 1626-83).
This is a genus containing a single species, a native of
186 KEY

tropical America. The leaves are toothed and

unequal-sided. The flowers grow singly on long stalks, 1 or
more stalks being borne together just above a leaf. The
petals have no spur or other attachment, the ovary has g
cavities, and the fruit is a berry containing many seeds.
Muntingia Calabura Linn.
(Calabura is a West Indian name).

English, Chinese cherry, Japanese

cherry.
(Not mentioned in F.I., F.B.I., and B.P.)

A small spreading tree or shrub ; branches

drooping, pubescent ; leaves distichous, obliquely
lanceolate, acute, serrate, subglabrous above,
silvery-tomentose below, about 3 inches long; petiole inch
long; flowers solitary on extra-axillary peduncles, inch
diam.; peduncles 1 inch; sepals 5, linear-lanceolate,
acuminate, I inch long ; petals obcordate, white, ,I inch
long ; stamens many; stigma 5-lobed ; ovary ovoid,
glabrous ; berry globose or obovoid, inch long ; seeds
many, in juicy pulp.
This shrub or small tree has wide-spreading
branches, which often droop downwards so that the
outermost twigs almost touch the ground. The narrow,
pointed leaves are unequal-sided, and are arranged on
very short stalks in one plane on opposite sides of the
branches ; on their upper
sides the leaves are
smooth, but the lower
sides are covered with
silvery grey down. The
small white flowers are
borne singly on long stalks
which spring from the
branches above the
leaf-stalks. The petals last
for one day only, after which they fall to the ground. The
 KEY 187

fruit is a smooth red berry, which closely resembles a

cherry externally though unlike a cherry it contains a large
number of minute seeds embedded in watery pulp.
This plant is a native of America, but is cultivated in
most parts of tropical Asia. It has only been introduced into
Bengal within recent years but it is now very common in
Calcutta gardens. Its growth is remarkably rapid, and its
evergreen foliage combined with its graceful dwarf habit
makes it an excellent ornamental tree for lawns, though it
must be remembered that scarcely any plant will grow
under its dense shade. The white flowers are attractive, but
not numerous enough to be showy. The red fruits have a
curious musty flavour which is said to be highly thought of
in China, and they are stated to make good tarts and jam.
In the West Indies an infusion of the leaves is used as tea.
The flowers and berries appear almost all the year
round. The berries are very attractive to fruit-eating birds.
BERRIA. (Also spelt "berrya". Named by Sir William
Roxburgh after Dr. Andrew Berry, a botanist of Madras, "to
whose ability and industry the Botanic Garden at Calcutta
is much indebted"). A genus containing a single species
distinguished by sepals joined to form a cup at the base,
the absence of barren stamens (staminodes), and fruits
with 6 wings. The leaves are broad and have almost
smooth edges.
Berria cordifolia (Willd.) Burret.
(Cordifolia means "with heart-shaped leaves.")

English, Trincomali wood.

(F.I. p. 447. F.B.I. VOL I. p. 383. Not in B.P.)

A large tree ; leaves alternate, cordate, slightly

scolloped, acute, nearly glabrous, bright green, 4 to 8
inches long, 5- to 7-nerved at the base ; petiole 2 to 4
inches long, slender, round, smooth ; flowers in large lax
terminal panicles ; calyx 6 inch long, downy, irregularly
lobed ; petals 5, spreading, linear-oblong, white, about inch
long; stamens many, free, half the length of the petals
188 KEY

capsule borne on the persistent calyx, rounded, 6-winged,

3-celled ; wings papery, blunt, horizontally spreading, r
inch long ; seeds 1 to 4 in each cell, pilose.
This tall evergreen
tree has a straight trunk
covered with fairly smooth,
light brownish-grey bark,,
and a spreading crown of
shady foliage. The broadly
heart-shaped, bright green
leaves are crowded on long
stalks near the ends of the
twigs ; they have pointed
tips and slightly indented
edges with broad, shallow
recesses alternating
irregularly with slight
projections. At the ends of
the branches the rather
smell flowers are borne in
loose clusters ; each flower
has five narrow, white,
'spreading petals, within
which are a large number of
much shorter stamens
ending in golden-yellow anthers. The fruits are borne in
profusion, each consisting of a roundish capsule set with
six spreading. papery wings and containing from three to
twelve seeds, which are covered with short stiff hairs.
These hairs readily penetrate the skin and cause intense
irritation.
This tree is a native of Ceylon, Burma, the
Andamans, and South India. In Ceylon it is one of the most
important and common of timber trees, and wherever it is
found it is much valued for its tough, flexible, and durable
wood, which is rather apt to split but is very hard and
close-grained. The wood is dark red in colour and weighs
about 62 lb. per cubic foot ; even when old it has a smooth,
 KEY 189

rather damp oily feel and a characteristic odour. It is used

for building purposes, carts, agricultural implements, and in
Madras for making masula boats. A coarse fibre can be
obtained from the bark.
In Calcutta the tree has been planted here and
there for ornament. A specimen grows (in 1944) on the
north side of Lower Circular Road, west of its junction with
Chowringhee, and another near the entrance gate of the
Tollygunge Club.
The flowers appear in the hot season and
sometimes give a fairly attractive show. The fruits ripen
during the rains and are conspicuous from August to
November, when they are borne in masses at the ends of
the twigs ; they are greenish at first, but turn reddish and
finally brown.

OXALIDACEAE

This is a family of 7 genera with about ego species,

mostly herbs of tropical and subtropical countries, but
including a few trees. The leaves are not arranged in
opposite pairs, and are usually divided into separate
leaflets. The flowers are bisexual, with 5 sepals and 5
petals. The stamens number ro, in two whorls of 5, and are
joined near the base. The ovary has 5 cavities (cells) and 5
distinct styles. The fruit is a capsule which splits open by 5
seams, or a berry.
This family takes its name from the genus Oxalis
which includes Oxalis corniculata Linn. (Bengali, amrul ;
English, procumbent oxalis), a small herb with yellow
flowers, which is one of the few plants found wild both in
England and in lower Bengal ; it also includes Oxalis
Acetosella Linn., the English wood-sorrel.
The Oxalidaceae are united by .some authorities
with Geramaceae, a large family of herbs which included
the genus Pelaygonium (the so-called "geraniums" of
gardens). These differ from Oxalidaceae chiefly in their
190 KEY

fruits, which have 5 separate one-seeded divisions

(carpels).
AVERRHOA. (Named after Averrhoes, a famous
Arabian physician) This is a genus of 4 or 5 species of
trees, all natives of the New World, of which 2 species are
now cultivated in many hot countries, probably having
been introduced by the Portuguese. The leaves are
imparipinnate, i.e., divided into separate leaflets arranged
in two rows on the central midrib with a terminal leaflet at
the end. The trees are said to be sensitive to being
touched, and to show signs of reflex movements when
disturbed. The fruits are fleshy, and contain numerous
small seeds.
Averrhoa Carambola Linn.
(Carambola is a Spanish name).

Bengali, kamarak, kamranga.

Hindi, kanarak, kamaranga.
Urdu, kamarakha.
English, karambola apple, Chinese
gooseberry, Coromandel
gooseberry.
(F.I. p. 387. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 439. B.P. Vol. I. p. 296.)

Leaves alternate, imparipinnate ; leaflets 5 to ii,

ovate, acuminate, glabrous, subopposite, 11 to 3 inches
long, those nearest the base the smallest ; flowers in small
panicles from the branches and trunk ; corolla inch diam.,
campanulate, variegated white and purple ; stamens 10, of
which 5 are shorter and without anthers ; fruit ellipsoid with
5 prominent ridges, up to 3 inches long, yellowish.
This is a small tree with rather smooth, dark grey
bark, and close, drooping branches. Its foliage is very
ornamental, the leaves being divided into smooth, pointed
leaflets placed in two rows on either side of the central
midrib, with one terminal leaflet at the apex of the leaf, the
arrangement being unusual in that the pairs of leaflets are
 KEY 191

not quite opposite. Many small,

bright purple and white flowers
are borne in shortbranched
clusters along the twigs, and also
from the main trunk, sometimes
not far above the level of the
ground. The narrow, pointed fruit
has five pronounced ridges or
angles, and is yellowish, or
sometimes a rich amber colour
when ripe, with a
semitransparent appearance.
The fruit before it is ripe tastes rather like a green
gooseberry, but when ripe has a strong scent like that of a
quince, and an acid but very pleasant flavour. It is almost
too sour to be eaten raw, but is cooked in stews and tarts,
and made into preserves. The pulp of the fruit is used to
make a very delicious jelly and a pleasant drink. The juice
is useful for removing stains from linen, and is often
employed for polishing brass.
The ripe fruit is used medicinally to allay
haemorrhages and other internal disorders. The dry fruit is
given in fevers. In Assam twigs of this tree are kept in
houses in the belief that they keep off measles.
A variety of the tree has sweet fruits, but those are
almost entirely devoid of the fine flavour of the acid variety.
The sweet variety is known as chini kamranga, and is
always propagated by grafting on stocks of the acid
variety.
The timber is fairly hard and close-grained,
weighing about 38 lb. per cubic foot. It is used for building
purposes and for furniture.
The tree is probably a native of America, but is now
cultivated in most hot countries. It is occasionally found in
gardens and villages near Calcutta. Two good specimens
are to be seen in the Agri-Horti. Gardens at Alipore.
192 KEY

The flowers appear chiefly from April to June, but

continue intermittently throughout the rains. The fruits ripen
chiefly in September, but are also found at other seasons:
Averrhoa Bilimbi Linn.
(Bilimbi is an Indian vernacular name).

Bengali, bilimbi, blimbi.

Hindi, belambu, bilimbi.
English, bilimbi, blimbing, cucumber
tree.
(F.I. p. 387. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 439. B.P. Vol. I. p. 296).

Leaves alternate, imparipinnate, sometimes

appearing paripinnate owing to the loss of the terminal
leaflet ; leaflets 13 to 35, narrow-oblong or lanceolate,
acuminate, pubescent beneath, to 2 inches long ; flowers
in panicles from trunk and old branches ; inflorescence and
calyx rusty pubescent ; corolla crimson or brownish purple,
I inch long ; fruit yellow, oblong, with 5 rounded, shallow
lobes, up to 4 inches long.
This small tree or shrub sometimes branches from
ground-levdl but usually has a single rather short trunk. Its
handsome, bright green leaves are long and thin in outline
and are divided into many narrow pointed leaflets, which
are arranged in opposite, or nearly opposite, pairs on
either side of the slender midrib, usually with a terminal
leaflet at the tip. The small red or purplish flowers are
borne in short branching clusters from the main trunk and
the larger branches, sometimes only just above
ground-level. The fruits are almost of the shape and size of
a gherkin, with a smooth, thin, yellow or pale green skin
like that of a white grape ; they hang by very thin stalks in
clusters, chiefly from the trunk of the tree, and often very
near the ground.
The fruit is soft when ripe and has a flavour
something like ,a green gooseberry. When kept for a short
time it is said to have a strong scent of strawberries, but
 KEY 193

without their
flavour. The fruit is
too sour to eat raw,
but is much used
for making
preserves and
pickles, and
occasionally for
jam and cooling
drinks. It is also
much eaten in
curries. The juice is
used to remove
iron-mould stains
from linen.
According to Sir George Watt the flowers too are
sometimes made into preserves.
The timber is white, tough, and even-grained, but
soft ; its weight is about 35 lb. per cubic foot. A syrup made
from the fruit is employed medicinally to cure internal
haemorrhages, and occasionally as a remedy for fever and
inflammations. The fruit is regarded as a useful remedy for
scurvy.
The tree is thought to be a native of the Moluccas,
but is now widely distributed in the tropics. It is commonly
cultivated in India, and is often found in Bengal villages
and gardens, where it occasionally appears to run wild.
The flowers appear in the early hot weather and
continue till the end of the rains. The main crop of fruit is
found about the beginning of the cold weather.

RUTACEAE

A family of about 100 genera with Boo species,

mostly shrubs and trees, natives of tropical and temperate
countries, and especially South Africa and Australia. The
plants abound in glands full of essential oil. The leaves are
usually divided into separate leaflets, and are covered with
194 KEY

minute transparent dots.. The flowers usually have 5 petals

and 5 sepals, but occasionally only 3 of each. The
stamens usually number 4 to 5 or 8 to 10, and are inserted
on the outside of an annular or cylindrical disk ; but in the
case of the genus Citrus the stamens number 20 to 60 and
are joined in bundles. The fruits are very variable in form.
The family takes its name from the genus Ruta
which includes Ruta gyaveolens Linn., the common rue, a
well-known undershrub used as a pot herb. About 24
genera of the family are reresented in India. Out is said
sometimes to grow into a low tree, though probably not in
the damp climate of Bengal. It has leaves divided into
pointed, toothed leaflets, usually numbering 5, minute
whitish flowers in branching clusters,, and smooth berries
as big as a pea. The family also includes Atalantia
monophylla DC. (Syn. Limonia monophylla Roxb.), a large
shrub with shining, blunt, aromatic leaves about ij inches
long, and small clusters of white, scented flowers very like
orange-blossoms, but smaller ; this plant is indigenous in
South India and is occasionally grown in Bengal gardens ;
the flowers open in the rains.
MURRAYA. (After J. A. Murray, a professor at
Gottingen, 174091). A genus of 5 species of shrubs and
small trees, natives of tropical Asia, of which 2 are found in
India. The leaves are divided into separate leaflets
alternately arranged on either side of a central midrib, with
a terminal leaflet at the apex. The flowers are
hermaphrodite with 5 petals which overlap each other, and
1o stamens. The ovary is surmounted by a style which
soon falls off, and the fruit is a berry containing 1 or 2
seeds only.
Murraya paniculata (Linn.) Jack. Syn. M. exotica
Linn. Chalcas paniculata Li-tan.
(Exotica in Latin means "of foreign origin". Paniculata in
Latin' means "having panicles, or tufts, of flowers").

Bengali, kamini.
Hindi, marchula, juti, atal, bibsay.
 KEY 195

English, Chinese box, Sumatra box,

satin wood, orange jasmine.
(F.I. p. 362. F.B.I. Vol. I, p. 502. B.P. Vol. I. p. 302.)

An evergreen shrub, or small tree ; leaves

imparipinnate ; leaflets alternate, usually 5 to 7, often
obovate, glabrous, shining, js to 3 inches long ; flowers in
short corymbs, campanulate, white, fragrant, i inch long;
berries 1 inch long, red, acuminate, 2-seeded;
ellipsoid-apitulate, seated on the persistent calyx.
This is a large shrub or small tree, with grey bark,
and dark green shining leaves divided into small leaflets,
which are arranged alternately (i.e., not in opposite pairs)
on either side of a midrib, with a terminal leaflet at the tip.
Many white, scented flowers are borne in small dense
clusters at the ends of the branches and from the axils of
the leaves. The fruits consist of red, more or less
eggshaped berries, which are pointed at both ends.
The appearance of this plant, except for its flowers,
is ieminiscent of the European box tree (Buxus
sempervirens Linn.), and the resemblance extends to its
timber, which is close-grained. and very hard. It has been
used for wood engraving and is often made into handles
for tools and walking sticks. In
Burma the bark is made into
cosmetics, and in some places
it is considered to be a cure for
snake-bite. The leaves and
other parts of the plant are
valued as a remedy for
dysentery. The twigs are often
employed for cleaning the
teeth, and in Assam a thick
gum obtained by burning the
green wood is used for
blackening the teeth of women.
There are two
mainvarieties of this plant, one
196 KEY

shrubby with many flowers in each cluster, and the other

growing to the size of a Both varieties are commonly
planted near Calcutta for their delicate foliage and their
attractive scented flowers, which are found throughout the
hot weather and rains. The shrubby variety is sometimes
used to form hedges.
The plant is indigenous throughout the hotter parts
of India, and in Malaya, China, Polynesia and Australia.
Hindus use the flowers in religious ceremonies,
especially in the worship of Krishna and Durga.
Murraya Koenigii Spreng. Syn: Bergera Koenigii
Linn.

Bengali, barsanga, kariaphulli.

Hindi, harri, katnim, barsanga,
gandhela, gandhla:
English, curry-leaf tree.
(F.I. p. 362. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 503. B.P. Vol. I: p. 302.)

A small pubescent tree ; leaves narrow,

imparipinnate, often x foot long ; leaflets alternate, Ii to 25,
crenulate, ovate-lanceolate from an oblique base, i to if
inches long; flowers in terminal corymbose panicles, white,
subcampanulate, j inch long; stamens io, alternately
longer, filaments dilated below ; fruit ovoid or subglobose,
about i inch long by inch diam., rugose, purplish-black
when ripe.
This small tree has a short trunk and a dense,
shady crown, which is leafless for a short time at the end of
the cold season. The long and slender leaves are divided
 KEY 197

into numerous
leaflets, which are
usually rather narrow
and pointed and are
arranged alternately
on either side of a
midrib with a terminal
leaflet at the tip. The
edges of the leaflets
are minutely notched,
and the whole leaf is
very like that of the
neem (Azadirachta
indica). Many small white flowers are borne in broad
clusters at the ends of the branches. The fruits Are
pointed, wrinkled berries, more or less spherical in shape,
greenish-white with dark spots when ripening and almost
black when ripe. Most parts of the plant are covered with
fine down, and the whole has a strong and peculiar smell.
The pungent, aromatic leaves are a common
ingredient in curries, chutney, etc., for which purposes they
are used either fresh or dry. The leaves are also valued as
a cure for dysentery, and are bruised and applied
externally as a remedy for skin troubles and contusions.
The bark and roots are given as stimulants, and are
applied externally to cure the bites of poisonous animals
and snakes.
The wood is hard and durable, weighing about 43
lb. per cubic foot. It is used for agricultural implements.
The tree is a native of the foot of the Himalayas,
and most of the hotter and damper parts of India and
Ceylon. It is occasionally planted in villages and gardens
near Calcutta.
The flowers appear with the new leaves in February
or March, and are often produced when the plant is no
larger than a shrub. The fruits ripen in June.
CITRUS. (Originally the ancient name of a fragrant
African wood, afterwards transferred by the Greeks to the
198 KEY

citron). A genus of evergreen trees and shrubs, natives of

Asia, of which several forms are found wild in various parts
of India. The leaves consist of a single leaflet, but there are
often wings on each side of the leaf-stalk, which are
sometimes wide enough to give the appearance of a small
leaflet at the base of the main leaf. The branches are often
armed with spines. The sweet-scented flowers have a
cup-shaped calyx, and 4 or 5 petals, usually white. The
stamens number from 20 to 60, and are more or less
joined together in bundles, which surround a large disk on
which the ovary rests. The fruits have leathery rinds full of
aromatic essential oil, and contain from 9 to 15 segments
(carpels) divided by thin membranes holding numerous
small vesicles filled with sweet or acid, juicy pulp. Each cell
contains a number of oval or oblong seeds.
A great diversity of plants of this genus is grown, in
India as in all warm countries, not only for their fruits but
also as ornaments in gardens, for which purpose their
glossy foliage, scented flowers, and handsome fruits, make
them eminently suitable. The nomenclature of these plants
has been frequently changed by various authorities, and it
is by no means easy to assign all the wild and cultivated
forms to definite botanical species. A useful account of the
varieties best known in India will be found in "Firminger's
Gardening in India" (Thacker Spink & Co., 1930), and a
concise, but out-of-date, scientific note on the subject may
be seen in Brandis' "Forest Flora of North-West and
Central India" (1894). Dr. Bonavia's "The Cultivated
Oranges and Lemons of India and Ceylon" (1890), gives
an exhaustive description of many forms but scarcely helps
to classify them in any systematic way. The shape, texture,
taste, and scent, of the fruits of different forms are often
quite distinct, but these characters do not usually seem to
be reliable guides to the classification of the genus. The
nomenclature adopted below is based on the publications
of Mr. Tyozaburo Tanaka, a Japanese botanist who at the
time of writing is the acknowledged authority on the
subject. He has recognised a large number of species„ but
 KEY 199

it seems possible that further study will result in the

reduction of many of these species to the status of
varieties, thereby approaching the views of the earliei
authorities. It may even be decided that all these plants
belong to one very variable species which has been much
modified by cultivation in various parts of the world.
The following key may help to identify the
commoner kinds cultivated in India: -
1. Young shoots and undersides of young leaves minutely
hairy leaf stalks mostly broadly winged ; fruit normally over
5 inches road,; vesicles of pulp loose. C. gyandis. The
pumelo or shaddock.
1. Young shoots and undersides of leaves quite hairless ;
leaf-stalks seldom with wings more than I inch wide ; fruit
very rarely more than 5 inches broad. "
2. Young shoots usually purplish ; petals more or
less pink or purplish outside ; rind of fruit thick, soft and
often uneven.
3. Leaves very fragrant ; leaf-stalk short, not
winged ; fruit usually less than 4 inches long, egg-shaped
with a blunt projection at the apex. C. Limon. The Lemon.
3. Leaves not highly scented leaf-stalk sometimes
with a broad wing; rind of fruit thick, soft and uneven, very
fragrant ; fruit large, variable and often irregular in shape:
C. medica. The citron (many varieties).
2. Young shoots green ; petals pure white ; rind of
fruit thin.
4. Fruits orange or reddish when ripe, very
seldom longer than broad.
5. Fruits over 2 inches - diam. when
ripe ; large shrubs or small trees.
6. Fruits concave at the apex
; rind loose and easily detached with
the fingers ; seeds green within. C.
chyysocarpa. The suntara or
loose-skinned orange.
200 KEY

6. Fruits rounded at the apex; rind tight, scarcely

detachable without a knife ; seeds whitish within. C.
sinensis. The sweet, or tight skinned orange.
5. Fruits about x inch diam.; small or medium-sized shrubs.
C. microcarpa. The hazara or calamondin.
4. Fruits green or yellow when ripe, often longer than
broad.
7. Pulp of fruit very acid, aromatic. C. aurantifolia. The sour
lime.
7. Pulp of fruit sweet, not aromatic. C. limettioides.- The
sweet lime.

In addition to the above, several wild plants are

grown locally for their fruits, and there are a number of
distinct cultivated forms to be sinensis, and C. aurantifolia,
are fully described below. The other Citrus plants
commonly cultivated in India are the following:-
1. Resembling C. grandis. (The pumelo).
C. Paradisi Macf. The grapefruit. Differs from C. grandis in
the size and flavour of its fruits, and in the smaller size of
all its parts. The young shoots are glabrous. The grapefruit
grows fairly well in Bengal, and its cultivation is being
extended in many parts of India.
C. Natsudaidai Hayata. Known in India as the Watson
pumelo. An inferior type of orange, fruiting in the hot
season. Fruits like a small, sour pumelo.
C. rugulosa Tanaka. The atanni of Northern India (so
called because it is half the size of a pumelo). Leaves
small, leaf-stalks with very small wings. Fruit pear-shaped,
rind rough, pale orange in colour when ripe.
2. Resembling C. chrysocarpa. (The loose-skinned
orange).
C. deliciosa Ten. The Mediterranean mandarin. A small
tree with slender branches, narrow leaves, and nearly
wingless leaf-stalks ; flowers small ; fruits flattened with a
pronounced depression at the apex, reddish-orange ;
seeds small, beaked, bright green within. Cultivated in the
U.P. and in the foothills of the Himalayas.
 KEY 201

C. tangerina Tanaka. The tangerine of the U.S.A. Leaves

much broader than those of C. deliciosa ; fruit smaller ;
seeds abundant, beaked. Cultivated in Madras and the
U.P., but the fruits are rather inferior.
C. paratangerina Tanaka. The ladoo of Poona and the
Punjab. Leaves very broad, leaf-stalks not winged. Fruits
much flattened with a pronounced projection at the base,
orange-red ; skin rough, very loose ; pulp rather acid.
C. crenatifolia Lush. The keonla or kawla of the U.P.
Closely resembles C. paratangerina, but the fruit is redder
and less flat, and has a fine flavour quite distinct from that
of C. chrysocarpa. The pulpvesicles radiate from the centre
of the fruit.
Citrus Jambhiri Lush. The khatti of the Punjab, and the
jam-bhiri of other parts of India. The "Florida rough " of the
U.S.A. Resembles C. crenatifolia, but the rind is
yellow-orange when ripe, and there is little or no projection
at the base of the fruit, but usually a projection at the apex.
Juice very abundant, acid.
C. Reshni Tanaka. The chhota kichli of Madras, and the
reshni or reshmi of Lucknow. Leaves very small. Fruits
small, depressed at base and apex, reddish, like a small
tomato. Rind loose, scented like Lantana ; pulp rather acid.
C. maderaspatana Tanaka. The kichli of Madras. . Plants
very like C. Aurantium, the bitter orange ; leaf-stalks
broadly winged. Fruit slightly five-sided, with a depression
at the apex and a small projection at the base ; rind deep
orange, smooth, scented like Lantana ; pulp rather bitter,
mucilaginous, peculiarly flavoured.
In addition C. Unshiu Marc., the satsuma orange of Japan,
is said to be grown in India. This is a dwarf tree with broad
leaves abruptly narrowed at the apex and strongly marked
with nerves on both surfaces. The fruits are deep orange in
colour and have a peculiar flavour. The seeds are not
beaked, and broadly top-shaped.
3. Resembling C. sinensis. (The tight-skinned sweet
orange).
202 KEY

C. Aurantium Linn. The bitter, or Seville, orange.

Leaf-stalks often broadly winged. Flowers large and very
sweet scented. Fruit rather rough, globose or flattened,
orange in colour ; rind aromatic, very bitter and pungent ;
pulp acid. This plant is much cultivated in Mediterranean
countries, chiefly for its. flowers, from which oil of oranges
is made. Other essences are obtained from the fruits and
leaves, all being used in perfumery. Marmalade is made
from the fruits. In many parts of India this orange is grown
for its fruits, which are used for preserves and for medicinal
purposes. It is said to be established as if wild in the
Nilgiris and is cultivated in the Terai and Dooars, but is
rarely seen in lower Bengal.
C Karna Raf. The khatta, karna, or id of the north and west
of India. A strong-growing spinous tree or shrub with dark
green, serrate, small leaves and rather large flowers tinged
with pink or purple on the outside like those of a citron or
lemon. Fruit thick-skinned, warty and rough, usually
spherical with a projection at the apex but sometimes
elongated, orange in colour when ripe, rather small. Pulp
copious, acid, rather bitter ; rind scented like a lemon,
orange in colour.
C. pennivesiculata Tanaka. The gajanimma of Madras,
bandhuri of Coorg and attara of the C. P. Leaves large and
leathery with broadly winged stalks. Fruits rather large,
thin-skinned, smooth, shining, clear lemon-yellow in colour,
gathered into folds at the base and apex, usually rather
broader than long. Pulp pale yellow, juice abundant acid.
The vesicles of the pulp are so arranged that if a segment
of the fruit is cut transversely, the vesicles make a
feather-like pattern. The fruits are mostly used for culinary
purposes.
C. inegaloxycarpa Lush. The amalbed of the north of India.
Leaves broad and usually rounded at the apex, with
narrowly winged stalks. Fruits smooth, pale yellow when
ripe, variable in shape. Rind thin. Pulp pale orange-yellow,
acid, very juicy. A rather rare plant.
 KEY 203

C microcarpa Bunge. The hazara of Benares, erroneously

known as the kumquat* in Calcutta and other places. The
calamondin .of the Philippines. A shrub with almost
thornless branches, small, bright green leaves, and almost
wingless leaf-stalks. Flowers small, pure white, highly
scented. Fruits about rl inches across, quite spherical,
bright orange when ripe ; rind thin ; pulp orange, very juicy,
*The true kumquats are usually regarded as
forming a distinct genus Portunella, which differs from
Citrus in having a hollowed-out stigma, only 3 to 6 cells in
the ovary and segments in the fruit, and only 2 seeds in
each segment. These plants are small shrubs with narrow,
pointed leaves, white flowers with about 20 stamens, and
fruits not more than il inches wide, orange in colour when
ripe, with rather thick skins. Two species are grown in
India, viz. F. margarita Swingle, which has oval fruits and
F. crassifolia Swingle, which has nearly spherical fruits. F.
japonica Swingle (Syn. Citrus japonica Thunb.), the round
kumquat, seems to be scarcely known in India. These
plants are principally grown for ornament, but in the Far
East their fruits are much used for preserves. They do not
flourish in most parts of India.

intensely sour and bitter. This plant is commonly grown in

many parts of India (including Calcutta), as an ornamental
pot-plant, and for its fruits, which are produced in great
profusion during the cold season, and make excellent
marmalade and preserves. It seems possible that this plant
may prove to be of considerable economic importance in
Bengal, because it grows there vigorously and is easy to
propagate.
In addition to the above, a hybrid between C.
chrysocarpa and C. grandis, which was developed in the
U.S.A. where it was given the name of "tangelo", is
sometimes grown in India, especially in the hills. The fruit
of this hybrid resembles that of neither of its parents, but is
like a large, smooth-skinned fruit of C. chinensis in outward
appearance. The rind is rather loose, and the pulp
204 KEY

resembles a rather acid grapefruit in flavour, but is darker

in colour. The leaves are like those of C. chrysocarpa, but
larger.
4. Resembling C. aurantifolia. (The sour lime).
C. limettioides Tanaka. The sweet lime (Bengali, mitha
nebu). Usually a straggling shrub. Leaf-stalks not winged.
Flowers pure white. Fruit almost spherical, smooth, pale
yellow, depressed at the apex, rind very thin ; pulp sweet,
not aromatic, rather tasteless. The fruits ripen during the
rains when other citrus fruits are scarce, and are then
welcome in spite of their lack of flavour. The juice is
regarded as a remedy for fever and jaundice. This plant is
not uncommon in many parts of India and sometimes
produces a good crop in Bengal. Near Delhi it is much
used as a stock on which to graft loose-skinned oranges.
C. Limetta Risso. The lumia of Italy. Most authorities have
considered this plant to be identical with the sweet lime
(see above), but Tanaka considers them distinct, chiefly
owing to the difference in the leaves, (those of C. Limetta
resembling the leaves of C aurantifolia but with wingless
stalks), and also owing to the thick oily rind of C. Limetta
and the distinct flattened area at the apex of the fruit. The
lumia is only occasionally grown in India.
C. Limonia Osbeck. The Rangpur lime, grown in various
parts of India under several vernacular names. The
Japanese citron of Java, and the tangerine lime of the
U.S.A. A shrub with a few small thorns. Fruits usually near
spherical, pale orange or yellow when ripe, about 2 inches
wide ; rind thin, without the "lemon" scent of C. Limon ;
pulp pale and usually acid, like that of a lemon, but a sweet
variety is also known.
C. macroptera Mont. var. Combara (Raf.) Tanaka. The soh
quit or soh quid of Assam ; also found in other parts of
northern India. A peculiar plant with almost round leaves,
and leaf-stalks so broadly winged as to approximate the
blades of the leaves in size and shape. Thorns many and
strong. Fruits small, usually flattened, very acid ; used for
making drinks, for which purpose they are stored and
 KEY 205

consumed -when other citrus fruits are not available. This

may be the same plant as C. Hystrix DC. (Syn. C.
ichangensis Swingle), a native of the hills of Assam, where
it is sometimes cultivated, but the leaves of the latter plant
are said to be narrower, and the fruits of cultivated plants
larger, than those of the soh quit.
5. Resembling C. medica. (The citron).
C. Limon Burm. The lemon. (Bengali, karna nebu, gora
nebu, bara nebu ; Hindi, jambira, Pahari nimbu). A
straggling thorny shrub, with broad leaves and very short
wingless leaf-stalks. The leaves are usually highly scented
with the well-known lemon odour and with pale dots
marking the position of oil glands. The flowers are pink or
purplish on the outside of the petals, a character which
they probably share with C. medica and C Karna only. The
fruits vary considerably in shape and flavour, but are
almost always more or less egg-shaped with a pronounced
blunt projection at the apex, and pale yellow when ripe.
The thick rind yields a valuable essential oil, and the pale,
acid pulp is much used for making drinks and for
flavouring. Lemons are much cultivated in most parts of
India, and grow fairly well in lower Bengal. A form of this
plant is found wild at Almora. The rind, essential oil, and
juice are used for various medicinal purposes particularly
in the treatment and prevention of scurvy. A number of
varieties are known, some of which approach close to the
citron, and a form with variegated leaves is grown in
gardens.
Citrus chrysocarpa Lush. Syn. C. Khasia Marc.
(Chrysocarpa is from the Greek "chrusos", gold, and
"karpos", a fruit.
Khasia is after the Khasi hills, where this species is grown.)

Bengali, kamala, kamala nebu.

Hindi, sontara, santara, nayangi, naranj.
English, loose-skinned orange.
(F.I. p. 590. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. gig. B.P. Vol. I. p, 307.)
206 KEY

A bushy, evergreen, glabrous tree ; young shoots

greenish-white ; leaves elliptic, subacute, usually
emarginate at the tip, up to 6 inches long, petiole short,
wings linear ; flowers bisexual ; calyx truncate, shallowly
toothed ; petals 4 or 5, waxy-white ; stamens 20 to 40,
inserted round a disk ; style equalling the stamens; fruit
globose, depressed at the apex, deep orange in colour
with minute dots ; rind thin,
brittle, easily detached ; pulp
orange-coloured, very
sweetly-flavoured ; vesicles
large ; seeds few, small,
smooth, light straw-coloured,
yellow-green within.
This is the most
import ant commercial orange
of India, and is the fruit which
is chiefly on sale in the
markets of Calcutta, though it
is not much grown in the
plains of Bengal. In
favourable climates the plant
attains a height of 20 feet or
more, and forms a handsome
tree with many, usually
thorny, branches and dark,
greenish bark. Its dense,
evergreen foliage consists of
deep-green, glossy leaves
set on short, almost wingless, stalks. The leaves are
pointed at both ends, and usually have a very small notch
at the apex. The highly scented white flowers grow on
short stalks among the leaves, singly or in small clusters ;
they are smaller than the flowers of most of the other
species of Citrus, and have small calyces with very short
teeth. The fruit is so well, known that it scarcely needs
description, its peculiarity being the thin, brittle, loose rind,
which is easily removed with the fingers from the ripe fruit.
 KEY 207

The end of the fruit opposite the stalk is always more or

less concave. The pulp is highly flavoured;: and very sweet
when the tree is grown under favourable conditions. The
interior of the seed is greenish.
This orange is only occasionally grown in the
neighbourhood of Calcutta because it seldom, if ever,
produces good fruit in the hot, wet climate of lower Bengal.
Various varieties of this species are much grown in the
Shillong, Darjeeling, and Chota Nagpur hills at an altitude
of about 2000 feet, as well as near Nagpur' and in various
other parts of India. Large quantities of these fruits are
marketed in Indian towns, where they are an important
food in the cold season and the early part of the hot
season. The trees flower mainly from December to May
and ripen their fruits in the following cold season.
In addition to its value as a fruit tree, this plant has
several uses in medicine, but no distinction between this
species and C. sinensis, the tight-skinned sweet orange,
appears to have been made by those interested in their
medicinal properties. It seems probable that C. sinensis is
more usually employed for these purposes, and a brief
mention of them is made under the description of that
species below. The wood is also described under the
heading of C. sinensis.
A number of other forms of Citrus closely allied to
C. chrysocarpa are found in India. A brief account of the
more important of these is given above under the
description of the genus:
Citrus sinensis Osbeck. Syn. C. Aurantium Lour
non Linn.
(Sinensis means "Chinese". Aurantium is an old name for
the orange, from the Latin "aurum", gold.)

Bengali, kainala nebu, kamala, narungi,

naranga.
Hindi, narangi, naringhi, naranj, keonla.
English, tight-skinned orange, common
orange, sweet orange.
208 KEY

The Indian vernacular names of this fruit-tree are much

confused.
(F.I. p. 590. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 515. B.P. Vol. I. p. 307)

A spreading evergreen glabrous tree ; young

shoots greenish-white ; leaves ovate, acute, up to 6 inches
long ; petiole narrowly winged ; flowers bisexual ; calyx
large, irregularly 5-lobed, lobes acuminate, acute ; petals l
or 5, waxy-white ; stamens 20 to 25 ; fruit globose,
rounded at the ape#, golden-yellow or orange when ripe ;
rind fairly thick, tightly adherent;; pulp yellow, orange, or
reddish, fairly sweet or acid ; seeds large, Flno0th, white
within.
This is the species most widely cultivated in the
principal orange-growing countries of the world, but in India
it is second in importance to C. chrysocaypa, the
loose-skinned orange (see above). Many varieties are
known in India, as in other countries, and several of them
are widely distributed in various parts of the country ; but in
the damp climate of lower Bengal the fruits never reach
perfection and are usually very sour and lacking in juice,
with the result that these trees are not commonly grown,
though they may sometimes be seen in gardens. and also
in village shrubberies, where they are probably planted
chiefly on account of their medicinal qualities.
The trees have dark, greenish bark, usually a
crooked trunk, and rather thick, spreading branches which
do not form a dense bushy crown. They sometimes attain
a height of 25 feet or more, but in Bengal they probably
seldom exceed 15 feet. The dark green, glossy leaves
have pointed tips and are broadest near the rounded base
; they are larger than those of most other kinds of Citrus
except C. decumana, the pumelo, but they differ from
those of the latter species by having leaf-stalks with very
narrow wings. The sweet-scented white flowers closely
resemble the flowers of all other members of the genus,
but they are smaller than those of C. decumana and C.
medica, larger than those of C. aurantifolia, and have a
 KEY 209

much bigger calyx with longer segments than those of C.

chrysocarpa. The four or five waxy-white petals, and the
circle of numerous white stamens surrounding a stout,
white style, do not differ greatly from those of other
species. The spherical, orange or golden-yellow fruits
scarcely need description. Those of this species may be
known from those of C. chrysocaypa by their tight skins,
which cannot be readily separated from the contents
without a knife, and by their rounded shape with no
depression at the apex.
In Mediterranean countries these trees are said to
attain a great age and size. Some are reported to be as
much as loo years old, and to reach 5o feet in height with a
trunk-girth of 12 feet. Yields of from 3000 to 5000 oranges
from one tree annually are not rare. In India, however,
these figures are probably never approached, even in the
most favourable climates.
All the sweet oranges with tight skins are probably
to be regarded as varieties of this species. Several of
these are grown in India ; the best kinds being known as
Jaffa, Malta, and Jamaica oranges. The so-called "blood
oranges", which have reddish pulp, are sometimes grown
with success in the north of India, and the "navel" oranges,
which contain a small fruit within the rind of the main fruit at
the end opposite the stalk, causing a curious depression at
the apex, are also found in India. Other varieties are oval
in shape and some remain green when ripe, but the latter
are of inferior quality. The sweet oranges imported into
India from overseas belong to this species.
The medicinal qualities of the various kinds of
oranges do not seem to have been differentiated, though it
is probable that their characteristics vary from this point of
view as in other respects. The fruits are used in India to
treat fevers, to purify the blood, to c re catarrh. and rotes
oral worms, and skin. The roasted pulp is applied to ulcers
and a poultice made from the fruit is used to cure skirl
troubles. The water distilled from orange flowers is
employed as an antispasmodic and sedative in cases of
210 KEY

nervousness and hysteria. In Europe an oil extracted from

the flowers is used as a stimulating liniment as well as in
perfumery.
The wood is yellowish, hard and close-grained, and
weighs about 49 lb. per cubic foot when seasoned. In
Europe it is used for turning, engraving, and cabinet
making. Walking sticks are made from the shoots and
branches.
The flowers mostly open in the hot season and, the
fruits usually ripen in the following cold season.
A number of closely allied forms of Citrus with sour
or bitter pulp are found in India, of which the most
important is C. Aurantium, the bitter, or Seville, orange: A
brief description of these plants is given above under the
account of the genus.
Citrus aurantifolia Swingle. Syn. C. acida Roxb. C.
Lima Lunan. C. Bergamia Voigt. C. medica Linn. var. acida
Byandis.
(Aurantifolia is Latin meaning "with leaves like an
orange". Acida is Latin meaning "sour". Lima is a Spanish
name derived from the Arabic word "limun", meaning
"lemon". Medica is Latin meaning "Persian", which recalls
the fact that these fruits first came to the notice of the West
through Persia).

Bengali, nimbu, limbu, nebu, lebu.

Hindi nimbu, limbu, nebu, lebu, limun.
English, sour lime, Indian lime.

In Bengal the round-fruited variety is known as Patti

nimbu and the oval-fruited variety as kaghxi nimbu or kaggi
nimbu. Outside Bengal the meaning of these names is
usually reversed.
(F.I. P. 589. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 515. B.P. Vol. I. p. 306.)

An evergreen, glabrous shrub or small tree, usually

very spinous ; leaves ovate, thin, crenulate-serrate, usually
obtuse, narrowed or cuneate at the base, usually about 1
 KEY 211

inches long; petiole about I inch long, narrowly winged ;

flowers bisexual or monoecious, about j inch diam., in
small axillary clusters; calyx truncate or shallowly toothed ;
petals 4 or 5, waxywhite, very rarely tinged with pink,
nearly r inch long ; stamens 2o to 40 ; fruit variable in
shape, usually mammillate, yellow or green when ripe, very
smooth, usually not more than 2 inches long ; rifld thin,
tightly attached ; segments usually 10 ; pulp yellow-green,
very acid, aromatic ; vesicles very fine, shiny and elastic ;
seeds small, elliptic, smooth, often curved, creamy-white
outside, white or greenish within.
The sour lime is
usually a much branched
thorny shrub, but it
sometimes reaches the
dimensions of a small tree.
Its dark green, shining,
evergreen leaves are oval in.
shape, with notched edges,
and usually with a blunt point
; they are set on short stalks
which have two narrow
wings. The small,
sweet-scented flowers grow
on short stalks in clusters
among the leaves. The
greenish calyx has four or
five short teeth or , lobes,
(usually four), and there are
the same number of waxy petals, which are usually pure
white but are said to be occasionally pinkish on the outer
surface. The stamens number from twenty to forty (more
than are found in the flowers of most other Citrus species),
and surround a stout style of about their own length. Some
flowers are bisexual, but others are found. With either the
stamens or the style not fully developed. The fruits vary
consider ably in shape, but are always smaller than those
of most cultivated Citrus fruits, and have smooth,
212 KEY

tight-fitting skins, which remain green or become pale

yellow when ripe. There is often a small rounded
projection' at the end of the fruit opposite stalk. The pulp is
firm in texture, very acid, highly aromatic, and pale
yellowish-green in colour. Near the centre of the fruit there
is a concentration of small, plump, creamy-white seeds.
The best fruits have very thin rinds, but those from plants
grown from seed often have rather thick spongy skins.
This plant is commonly grown all over the plains of
India and extends up to an altitude of 4000 feet in the hills.
A number of varieties are grown, differing chiefly in the
size, shape and colour of the fruits. Roxburgh mentions
eight varieties and Firminger even more, but most of these
are undoubtedly forms with larger fruits more akin to the
oranges, and would be included by Tanaka in one of the
other species mentioned above under the account of the
genus. Some authorities state that a form of this plant,
which is much used as a budding-stock for other kinds of
Citrus, occurs wild in India, but this appears to need
confirmation. The West Indian lime, from which most of the
bottled lime-juice sold in Europe and elsewhere is made,
appears to be a variety of this plant.
Limes are chiefly grown for their acid juice, which is
used by all classes of people for making drinks and for
flavouring curries, soup, and other foods. A pickle known
as "jarak nebu" is made from the fruits by lightly scraping
the rinds and then steeping the whole fruits in the juice of
other. limes, after which they are exposed in the sun for
some days with the addition of salt, and then preserved in
jars. This pickle is supposed to be a good remedy for
indigestion.
Lime-juice is much used by Indian physicians, who
consider it valuable to check biliousness and as an
antiseptic. It is said to allay hysterical palpitations of the
heart, and, if rubbed on the head; to soothe frenzied
ravings. The irritation and swelling caused by mosquito
bites are relieved by the application of this juice.
 KEY 213

The flowers open principally in the hot season, and

the ripe fruits are most plentiful in the cold season, but they
are, also produced at other times.
Citrus medica Linn.
(Medica is a Latin word meaning "Median", or
"Persian". The citron first carne to the notice of the western
world through Persia).

Bengali, beg Aura, biaura, bara nimbu, turanj,

honsanebu.
Hindi, bijaura, kattla, bara nimbu, bijori.
English, citron, Adam's apple, cedrat.
(F.I. p. 590. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 314. B. P. Vol. I. p. 306.)

An evergreen glabrous shrub, or low spreading tree

; branches flexuose, unarmed or with short, stiff spines ;
young shoots usually purplish ;leaves lanceolate, or
oblong, serrate, up to 7 inches long ; petiole short, usually
wingless, but sometimes with distinct wings; flowers
bisexual or monoecious ; calyx large and thick, lobes short
; petals 4 or 9, sublinear, white above, reddish or purplish
below ;stamens 10 to 40, or more, often purplish and
pubescent, inserted round a distinct disk ; style about
equalling the stamens ; ovary tapering into the style ; fruits
very variable in shape, usually mammillate ; rind thick,
often rough or irregular or warted, yellow when ripe ; pulp
pale yellow, usually scanty, mildly acid, or sweetish and
insipid ; seeds smooth, ovoid, white within.
A large number cf very different varieties of Citrus
are here grouped under the name of Citrus msdica. The
plants are sometimes straggling shrubs, but usually small,
spreading trees with crooked branches, and short trunks
covered with dark greyish bark. The evergreen leaves are
broader than those of most oranges and limes, rather
leathery in texture, and always notched at the edges ; they
are set on short stalks, which are usually wingless, but in
some large-fruited varieties the leaf-stalks have quite
broad wings resembling those of the pomelo. When
214 KEY

crushed the leaves have the well-known scent of lemon,

but to a much less pronounced extent than those of the
real lemon plant. The rather large flowers are borne in
clusters either at the ends of the twigs or in the axils of the
leaves, with short lobes, from within which spring four or
five narrow petals, which are white within but pinkish or
purple on the outer side. The stamens number 20 to 40 or
more, and are joined together in bundles as in the case of
all other forms of Citrus..- in this species they are often
purplish in colour and covered with minute hairs. The ovary
tapers into a stout style as long as the stamens. The fruits
vary greatly in shape and flavour, but may be known by
their large size, and more or less rough, soft, and irregular
skins, usually with a pronounced blunt projection at the
apex. The rind is thick, yellow when ripe outside, pure
white within, and highly aromatic ; but the pale yellow pulp
is lacking in flavour and varies from a mild acidity to a
mawkish, insipid sweetness.
The citron may almost always be distinguished,
when not in fruit, from all other citrus plant, except the
lemon and the "khatta" or "karna" orange, by its pinkish
petals and its purplish young shoots. It may be known from
the lemon by its leathery leaves, almost devoid of large
visible dots marking the position of oil glands, and lacking
a strong smell of lemon when rubbed. From the khatta
orange it may be distinguished by its much large leaves,
usually four inches or more in length, and generally by its
wingless leaf-stalks.
Various varieties of the citron are cultivated in most
parts of India, but nowhere on a large scale. Dr. Bonavia
divides them into four principal groups as follows: -
1. The chhangura, which is considered to be the
wild or primitive form of the plant, with small, very rough
fruits, almost devoid of pulp. It is found wild in many parts
of India, including the low hills of Behar, Assam, and north
Bengal.
2. The turunj, with large fruits having thick skins,
the white part of which is sweet and edible. The pulp is
 KEY 215

scanty, dry, and acid. The leaves are usually oblong with a
pronounced notch at the apex.
3. The madhkunkuy, or madhankri, with large fruits
having very thick sweetish skins, and scanty, sweetish
pulp. The leaves are usually rather narrow and often
pointed.
4. The bajoura, which has smaller fruits with fairly
smooth, rather thin skins and abundant acid juice, not
unlike those of a lemon, but larger.
Firminger mentions three varieties:-the common
citron with fruits about as large as an ostrich's egg, much
knobbed and warted ; a variety known in Europe as the
poncire, with enormous fruits as much as a foot long ; and
an extraordinary plant, known as the fingered citron, with
fruits resembling a man's hand with its fingers bent up with
cramp. The latter variety is said to be not uncommon in the
north-west of India, and is also found in China and America
it has been given the name of C. medica var saycodactylis
Swingle. (Sarcodactylis is from the Greek "sarx", flesh, and
"daktulos", a finger).
Citrons are not much used in India except for
medicinal purposes, but the rind and pulp are made into
marmalade and other preserves. The rind is candied to
make it into a sweetmeat, and the juice, when sufficiently
acid and plentiful, is used to make drinks. The fruit of the
wild form of the plant is said to be pickled.
The rind is used medicinally as a remedy for
dysentery, and the distilled juice of the fruit is said to be a
sedative. The rind is sometimes eaten to counteract
halitosis. Theophrastus and other ancient authors believed
the fruit -a be an expellent of poisons.
In China the fruits are employed to scent the air in
houses, and are put among clothes to keep away moths.
On distillation they yield a fragrant oil known as cedrat,
which is used in perfumery.
The wood is white, fairly hard, fine-grained, and
rather heavy. It is sometimes used for making agricultural
implements, and the branches make good walking-sticks.
216 KEY

A remarkable way of growing the fruits of this plant

is occasionally adopted. The branch bearing the young
fruit is bent down until the fruit can be inserted in a large,
narrow-necked vessel sunk in the ground. The fruit swells
and fills the whole pot, growing to a size much above
normal. The pot must, of course eventually be broken in
order to extract the fruit. By using suitable pots, fruits of
any shape can be produced in this way, and citrons
shaped like human heads have been produced for sale as
curiosities. The fruits so grown are said to be specially
fragrant.
The citron is only sparingly cultivated in lower
Bengal, and, seldom fruits freely in such a damp climate.
The flowers are borne mostly in the hot season and the
fruits ripen chiefly in the cold season, but ripe fruits may be
produced at all times of the year under suitable conditions.
Some varieties of citron approach very closely to
lemons, an it is in fact very difficult, if not impossible, to
draw a dividing line between citrons and lemons. The
lemon is considered by many authorities to be a variety of
the citron (C. medica var. Limonum), but it is here treated
as a separate species, C. Limon Burm., and briefly
described above under the account of the genus. It is
usually a straggling shrub, and is not uncommon in Bengal
gardens. The early authorities considered the limes also to
be varieties of C. medica.
Citrus grandis Osbeck. Syn. C. decumana Linn.
(Grandis is Latin meaning "large". Decumana is Latin
meaning "imposing").

Bengali, batavi nebu, mahanimbu, batornebu.

Hindi, chakotra, mahanibu, sadaphal.
English, pumelo, pompelmos, pompoleon,
shaddock, Paradise-apple, forbidden
fruit.
The word pumelo is a contraction of "pomum melo"
meaning "melon apple". The name shaddock is after
 KEY 217

Captain Shaddock who introduced the fruit from Malaya

into the West Indies.
(F.I. p. 590. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. P6. B.P. Vol. p. 307.)

An evergreen tree ; young shoots pubescent ;

leaves ovate or ovateelliptic, often emarginate, usually
crenate, base rounded, coriaceus, pubescent beneath
when young, up to 6 inches long or more, petiole broadly
winged, up to 2 inches long, obovate or oblanceolate ;
flowers pure white, axillary, 1 inch diam. or larger, scented
; stamens 15 to 25 ; style short ; stigma capitate ; fruit
usually 6 to 8 inches diam., globose or broadly pyriform,
yellow when ripe ; rind thick, spongy ; pulp pink or pale
yellow, or sometimes crimson ; segments usually 10 to 14 ;
vesicles large, loose ; juice sweet or acid ; seeds flattened,
white within.
The pumelo is a round-headed evergreen tree, in
suitable climates sometimes attaining forty feet in height,
with regular branches and usually a short crooked trunk. Its
bark is smooth and dark greyish-brown in colour, and its
branches are sometimes armed with a few small spines.
The leathery, dark green, glossy leaves have a broadly
rounded base and are more or less pointed at the apex,
though there is often a small notch at the tip. The margins
of the leaves usually have rounded teeth, though plants
with smooth-edged leaves are also found. The leaf--stalks
are very broadly winged and give the impression of a
second leaf at the base of the main leaf.. The pure white,
sweet-scented, waxy flowers grow singly or in clusters at
the bases of the leaves ; they closely resemble those of
other Citrus plants, but are probably larger than those of
any other species, and have not more than 25 stamens,
which are joined into several distinct bundles. The fruits
are the largest of the genus, and sometimes reach nearly a
foot in diameter. They are pale yellow when ripe, usually
218 KEY

spherical in shape,
but sometimes slightly
pear-shaped. The rind
is fairly smooth in
texture, but
prominently marked
with greenish dots ;
the yellow outer layer
is thin, but inside it
there is a thick layer
of white spongy
material, which can
easily be detached
from the segments
that hold the pulp. The latter number from zo to 15 and
contain many large vesicles, which are loose and can
easily be separated from one another without breaking,
their transparent skins and releasing the juice. The pulp
varies in colour from deep crimson to pale greenish-yellow,
and the flavour from extremely acid to sweet with a
delicate and pleasant bitter tang. In each segment there
are several large flattened seeds of a pale straw-colour
outside, and whitish within.
The pumelo is one of the best fruits to be found in
Bengal and is commonly cultivated all over the province. A
number of varieties are grown, differing greatly in the
flavour and colour of the pulp. Most kinds with yellow pulp
are acid, and the best fruits usually have pale pink pulp,
though not all pale pink varieties are of good quality. Those
with deep red flesh are often coarse and lacking in juice,
but Dr. Bonavia said that the best pumelos he had seen
were "the thin-skinned red pumelos of Bombay". The fruits
are chiefly valued for their pulp, which is eaten as dessert
and made into salads ; but the outer rind can be made into
excellent marmalade, and can also be used to make a
drink like lemon squash. The insides of the seeds have a
pleasant bitter taste and are sometimes eaten.
 KEY 219

The leaves are said to be used medicinally in

epilepsy, chorea, and convulsive cough. The juice is
occasionally employed in the treatment of fevers, and a
variety known as "sui gal" (because it is thought to be so
acid as to dissolve needles), with intensely sour fruits, is
occasionally grown specially for medicinal purposes. In
Brazil a gum which exudes from the tree when it begins to
decay, is used as a remedy for coughs. The seeds are
used in dyspepsia and coughs and as a cure for lumbago.
The wood is cream-coloured, hard, very tough,
fine-grained and heavy. It seems to be put to little use in
India.
In Bengal the flowers are chiefly produced in
February and March, and the fruits ripen from July to
November ; but a few flowers may usually be found at all
seasons, and in some other parts of India fruits ripen at all
times of the year.
The pumelo is a native of the islands of Malaya, but
is now cultivated in most tropical countries. It is very
common in gardens and villages all over Bengal.
The well-known grape fruit is closely allied to the
pumelo, as are several other forms of Citrus that are not
uncommon in India. A brief description of these nearly
related plants is given above under the account of the
genus. The grapefruit grows fairly well in the
neighbourhood of Calcutta.
FERONIA. (The ancient name of an old Italian
goddess of the forest.) A genus containing one species
only, distinguished by flowers with 10 to 12 stamens
inserted round a small disc, leaves divided into separate
leaflets set on either side of a central midrib (pinnate), and
woody fruits containing 5 or 6 cavities (cells) with
numerous seeds.
Feronia Limonia (L.) Swingle. Syn. F. Elephantum
Correa. Crataeva Valanga Koenig.
(Limonia is an old generic name. Elephantum in Latin
means "of the elephants").
220 KEY

Bengali, kath bel, kait, katbel.

Hindi, kaith, bilin, katbel, kavitha kobitha.
Urdu, kaitha.
English, elephant apple, wood apple, curd
fruit, monkey fruit, (The name
elephant apple is also given to
Dillenia indica).
(F.I. p. 374- F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 516. B.P. Vol. I. p.305.)

A spinous, deciduous, glabrous tree ; leaves

alternate, imparipinnate, leaflets 5 to 7, opposite,
subsessile, entire, cuneate or obovate, about 1 inch long ;
rachis sometimes narrowly winged ; flowers in loose
panicles. or racemes, ,I inch diameter, dull red or whitish,
usually hermaphrodite ; sepals minute, petals imbricate, k
inch long ; stamens 10 to 12, filaments short, subulate from
a broad base ; fruit globose, grey, rough, 2 to 3 inches
diam.; rind woody ; seeds numerous, oblong, embedded in
fleshy pulp.
This is a
middle-sized tree with
a straight trunk, dark
grey bark, and
branches which give
the crown of the tree a
more or less oval or
rounded outline. The
lower branches of
young trees are armed
with long spines, but
otherwise the trees are
often almost spineless.
The leaves are divided
into 5 or 7 small, dark
green, rather narrow
 KEY 221

leaflets arranged in opposite pairs on either side of a

midrib with a terminal leaflet at the tip. The midrib is often
bordered by two very narrow wings, and there is
sometimes a straight spine on the stem at the base of each
leaf-stalk. Many small flowers grow in short clusters at the
ends of, or along, the branches, each having five pale
greenish or reddish petals and ten or twelve stamens with
large, erect, chocolatecoloured anthers, which form the
conspicuous part of the flower. The spherical fruits have a
hard woody rind, which is rough in texture and grey in
colour ; within there is a soft, brown, mealy substance, with
a strong smell rather like that of rancid butter, but
nevertheless edible, and much sought after by men and
animals.
A number of authorities :state that this plant is
polygamous (i.e. having both bisexual and unisexual
flowers), and that male, female, and hermaphrodite flowers
may be found mingled in the same cluster. But
observations in Bengal indicate that all the flowers are
bisexual, though the ovary develops slowly before the
anthers mature, se that at first sight the more mature
flowers appear to be hermaphrodite and the less mature,
owing to the comparatively minute size of their ovaries, to
be male.
Owing to its small, widely scattered leaflets, the
tree may be mistaken at a distance for Pithecolobium
dulce, the Madras thorn.
The fruit has a very harsh taste, but is sometimes
eaten raw with sugar, and is often made into a jelly, said to
resemble black-currant jelly, but with a more astringent
flavour. The fruits are also used, with the addition of salt,
oil, and pepper, to make a kind of chutney, and a pleasant
drink can be made from the pulp ; they need to be ripened
in the sun for about a fortnight after gathering.
A gum obtained from the trunk is similar to gum
arabic, and has been used for preparing artists' water
colours, for which purpose it is said to be very suitable. It is
also used for making dyes and varnishes.
222 KEY

Medicinally the fruit is used as a stimulant in

diseases of children, and as an astringent in cases of
dysentery ; it is also believed to be good for hiccough and
sore throat. The pulp applied externally is a remedy for the
bites and stings of venomous insects, and the powdered
rind of the fruit is used for the same purpose. An oil
obtained by crushing the leaves is used as a cure for itch,
and the leaves are prescribed for treating the digestive
troubles of children. Almost all parts of the tree are
commonly thought to be a remedy for snake-bite.
The timber is hard, and weighs about 5o lb. per
cubic foot. It is used for housebuilding, naves of wheels,
and agricultural implements.
The hard dry shells of the fruits are made into snuff boxes
and similar objects.
The tree is indigenous in South India and Ceylon,
and is common all over the plains of India, especially in the
dryer regions. Near Calcutta it is not very common but is
occasionally planted in gardens and near villages. A/
specimen may be seen in the Durgapur Basti, north of the
bridge over the canal and railway, and another grows in
the Royal Agri.-Horti. Garden in Alipore.
The flowers appear soon after the new leaves in
February and March, and the fruits ripen in September or
October. The branches are bare of leaves for a short time
at the end of the cold season.
The tree is very slow-growing. It is occasionally
used by gardens as a stock for grafting other plants of the
Citrus family.
AEGLE. (From the ancient Greek name of one of
the Naiads, or water nymphs). A genus of 2 or 3 species of
thorny trees, natives of tropical Asia and Africa,
distinguished by leaves divided into 3 leaflets, bisexual
white flowers with numerous stamens, and large spherical
fruit containing 8 to 15 cavities (cells), and many seeds.
Aegle Marmeloa Correa. Syn. Crataeva Marmelos
Linn.
(Marmelos is the Portuguese name of this tree).
 KEY 223

Bengali, bet, bela, vilva.

Hindi, bet, bili, siyphal, siyiphal.
Urdu, bet.
English, bael, bael fruit tree, Bengal quince,
golden apple, holy fruit, Indian
quince, stone apple.
(F.I. p. 428. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 516. B.P. Vol. I. p. 305.)

A middle-sized, deciduous, glabrous tree, usually

with many straight axillary spines ; leaves alternate,
trifoliate (occasionally 5-foliolate) ; leaflets
ovate-lanceolate, entire or crenate, up to rj inches long ;
flowers in short lateral panicles, scented, greenish white, rj
inches across ; petals 4 or 5, imbricate ; stamens 30 to 6o,
filaments short ; fruit 3 to 8 inches diam., usually globose,
smooth, grey, yellow, or greenish, rind woody ; pulp sweet,
aromatic, orange.
The bael
is a small or
middle-sized
tree of rather
straggling
growth with
thick, soft, grey
bark. The
leaves are
divided into
three (or very
rarely five)
small, rather
narrow leaflets,
and the
branches are
usually armed
with numerous
long straight
spines. The
224 KEY

rather large, greenish-white flowers; borne in short, open

clusters along the branches, have a sweet, honey-like
scent. The fruits are smooth and usually greyish-green in
colour, but often yellowish when ripe. They vary greatly in
size, and those of some cultivated trees occasionally grow
as large as a man's head, though these do not seem to be
considered as good as those of a more moderate size. A
more ordinary width is about six inches, but the fruits of
wild trees often do not exceed three inches in diameter.
The usual shape is spherical, but elongated fruits are said
to-occur. The rind consists of a thin woody shell, which is
very hard and tough, requiring considerable force to break
it ; inside there is a soft, yellow or orange-coloured, limpid,
shiny substance with a very fragrant scent and a pleasant
flavour.
The pulp of the ripe fruit is much used, mixed with
milk and sugar, to make a sherbet, and the fruit is also
dried as a conserve. Many people are induced by the high
medicinal reputation of the fruit to try the sherbet, and
some soon acquire a taste for it. But the chief value of the
fruit lies in its curative qualities, which make the tree one of
the most important of Indian medicinal plants. The pulp of
the ripe fruit is astringent, laxative, and tonic, and the
sherbet is an excellent remedy for dysentery and similar
troubles. The unripe fruit is also astringent, and is used in
several ways as a cure for dysentery ; a sherbet made by
baking the fruit and then straining the pulp is perhaps the
most usual method, but the dried unripe fruit is also much
used and is sold in the bazars. Other parts of the tree also
have medicinal uses, particularly the leaves, from which a
poultice is made as a cure for ophthalmia. The bark is
prescribed for intermittent fevers, the juice of the leaves for
catarrh and fever, and the root for palpitation of the heart.
The gummy substance found round the seeds is
mixed with lime plaster, for use under water, or if a
polished surface is required ; it is also considered an
excellent addition to mortar, especially for building walls.
The hard husk of the fruit is sometimes made into
 KEY 225

snuff-boxes and similar articles, and a dye is obtained from

it.
The wood is hard with a strong aromatic scent
when freshly cut ; it is useful for house-building,
cart-making and similar purposes, but the trees are seldom
cut owing to the value of their fruit. The wood weighs about
55 lb. per cubic feet.
To the Hindus this is the most sacred of all trees, its
leaves being essential to the worship of the God Shiva.
The three leaflets are symbolical of, first, the three gunas
or attributes, namely sattva, rajas, and tamas ; secondly
the three-eyed deity Shiva himself ; thirdly the three
avasthas or states, namely jagrat, sushupti, and swapna
(waking, sleeping, and dreaming) ; and fourthly the three
lives, namely the past, the present, and the future. A leaf of
the bael placed on the head of Shiva, or on his emblem the
lingam, is considered to be conducive of happiness and
the destruction of sins. There is a legend of a hunter who,
while lying in wait for his quarry on a branch of a bael tree
on a Sivaratri night, unconsciously plucked leaf after leaf
from the tree and allowed them to fall onto a lingam that
happened to be concealed beneath him, and thereby was
absolved of all his sins and attained eternal bliss. A bael is
planted in every temple garden.
The bael has been confused by some Indian
writers, as well as by the great Linnaeus, "the Father of
Botany", with Crataeva Roxburghii R. Br. (Bengali, tikta
sak), a tree which resembles it in little except the unusual
division of the leaf into 3 leaflets. In some parts of the
country the two trees bear the same vernacular names,
and the confusion still appears to persist.
The tree is indigenous in most of the dryer parts of
India, and ascends the hills up to an altitude of 4000 feet in
the Western Himalayas. It is not truly wild near Calcutta,
but is very common in the neighbourhood of villages, and
is often found growing as if wild in thickets and
shrubberies.
226 KEY

The flowers mostly open in April and May soon

after the new leaves. The fruit takes about a year to ripen,
and ripe fruit may be obtained in Bengal from December to
July.

SIMARUBACEAE

A small family of about 28 genera comprising about

125 species of shrubs and trees with bitter bark, natives of
hot countries, of which about 10 species are found in India.
The leaves are usually divided into separate leaflets. The
sepals and petals each number 3 to 5, and are equal so
that the small flowers are symmetrical on all sides. The
stamens are usually as many as the petals, or double the
number, and are inserted outside a .cup-shaped disc. The
fruit consists of 1 to 5 more or less distinct divisions
(carpels), each of which usually contains a single seed.
The family takes its name from the genus
Simaruba, which is not represented in India.
AILANTHUS. (From a vernacular name of the
Moluccas meaning "tree of heaven"). A genus of 7 species
of large trees, natives of East Asia and Australia. The
leaves are divided into two rows of separate leaflets set on
either side of the midrib (pinnate), and are clustered near
the ends of the branches. The small flowers grow in large
clusters, hermaphrodite, male and female flowers being
found mixed on the same tree (polygamous). The petals
number 5, and the stamens 10 in the male flowers, but
only 1 or 3 in the bisexual flowers. The fruit consists of 1 to
5 flat, papery divisions (carpels), each containing a single
seed.
Ailanthus excelsa Roxb.
(Excelsa is Latin meaning "lofty".)

Hindi, mahayukh, mahanim, limbado, ajau.

(F.I. p. 386. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 98. B.P. Vol. I. p. 308.)
 KEY 227

A large, deciduous tree ; leaves pinnate,

tomentose, up to 3 'feet long ; leaflets 16 to 28, alternate or
subopposite, coarsely and irregularly toothed or sublobate,
very oblique, 4 to 6 inches long ; flowers polygamous, very
small, white or yellowish, in large lax panicles shorter than
the leaves ; petals ovate-lanceolate, glabrous, reflexed ;
filaments glabrous, about half as long as the anthers ; ripe
samaras about 2 inches by 1 inch, once or twice twisted at
the base, coppery-red.
This is a tall quick-growing tree with rather rough,
lightgreyish-brown bark, and large branches, which start at
right angles from the trunk but tend to curve upwards. The
long leaves are clustered near the ends if the branches,
from which they spread
outwards stiffly in all
directions. Each leaf is
divided into a number of
'rather large, hairy, narrow
leaflets, which are set in not
quite opposite pairs on
either side of the midrib,
sometimes with a small
terminal leaflet at the tip.
The leaflets are very
unequal-sided at the base,
and are coarsely and
irregularly toothed, or even
lobed, along their edges.
The very small, white or
yellowish flowers grow in
large open clusters among
the leaves, male, female
and bisexual flowers being
intermingled on the same
tree. The fruit consists of one or more flat, papery pods
(known as "samaras" in botanical language), each of which
contains a single seed clearly apparent from the outside.
The samaras are reddish-brown in colour, and each is
228 KEY

twisted once or twice near its base. They are very light and
can be carried to a great distance by the wind, thus
ensuring the wide dispersal of the seed.
The wood is white, soft and very light, weighing
about 25 lb. per cubic foot, but is fairly strong. It is used for
purposes where lightness is important, and especially for
making the catamarans, or small raft-like boats, which are
used for negotiating the surf on the east coast of India.
The bark is much used as a febrifuge, as a tonic,
and to cure dysentery, ear-ache, asthma, and various
other diseases. It, is also valued as a medicine for cattle.
The juice of the leaves is given as a tonic.
The tree is a native of Queensland, and has
probably been introduced into India, where it is now
common in most of the hotter parts, except near the sea. It
is often grown as an avenue tree. In lower Bengal it does
not occur spontaneously, but it is occasionally planted in
the vicinity of Calcutta.
The leaves fall in the cold season and are replaced
in March and April. The flowers appear at the end of the
cold season, and the seeds ripen in May or June. The
plant is easily propagated by seed or cuttings. The leaves
have a very unpleasant smell when crushed.

OCHNACEAE

A small family of trees and shrubs containing about

17 genera with 210 species, natives of the tropics and
particularly the tropics of America. The leaves are not
arranged in opposite pairs, and are usually not divided into
separate leaflets. The flowers are hermaphrodite and
conspicuous, usually with 5 sepals, 5 or more petals, and
10 or more stamens. The ovary is divided into from 3 to 10
cells, and the fruit usually consists of a cluster of from 3 to
10 berries, each containing from x to ¢ seeds ; but
sometimes the fruit is a single capsule.
OCHNA. (From the Greek "ochne", a wild pear,
which some of this genus were thought to resemble in
 KEY 229

foliage). This genus contains about 30 species of trees and

shrubs, natives of tropical Asia and Africa. The margins of
the leaves are usually saw-like. The flowers are large,
having coloured sepals, yellow petals, and numerous
stamegs with anthers opening by terminal pores.
In addition to the species described below, one or
two other shrubs of this genus are sometimes grown in
Indian gardens.
Ochna squarrosa Linn.
(Squarrosa in Latin means "rough" or "scurfy').

English, golden chavnpak.

(F.I. p. 449. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 524. B.P. Vol. I. p. 309.)

Leaves elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate, acute, finely

serrulate, 3 to 5 inches long, narrowed into a short petiole;
flowers fragrant; panicles loose, about 2 to 3 inches long ;
corolla about r inch diam., petals 5 to i2, yellow ; stamens
numerous, anthers much larger than the short filaments ;
styles combined ; pedicels 1 to inches long ; drupes 3 to
10, inch long, seated on the greatly enlarged disc,
surrounded by the persistent coriaceous sepals, i-seeded.
This is a handsome shrub or a small tree with
smooth, brovn bark and rather narrow, pointed leaves, set
on short stalks, with finely
notched margins. The leaves fall
in the cold weather, and are
replaced in February and March,
the new foliage being more or
less red in colour. While the
young leaves are still red, or even
before they open, the bright
yellow flowers appear in small
open clusters along the branches.
Their petals vary in number from
5 to 12, while the stamens are
very numerous and carry large
anthers, from which the pollen
230 KEY

escapes by small holes at their tips. The flowers are

delicately scented, and their clear yellow makes a beautiful
contrast with the dark branches and reddish leaves. The
fruit consists of a cluster of shining black berries borne on
a scarlet boss and surrounded by the deep purple sepals.
The root of this plant is long, tuberous, and twisted,
and, being reminiscent of a snake, is used by the Santals
as an antidote to snake-bite. It is also used for other
medicinal purpose. The bark is held to be a digestive tonic,
4 and the leaves are used to make a soothing dressing for
wounds.
The wood is fairly hard and close-grained, but
warps badly. It is made into walking-sticks. The weight is
about 50 lb. per cubic foot.
The plant is a native of peninsular India, Assam,
Burma, and Ceylon. It is commonly planted in Indian
gardens and is not uncommon in Calcutta. It often flowers
when quite a small shrub.

BURSERACEAE

A snivall family of resinous trees and shrubs,

comprising about 13 genera with 300 species, all natives
of the tropics. The leaves are usually not arranged in
opposite pairs, and are divided into separate leaflets set on
either side of a central midrib with a terminal leaflet at the
tip (imparipinnate). The flowers are small and may be
hermaphrodite or uni sexual. The petals number from 3 to
$, and the stamens are of the same number as the petals,
or twice as many, inserted near the edge of a disc. The
fruit is usually a berry with one or more stones, each
containing one seed.
The family takes its name from the genus Bursera,
which includes about 40 species of trees, mostly of tropical
America ; one species is found in India.
GARUGA. (A native Malayan name). This genus
contains about 10 species of trees, natives of tropical
 KEY 231

America, Asia and Australia, of which only one is found in

India. The fruit consists of a fleshy berry containing from r
to 5 seeds. The petals number 5 and the stamens 10, the
flowers being hermaphrodite or unisexual and male,
female, and bisexual flowers occurring on the same tree.
The calyx is bell-shaped, and divided into 5 segments.
Garuga pinnata Roxb.
(Pinnata in Latin means "feathered", alluding to the
leaves).

Bengali, jum, taon, kharpat, nil bhadi,

dabdabe.
Hindi, ghogar, kaikar, tuna, kharpat.
(F.I. p. 370. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 528. B.P. Vol. I. p. 3rr.)

A deciduous tree ; leaves imparipinnate, 1 foot long

or more ; leaflets 13 to 19, opposite, lanceolate or
ovate-lanceolate, crenate, up to 6 inches long ; panicles
clustered at ends of branches ; flowers polygamous ; calyx
campanulate, 5-fid, valvate, lined by the disc ; petals 5,
linear ; stamens 10, filaments hairy at the base ; ovary
ovoid, narrowing into the hairy style ; drupe black, globose,
fleshy, about inch long ; seed with a membranous wing.
This is a fairly tall tree with thick, soft bark, grey or
brown outside and red within, which peels off in irregular
flakes. The leaves grow closely crowded at the ends of the
branches, and are divided into separate leaflets arranged
in opposite pairs in two rows on either side of a midrib with
a terminal leaflet at the tip. The leaflets are variable in size,
but are always rather narrow and pointed with strongly
toothed or notched margins. In the cold season the leaves
fall and, when the trees are bare in March and April, the
small, yellow, bell-shaped flowers appear in numerous
open clusters at the ends of the branches, to be closely
followed by the fresh young leaves. Both hermaphrodite
and unisexual flowers are found, and both occur on the
same tree. The fruits resemble small black grapes or
232 KEY

gooseberries, and are sometimes borne in great profusion,

becoming very conspicuous when the leaves fall.
During the rains the leaves of this tree, or some of
them, often turn orange or brilliant crimson in colour. This
is due to the attacks of minute insects.
The fruits are
eaten raw, cooked, and
pickled, but they are very
acid and are generally
regarded as a
semi-medicinal article of
diet, for they are
considered to have
digestive qualities. The
juice of the stem is used
to cure eye-troubles, and
the juice of the leaves,
mixed with honey, is a
remedy for asthma. The
root is used to cure
affections of the lungs.
The timber is
variable, and does not
make a good fuel, but the
heartwood from old trees
is a handsome reddish
brown timber of fair quality. The weight averages about 40
lb. per cubic foot. It is said to season well, but to be very
liable to attack by insects. It is made into planks, canoes,
drums, and furniture.
The bark is used for tanning in many parts of India,
as also are the galls from the leaves. The leaves and
shoots are collected as fodder, especially for elephants.
The tree is common in forests throughout India up
to 3000 feet elevation. It is not indigenous near Calcutta,
but is occasionally planted in the neighbourhood, and a
specimen may be seen (in 1944) on the Maidan near
Hastings to the west of St. George's Gate Road.
 KEY 233

MELIACEAE

This is a family of about .lo genera with 600 species

of trees and shrubs, mostly natives of tropical countries.
The leaves are alternately arranged, and are generally
divided into separate leaflets set in 2 rows on either side of
a central midrib (pinnate). The flowers are usually bisexual,
and grow in branching clusters (panicles). The calyx is
small and cleft into 4 or 5 segments ; the petals are
separate ; and the stamens, which are usually double the
number of the petals, are generally united into a tube. A
disc between the stamens and the ovary sometimes forms
a sheath enclosing the ovary, which has only r style. The
fruit is a capsule or a berry.
This family is of considerable importance in India,
containing a number of valuable timber trees.
AZADIRACHTA. (A Persian name). A genus
containing one species only, a native of India and Malaya,
which was formerly included in the genus Melia, from
which it may be distinguished by toothed leaflets, and the
leaves divided once only into two rows of leaflets (pinnate).
Both genera have stamens united into a tube, berry-like
fruits, seeds without wings, and spreading petals.
Azadirachta indica A. Juss. Syn. Melia Azadirachta
Linn.
(Indica in Latin means "of India").

Bengali, niin, virtgachh.

Hindi, rin, balnimb, nimb, rind.
Urdu, rim.
English, reen tree, raaygosa tree, Indian lilac.
(F.I. p. 368. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 544. B.P. Vol. I. p. 114.)

A large, glabrous, evergreen tree ; leaves

imparipinnate, 8 to 15 inches long, crowded near ends of
branches ; leaflets 14 to i9, opposite or alternate, obliquely
falcate-lanceolate, serrate, the odd one sometimes wanting
234 KEY

; flowers in short axillary panicles, white, scented, z / 5 inch

long, pentamerous ; staminal tube zo-dentate, anthers
inserted inside ; drupe 2 to inch long, oblong, yellow when
ripe.
This is a tall, graceful, evergreen tree with rather
rough greyish or brownish bark, and delicate foliage. The
leaves are divided into two rows of shining bright green
leaflets set on either side of a central midrib, usually with a
terminal leaflet at the tip. Each leaflet is long, narrow, and
pointed, slightly curved and unequal-sided, and has
saw-edged margins. Many small, white, honey-scented
flowers grow in short, loose clusters from near the bases of
the leaves, by which they are usually partially concealed.
The fruit is a small smooth berry which turns yellow when
ripe, and contains one seed set in soft juicy pulp.
The young leaves app throughout the year, but
chiefly about the time the branches are sometimes The
often another flush of bloom occurs during the rains. Their
sweet scent is a great attraction to insects, and the
bunches of yellow fruits are much eaten by birds. The fruits
mostly ripen at the beginning of the rains.
The neem is one of the best known and important
of Indian trees, not only because of the reverence in which
it is held by the Hindus, but because of its , valuable
medicinal properties, which have always been fully
appreciated in India, and are now being utilised on a
commercial scale in the manufacture of soaps,
tooth-pastes, and many other preparations. Almost every
part of the tree is largely employed medicinally and it is not
easy to give a brief summary of its many uses.
Perhaps the most important product of the neem is
the deepyellow, acrid oil that is extracted from the seeds
and is known commercially as margosa oil. This oil for
burning, but it gives off too much
 KEY 235

is employed by poor
people smoke to be
really suitable for this
purpose, and it is used
principally for its
antiseptic and
anthelmintic qualities
and as an application in
rheumatism. A bright
amber-coloured gum is
obtained from the bark
which is valued as a
stimulant and tonic.
The bark of the roots
and stems and the
young fruits also have
tonic properties, and
are used to cure intermittent fever. An antiseptic lotion is
made from the leaves, which are also widely employed to
keep insects away from clothes and books, and to make
poultices for ulcers and similar troubles. The flowers are
given as a tonic.
In spring incisions are sometimes made at the base
of the trunk from which a quantity of sap issues, and often
flows for weeks. This is used as a stomachic and cooling
drink.
The leaves are cooked and eaten with other
vegetables in the form of a curry, or are simply dried and
eaten raw ; they have a strong bitter taste but no smell.
The sweet pulp of the fruit is also occasionally eaten,
especially in times of scarcity. The twigs are very
commonly employed as tooth-cleaners. The leaves are
collected as fodder for cattle, and the leaves and twigs to
rot down as manure.
The timber is hard and close-grained, the weight
being about 10 lb. per cubic foot. It is durable, and is much
used for carts, ship-building, agricultural implements, toys,
and furniture.
236 KEY

By the Hindus the neem is held sacred, chiefly

owing to the antiseptic and prophylactic properties inherent
in the tree. Idols are made out of its wood, and there is a
general reluctance to cut down or destroy one of these
trees. Yogis and other people of a religious temperament
sometimes eat the bitter leaves and fruits in order to make
themselves immune to the allurements of beauty, and it is
said that such people can in this way become immune to
poisons.
Many Indians believe the neem to have great virtue
in keeping fevers and sickness away. A bunch of neem
leaves is often tied to the door of a house when small-pox
is prevalent, and also on the occasion of a birth or a death
to keep away evil spirits. Travellers prefer to sleep under a
neem tree in the belief that it will keep off fevers, and the
beds of small-pox patients are entwined with wreaths of
neem and jasmine. Fresh neem leaves are given to those
who have been bitten by snakes in the belief that if the
leaves taste bitter, they will recover, but if sweet, they will
die ; as the leaves are normally intensely bitter, the result
of this test must often prove encouraging.
This tree is a native of Burma but is now common
all over India, and in many other hot countries. It is
specially suited for dry climates, but is abundant in lower
Bengal, where it is much planted near houses, and as an
avenue tree for which it is extremely suitable. It is common
in and about Calcutta.
MELIA. (Ancient Greek name for the ash tree,
Fraxinus excelsior Linu., the leaf of which closely
resembles the leaf of the neem, Azadirachta indica, which
used to be included in this genus under the name of Melia
.4zadirachta.) A genus of about 12 species of trees,
natives of eastern tropical Asia, of which 3 are found in
India. The leaves are divided into separate leaflets
branching from a midrib, the lower branches of the midrib
being divided once or twice more before the leaflets are
 KEY 237

reached bipinnate or tripinnate). The stamens are united

into a tube, 1 and the fruit consists of a berry with a single
stone containing 1 or more seeds.
Melia Azedarach Linn.

Bengali, hakarjan, gora nina, mahanim.

Hindi, bakain, drek,, betain, deikna,
bakarja, mahaninb.
Urdu, bakayana.
English, Persian lilac, bead tree, Barbados
lilac, Indian lilac, pride of China,
pride of India, China tree.
(F.I. p. 369. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 544 B.P. Vol. I. p. 313.)

A middle-sized deciduous tree ; leaves pinnate

near apex with a terminal leaflet, bipinnate or tripinnate
nearer base, up to 20 inches long ; leaflets opposite,
ovate- anceolate, up to 3 inches long, sometimes serrate ;
flowers bisexual, panicled, 1 to inch long, scented, lilac, or
purple and white ; drupe shining, subglobose, 2 to 4 inch
diam.; endocarp hard, often 5-6-celled.
This is a handsome tree, usually of moderate size,
with greyish-brown bark marked with long, shallow, vertical
fissures. Its leaves are divided into separate, pointed
leaflets, which near the tip of the leaf spring directly from
the midrib of the leaf, but nearer the base are borne on
lateral branches of the midrib, which are usually arranged
in three or four opposite pairs.
238 KEY

Coloured flowers
grow- in branching
clusters, which are
placed near the
bases of the
leaf-stalks, and, as
the clusters are
shorter than the
leaves, are often
partly hidden by the
foliage. The fruits
consist of almost
spherical shining
berries, which at
first are bright green
in colour, but ripen
to yellow in the cold
weather, when the
falling leaves reveal
them clearly.
Usually the
first flowers appear
on the bare
branches in
February and March, but the new leaves open almost at
the same time, so that the tree is soon covered with a
mixture of lilac-coloured honey-scented blossom, and
bright green, delicately divided, leaves. Occasionally a tree
flowers in December, and some trees regularly produce
new leaves in October and November. When in blooms
this is one of the most beautiful of trees, and by night the
surrounding air is permeated by the scent of its flowers.
Each flower consists of five or six white or pale lilac petals
surrounding the deep purple tube formed by the stamens.
The fruit is poisonous to man, but is said to be
greedily eaten by sheep and goats. The stones from the
fruit are used all over India as beads, being easily
perforated and made into necklaces and rosaries, when
 KEY 239

they are supposed to act as charms against disease. In

America the leaves and fruits are collected to keep away
insects.
The tree is very quick-growing, and the timber,
though soft, is prettily marked, and is useful for
furniture-making and similar purposes. Its weight is about
35 lb. per cubic foot.
Various parts of the tree have long been used for
medicinal purposes by the Arabs and Persians. The seeds
are believed to relieve rheumatism, and the leaves to cure
nervous headaches and hysteria. The fruits, as well as the
leaves, are a remedy for skin troubles and the bark is said
to be an effective tonic.
There are several forms of this tree, one of which
flowers as a seedling, and never exceeds about 6 feet in
height ; another- form has a dense umbrella-shaped crown
; and the third and common est variety has a rather
straggling habit of growth. These forms come true to seed.
A distinct variety with spreading branches and drooping
foliage is known in the U.S.A. as the "Texas umbrella tree".
The species is believed to be indigenous in
Baluchistan, but is now naturalised all over India and in
many hot countries. It is common in Calcutta gardens.. A
fine specimen with an umbrella-shaped crown grows on
the east side of the Victoria Memorial gardens.
APPANAMIXIS. This genus includes about 25
species of evergreen trees, natives of India, Malaya, and
Australia, of which about 6 species are found in India. The
leaves are divided into separate leaflets arranged on
opposite sides of a midrib, with a terminal leaflet at the tip
(imparipinnate). The flowers are usually unisexual and the
two sexes are generally found on different trees
(dioecious). There are only 3 petals, and the stamens are
combined into an almost spherical tube. The fruit is a pod
containing 1 to 3 seeds, each enclosed in a fleshy
covering.
240 KEY

Appanamixis polystachya (Wall.) R. N. Parker. Syn.

Amoora polystachya Hk. A. Rohutika W. & A. Andersonia
Rohutika Roxb.
(Rohituka is the Sanskrit name of this tree. Polystachya in
Greek means "with many spikes").

Bengali, tikta raj, pitraj.

Hindi, harm harra, harin khana.
(P.I. p. 311. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 559. B.P. Vol. I. p. 316.)

Leaves imparipinnate, 1 to 3 feet long ; leaflets 9 to

15, entire, elliptic or ovate, acuminate, glabrous, 3 to 9
inches long; flowers usually dioecious ; male flowers 8 inch
long, sessile in terminal panicles ; female inch long, sessile
in solitary spikes much shorter than the leaves ; calyx
5-partite ; petals 3 ; anthers 6, attached to the staminal
tube at its base ; capsule globose, yellow when ripe,
3-valued, z toy inches diam.; seeds oblong, orange or
scarlet.
This plant is usually a middle-sized evergreen tree
with a heavy rounded crown, but it sometimes grows in
thickets and jungles as a straggling shrub. Its bark is
smooth, thin, and dark grey. The leaves are divided into a
number of separate, bright green, pointed leaflets arranged
in opposite pairs on either side of a midrib, with a terminal
leaflet at the tip, which is usually smaller than the others.
The pairs of leaflets are rather widely spaced along the
midrib, and the lateral leaflets are generally very
unequalsided. The small white flowers have only three
petals and are unisexual, the two sexes being found on
separate trees. The female flowers grow on unbranched
spikes, which are found plentifully distributed among the
leaves. The male flowers are smaller, and are borne in
branched clusters at the ends of the twigs. The fruit
consists of a yellow sphere, which opens by three valves to
disclose several large orange or scarlet seeds. The timber
is hard, and even-grained, weighing about 40 lb. per cubic
 KEY 241

foot. It is of good quality but apparently little used, though

canoes are said to be made from it.
The bark is strongly astringent, and is said to be a
useful remedy for enlarged spleen. The seeds yield an oil
which is used as a stimulating liniment in rheumatism, as a
cure for diseases of the blood, and as a dressing for sores.
The flowers appear from September to November,
and the seeds ripen at the end of the cold weather,
sometimes remaining in the husks of the fruit till April.
The tree is a native of most of the hotter parts of
India, Malaya and Ceylon. It is common in thickets and
village shrub beries near Calcutta, and is sometimes grown
in gardens for its fine evergreen foliage ; but it is probably
not indigenous in lower Bengal.
SWIETENIA. (After Gerard van Swieten, a Dutch
botanist, 1700-72). A genus containing 3 species of trees,
natives of tropical America; of which 2 species are now
commonly grown in India. The genus is distinguished by its
large fruit containing numerous seeds, which are winged at
one end only. The stamens are joined into an urn-shaped
tube with 10 teeth, which springs from a pink or orange
disc. The flowers are bisexual.
Swietenia Mahagoni Linn.
(Mahagoni is a west Indian vernacular name).

Bengali, naahagni.
English, mahogany, Spanish mahogany.
(F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 540. B.P. Vol. I. p. 319.)

A tall tree ; leaves paripinnate, glabrous ; leaflets 4

to 10, opposite, obliquely ovate or lanceolate,
long-acuminate, of mature tree about ii inches long, by I
inch broad, of young tree longer and much broader
petiolule 4 inch long; flowers in axillary panicles, greenish
yellow J inch across ; petals 5, spreading ; disc annular,
cerise ; capsule 5-celled, about 3 inches diam.,
subglobose ; seeds many, winged.
242 KEY

The real Spanish mahogany is a magnificent

evergreen tree, tall and spreading, with rough grey-brown
bark which flakes off in small pieces, and a stout trunk. Its
leaves are delicately divided into narrow, curved leaflets
with tapering points, arranged in opposite pairs on a
central midrib. The leaflets are of a dark shining green
when mature, but when young have a peculiarly delicate
shade of brilliant emerald ; those of mature trees often do
not exceed two inches in length, but younger trees have
longer and much broader leaflets, which under certain
conditions sometimes are quite unlike the foliage of the
mature tree, so that young trees of this species may
occasionally be difficult to distinguish from those of the
bastard mahogany, Swietenia macrophylla (see below).
The small, greenish-yellow flowers grow in short open
clusters in the axils of the leaves. Each flower has five
spreading petals, within which the stamen's form a tube
with ten minute teeth; almost concealing a small disc of a
brilliant cerise colour from which the tube springs. The fruit
is a hard, almost spherical, woody capsule containing
many seeds, each of which is winged at the upper end.
This tree yields perhaps the most famous timber in
the world, and is largely used for furniture and for all
purposes for which a hard wood of the best quality is
needed. It is much employed
in ship-building, for which it is
very suitable, for it is
extremely strong and durable.
A Spanish man-of-war built of
mahogany; when captured by
the British 600 years later,
was found to be sound in
every timber. The weight of
the wood is usually about 42
lb. per cubic foot.
The mahogany is a
native of Jamaica and Central
America, whence it was first
 KEY 243

introduced into India at the end of the 18th century, when

plants from the West Indies were grown in the Royal
Botanic Gardens at Calcutta. Since then they have been
planted in many parts of the country, with varying success,
but the tree never seems to have been successfully grown
in India for its timber, the quality of the wood in this country
apparently being variable and on the whole inferior to the
real "Spanish Mahogany" grown in the West Indies, though
not much inferior to the so-called "Honduras Mahogany",
which grows further south than the best "Spanish
Mahogany". The trees are widely planted in many places
for shade and ornament, and are common in Calcutta. A
fine group of them may be seen at the south end of
Hospital Road near the Presidency General Hospital. They
are particularly beautiful when the new leaves appear in
March and April. The inconspicuous flowers appear soon
after the new leaves in April and May.
In the West Indies the bark of this tree is used as
an astringent and as a substitute for cinchona.
Swietenia macrophylla King.
(Macrophylla in Greek means' "having large leaves").

Bengali, bara mahagni.

English, bastard mahogany, large-leaved
mahogany.
(Not mentioned in F.I. & F.B.I. B.P. Vol. I. p. YO

Leaves paripinnate, up to 2 feet long ; leaflets 6 to

16, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, slightly oblique, up to 8
inches long ; petiolule very short ; flowers I inch across in
short axillary panicles ; petals greenishwhite, oblong,
cuspidate ; staminal tube whitish, teeth deltoid ; disc bright
red ; capsule about 6 inches by 3 inches, erect.
This is a tall evergreen tree with rough bark, which
flakes off in small patches, and leaves divided into two
244 KEY

rows of rather large,

narrow, pointed leaflets
arranged in opposite
pairs on a central
midrib. The leaflets are
dark green and shining
when mature, and light
green or reddish when
young. The
inconspicuous whitish
flowers are borne in
small open clusters
among the leaves.
Each flower has ten
stamens combined into
a small tube inside
which there is a bright
red disc. The fruit is a
large, woody,
clubshaped capsule containing a large number of seeds,
which are winged at the upper end.
The tree closely resembles the true Spanish
mahogany (Swietenia Mahagoni) except for its very much
larger and coarser leaves, and larger fruit. It mahogany,
and grows more the delicacy of that of the assume such a
beautiful shade is more hardy than the true quickly, but its
foliage lacks Spanish mahogany, and does not of green
when the leaves are young.
It also lacks the handsome spreading habit of
growth of its more famous relation.
The timber of the bastard mahogany is lighter and
less valuable than that of the Spanish mahogany, though it
is moderately hard and of fairly good quality. The weight is
about 35 lb. per cubic foot.
This tree was first determined as a separate
species in Calcutta, when seeds were brought from
Honduras and sown in the Royal Botanic Gardens. It
seeds freely in India, and is now widely planted as an
 KEY 245

avenue tree in many places up to 2000 feet elevation. In

Calcutta it is not uncommon, and several trees are to be
found on the Maidan and elsewhere.
The new leaves mostly appear in March and the
flowers in March and April. The very young leaves are
usually reddish or pink in colour.
CEDRELA. (From "cedrus", the ancient Latin name
of the cedar, the wood of which resembles the wood of
some species of this genus.) A genus including rb species
of trees, natives of tropical Asia, America, and Australia, of
which about 4 are found in India. The leaves are, divided
into separate leaflets arranged in two rows on a midrib
(pinnate). The flowers are bisexual with 5 erect petals, and
4 to 6 stamens not joined into a tube. The fruit contains 5
cavities (cells), each with several winged seeds.
Cedrela Toona Roxb.
(Toona is the Indian vernacular name latinized).

Bengali, tuni, tun, lud, tunna.

Hindi, tun, tuna, tuni, lim, lud, mahalimbu,
tunkajhar, mahanim.
Urdu, tun.
English, toon, Indian mahogany, Moulmein
cedar, Singapore cedar, sandal
neem, happy tree.
(F.I. p. 213. F.B.I. Vol I. p, 568. B.P. Vol. I. p. 320.)

Leaves glabrous, paripinnate, 1 to 3 feet long;

leaflets opposite or nearly so, Io to 20, usually 14,
lanceolate, acuminate, often falcate, entire 1 or undulate, 2
to 7 inches long ; petiolule to inch long ; flowers bisexual,
in short terminal panicles, white, scented, I inch long ;
sepals 5, ovate, acute ; petals 5 ; stamens 5, inserted on
an orange-coloured hairy disc ; capsule oblong, smooth, I.
to r inch long; seeds with membranous wings at both ends.
This is a rapidly growing tree, with thin, rough, dark
grey-brown bark, spreading branches, and nearly
evergreen foliage composed of long, graceful leaves
246 KEY

divided into two rows of rather large, narrow, pointed

leaflets arranged in opposite pairs on the midrib. The
mature leaflets are bright green, but the young leaves are
often reddish. Each leaflet is usually unequal-sided and
curved, and its margins are sometimes wavy in outline.
The small, white, honey-scented flowers grow in open
clusters at the ends of the branches, each flower
containing a diminutive orangecoloured disc from which
the five stamens spring. The fruit is a small, elongated
capsule containing a number of winged seeds.
This is one of the most useful timber trees in India,
the wood being of a fine brick-red colour, soft and shining,
with an even but open grain. It seasons readily and does
not split or warp, nor is it eaten by white ants. It is much
used for structural
purposes, furniture
and carving, and its
fragrant scent
makes it very
suitable for cigar
boxes. It is exported
in large quantities
from Burma to
Britain, where it is
known as
"Moulmein cedar".
Its weight is about
35 lb. per cubic foot.
The flowers yield a
red and a yellow
dye, which are
largely employed for
colouring cotton.
The seeds are used
to feed cattle, and
the leaves are lopped as fodder.
 KEY 247

The bark is used medicinally as a powerful

astringent in the treatment of dysentery, and is also
regarded as a febrifuge.
The tree is a native of most of the hotter parts of
India, Burma, Malaya and Australia. It is probably not truly
wild near Calcutta, but is not uncommonly planted as a
shade tree, for which purpose it is eminently suitable. A
specimen may be seen (in 1944) on the east side of Mayo
Road near its junction with Chowringhee.
The leaves fall in the early part of the cold weather
and are replaced in December and January. The flowers
appear in February and March. The fruits ripen towards the
end of the rains.

CELASTRACEAE

This is a small family of trees and shrubs,

containing about 38 genera with 28o species, natives of
tropical and temperate countries. The leaves are not
divided into separate leaflets, are often leathery, and are
usually set in opposite pairs. The flowers are small, and
usually bisexual, with a calyx cleft into 1 or 5 segments,
and 4 or 5 petals, overlapping in bud and spreading later,
within which is a large disc supporting 4 or 5 stamens
alternating with the petals. The ovary contains 2 to 5
cavities (cells). The fruit is variable in form. The seeds are
usually brightly coloured.
The family takes its name from Celastrus, a genus
of climbers represented by several species in India. It also
includes Euonymus, which is represented in Britain by
Euonymus europaeus Linn., the spindle tree, a common
shrub in hedges and thickets.
ELAEODENDRON. (From the Greek "elaia", an
olive, and "dendron", a tree, in allusion to the resemblance
of the fruit of a typical species to an olive). This genus
contains about 30 species of shrubs and trees, natives of
Asia, Australia, South Africa, and tropical America. The
248 KEY

stamens are 5 inserted under the edge of the disc, and the
fruit is a fleshy berry, containing one seed.
Elaeodendron glaucum Pers.
(Glaucum in Latin means "grey-blue", or "sea blue".)
(F.I. p. 214. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 623.B.P. VOL I. p. 329.)

A deciduous tree ; leaves glabrous, generally

opposite, more or less elliptic, coriaceous, crenate, usually
about 3 inches long ; petiole about inch long ; flowers
numerous in axillary, dichotomous cymes, green, about I
inch across, 4- or 5-merous ; disc fleshy, angled ; stamens
5, insert ed under the edge of the disc, filaments recurved ;
drupe ovoid, I inch long, 1- to 2-seeded.
This is a graceful tree seldom exceeding a medium
size and occasionally growing as a shrub. Its thin bark is
grey or blackish in colour. The rather small green leaves
are usually arranged in opposite pairs on the branches ;
their stalks are short, and the leaves are generally broad
with pointed ends and notched edges, but their shape and
size are very variable. The small green flowers grow in
short, open, branching clusters from near the bases of the
leaves. The fruit is a yellowish-green berry somewhat
resembling an olive.
The timber is fairly hard, even and close grained,
and seasons well, but requires careful treatment because
thin planks made of it are apt to warp. Having a pretty grain
and a fine red colour it is used for cabinet work and picture
frames. Its weight is about 45 to 50 lb. per cubic foot.
The root is widely believed to be a remedy for
snake-bite, and the root-bark rubbed into a paste with
water is applied to remove all kinds of swellings. The
powdered leaves have a powerful sneezing action, and are
made into a snuff to cure headaches, and to rouse women
from hysteria. The root is used as an emetic and as a cure
for pneumonia, but overdoses are said to be fatal. The
bark contains tannin and is reputed to be poisonous, but a
preparation of it is given in cholera.
 KEY 249

The tree is a
native of most of
the hotter parts of
India and Malaya. It
is not wild near
Calcutta, but is
occasionally
planted as an
ornamental tree.
Specimens may be
seen in
Barrackpore Park,
and in the garden at
Belvedere.
The flowers appear
from March to June.

RHAMN ACEAE

This is a family of about 40 genera with 500

species of trees and shrubs, distributed in all parts of the
world. The branches are often armed with spines. The
leaves are not divided into separate leaflets and may be
arranged in opposite pairs, or otherwise. The flowers are
small, often unisexual, and always green or yellow. The
calyx is cleft into or 5 triangular lobes. The petals and
stamens are each 4 or 9 in number, and spring from a disc
that lines the calyx tube, the stamens being opposite the
petals. The fruits are variable in form.
The family takes its name from the genus
Rha9nnus (buckthorn), of which about 7 species are found
in India and 2 in Britain.
ZIZYPHUS. (An Arabic name latinized). A genus of
about 40 species of shrubs and trees, mostly natives of
India and Malaya. The branches are armed with spines
near the bases of the leaves, which are arranged
alternately (i.e., not in opposite pairs). The fruit is a fleshy
250 KEY

berry containing 1 to 3 seeds. About 14 species are found

in India.
In addition to the species described below Zizyphus
Oenoplia Mill. (Bengali, siakul) is commonly found near
Calcutta. This is a straggling shrub with pointed leaves
covered with rusty down beneath, small black berries not
more than ',r inch across, and branches usually armed with
straight spines growing singly from the bases of the leaves.
It is often difficult to distinguish this shrub from Z. Jujuba
when the fruits are not available. In addition Zizyphus
vulgaris Lamk., the common jujube (Hindi, titnibey or
kandiari), is said to be occasionally cultivated in Bengal.
This is a small tree similar to Z. Jujuba in most respects,
but with leaves free from down beneath. A number of
varieties are cultivated in India for their fruit, which are said
to be very like those of Z. Jujuba, but usually inferior. The
better sorts are sometimes grafted on stocks of Z. Jujuba.
Zizyphus Jujuba Lam.
(Jujuba is a mediaeval Latin form of the Arabic word from
which Zizyphus is derived).

Bengali, bey, kul gachh, bogyi, boy. Hindi,

bey, beyi.
Urdu, bey.
English, Indian jujube, Indian Plum, Indian
cherry, Chinese date.
(F.I. p. 204. F.B.I. Vol. I, p. 632. B.P. Vol. I. p. 333.)

A middle-sized tree ; branches armed with stipular

spines, which are usually in pairs, one bent, one straight ;
branchlets, inflorescence, petioles and undersides of
leaves densely white or tawny-tomentose ; leaves
alternate, variable, oblong to nearly orbicular, obtuse or
acute, entire or serrulate, subbifarious, up to 21 inches
long ; petiole short ; flowers in short, nearly, sessile,
axillary cymes ; calyx-lobes 5, spreading ; petals 5,
subspatulate, narrow, reflexed ; disc io-grooved ; fruit
 KEY 251

globose, 2-celled, fleshy, orange or reddish when ripe, 1 to

inch diameter,
This middle-sized or small tree has nearly black
bark covered with irregular cracks, dark green foliage, and
a spreading, rounded crown. Its rather small leaves are
very variable in shape, but are usually broad and
sometimes almost circular in outline they are set on short
stalks arranged alternately in two rows on opposite sides of
the twigs, and at the base of each leaf there are sharp
spines, which are sometimes solitary, but `more often in
pairs, one spine being straight and the other curved
downwards. A white or reddish down densely covers the
backs of the leaves and many other soft parts of the tree.
The minute, greenish-yellow fragrant flowers grow in small
clusters near the bases of the leaves. The fruit is a fleshy
berry containing a single stone, within which are two
seeds. The pulp round the stone is rather dry and mealy,
and the flavour is acid unless the fruit is quite ripe. The
thin, smooth skin is green until the fruit ripens and then
turns reddishbrown or orange. The shape varies from oval
to spherical ; the oval fruits (which usually grow on
cultivated plants), when ripe resemble a small plum, but
the unripe wild fruits have
exactly the appearance of
a very small green apple.
The wild ber
produces a round acid fruit
which is usually only eaten
by poor people or used for
making sherbet, but
cultivation has much
improved the size and
flavour. Several cultivated
varieties are grown with
fruits of different shapes
and flavours, the better
kinds being more
252 KEY

or less oval in shape. In Indian literature the fruit is

regarded as very delicious and is included in the joys of
Paradise, but only those who have acquired the taste can
appreciate it, for it has a peculiar flavour that is not
attractive to those not accustomed to it. The unripe fruits
are pickled, and are made with the addition of salt and
tamarinds into a condiment. The kernels are also eaten,
and the ripe fruit is sometimes dried, powdered, and made
into a sort of floury meal, especially in times of scarcity.
The bark is used for tanning purposes, and in
Burma silk is dyed by means of the fruit. The branches are
useful for making hedges, and the leaves are good fodder
for cattle and goats. The leaves are also collected to feed
silkworms, and a silk obtained from a wild silk-worm's
cocoon found on this tree was formerly purposes.
The timber is hard, strong, fine and close-grained,
and reddish in colour. The weight varies from 43 to 58 lb.
per cubic foot. It is largely used for saddle-trees,
agricultural implements, sandals, tent pegs, golf clubs, and
other purposes for which a hard, durable, close-grained
wood is needed. The tree grows very quickly, and is an
important forest tree in the dryer parts of India.
Medicinally the tree has a number of uses. The root
arid bark have tonic properties, and are used as a remedy
for diarrhoea; The leaves are valued for treating asthma,
wounds, and liver complaints. The fruits are said to be
useful in fevers and for wounds and ulcers, while the
flowers are used to treat eye troubles.
The ber is indigenous in many parts of Asia and
Australasia, and is found throughout the hotter parts of
India. It is common near Calcutta, in the vicinity of villages
and elsewhere, though good fruits are not often seen
except in districts to the north of the city. It is often found
growing as a small bush, when it is sometimes easily
mistaken for Zizyphus Oenoplia Mill., a common straggling
shrub (see above under the description of the genus). The
 KEY 253

is said never to grow into a tree and has been described-

mi a distinct variety under the name of jujuba var. It has
much smaller leaves and fruit arboreous form of the plant.
The flowers a from August to October and the fruits
ripen from January when the branches are often heavily
laden. The leaves are in April or May after the fruits have
fallen.

SAPINDACEAE

This is a family of 120 genera with 1000 species,

mostly tree and shrubs, natives and subtropics. The.
leaves are usually alternately placed (not in opposite
pairs), and are often divided into leaflets arranged in 2
rows on either side of a midrib (pinnate) ; except in the
case of the species which are climbers, there is usually no
terminal leaflet. The flowers are small and unisexual, the
two -sexes being generally borne on the same tree, but the
female flower has sterile stamens which make it appear to
be bisexual. The 'calyx is small and cup-shaped, or
consists of 5 overlapping sepals. The petals usually
number 4, and the stamens, which are from 4 to 10 in
number, are inserted between the ovary and a disc. The
ovary usually contains 3 cavities (cells). The fruits take
various forms.
Over 20 genera of this family are found in India. In
addition to the trees described below, Allophyllus serratus
Radlkofer (Bengali, rakkal phul), a straggling shrub with
leaves divided into 3-toothed leaflets, is not uncommon
near Calcutta ; and Cardiospermum Halicacabum Linn.
(Bengali, shibjhul), a small herbaceous climber with leaves
divided into nine toothed leaflets, in 3 groups of 3, and
fruits consisting of inflated capsules„ is very common in
Bengal.
FILICIUIVI. (From the resemblance of the leaves to
the filices, or ferns). This is a genus of 3 species of trees,
natives of Asia and Africa; with leaves divided into
separate leaflets arranged in opposite pairs on either side
254 KEY

of a broadly winged midrib. The fruit is a small berry

containing one seed.
This gnus was included by early authorities, in the
family Burseyaceae.
Filicium decipiens Thw.
(Decipiens in Latin means- "deceptive"; or "misleading",
owing to the difficulty in classifying this tree).

Hindi, katu, puveras.

English, fern tree, fern-leaf tree.
(F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 539. Not in F.I. & BY.)

Leaves paripinnate ; leaflets 12 to 16, narrowly

elliptid; glabrous; to 6 inches long, opposite ; rachis
broadly winged between each pair of leaflets, wing
narrowing towards base ; flowers numerous, minute,
unisexual, pentamerous, in narrow axillary panicles;
stamens inserted within the disc ; drupe ovoid, apiculate,
shining, j inch diam., i-seeded.
This
handsome
evergreen tree
attains a fair
size and has a
compact habit
of growth. The
bark is blackish
and flakes off in
small pieces to
show a red-.
dish brown
colour beneath.
The dark
green, shining
leaves are
divided into
separate
leaflets
 KEY 255

arranged in opposite pairs on either side of a broadly

winged midrib, the whole leaf being strongly reminiscent of
the leaf of a fern. From the axils of the leaves spring
minute white flowers in inconspicuous, erect, branching
clusters. The fruit consists of a small, shining, eggshaped
berry, which turns purple when ripe and contains. one
seed.
The timber is hard and: strong, weighing about 60
lb. per cubic foot. It is useful for building purposes.
The tree is a native of Western India, Ceylon, and
eastern tropical Africa. It is widely cultivated in the tropics
as an avenue tree, and is said to be: grown as an
ornamental pot plant. It is occasionally planted in Calcutta,
but is too slow-growing to be popular as- a shade tree.
Some fine specimens-may seen in the Calcutta Zoo.
The flowers appear in February, and the fruit ripens
in March and April, but the tree seldom, if ever, bears fruit
in Calcutta.
BLIGHIA. (Named after W. Bligh, a British mariner:
who: wrote on the South Seas about A.D. 1792). A small
genus of tropical trees and shrubs, of which one species is
cultivated in many hot countries for its fruit. The leaves are
divided into 2 rows of leaflets arranged in opposite pairs on
either side of the midrib (paripinnate). The flowers are
borne in slender clusters from the axils of the leaves, the
calyx being deeply. divided into segments which scarcely
overlap., . The fruit, is an elongated capsule with 3 lobes.
Blighia sapida 'Koen. Syn. Sapindus obovatus W. &
A:
(Sapida is Latin meaning "having a pleasant taste").

English, akee fruit.

(Not mentioned in F.I., F.B.I. & B.P.)

Leaves paripinnate ; leaflets 6 to 10,

obovate-oblong, entire, glabrous, the terminal pair up to 8
inches long, the lower pairs smaller ; petiolules very short ;
flowers pubescent, in axillary racemes, fragrant ; calyx
256 KEY

segments 5 ; petals greenish-white, oblong; fruit a capsule

opening by 3 sutures,
about 3 inches long ;
seeds 3, globose,
shining.
This is a medium
-sized tree with smooth
grey bark, and bright
green, shining leaves
divided into two rows of
leaflets arranged in
opposite pairs on short
stalks on either side of
the midrib. Each leaflet
is broadest near its apex and tapers towards its base, the
pair of leaflets at the outer end of the leaf always being the
largest and the remainder diminishing in size towards the
base of the leaf. The young leaflets are reddish in colour
but soon turn a bright glossy green. The small,
greenish-white, intensely fragrant flowi is are borne in
rather showy clusters from the axils of the leaves. The fruit
is a curious-looking capsule, longer than broad,
pronounced lobes, and usually magenta-red in colour
when ripe it contains three spherical, shining, black seeds,
round the base of which is a firm cream-coloured, fat-like
substance, which is the edible part of the fruit.
In the West Indies this succulent portion is fried
with butter, or boiled and flavoured with salt and pepper,
when it is considered a great delicacy. Care must however
be taken to gee that the fruit :is neither over-ripe nor
under-ripe when. eaten, and it must always be
fresh-picked, for otherwise it becomes unsafe to eat. A
pink integument found between the lobes of the fruit must
be removed before eating.
The tree is a native of Guinea, but is now grown in
many hot countries. It is occasionally planted near
Calcutta, arid.:-_ a specimen may be seen in the Royal
Agri-Horti. Gardens at Alipore.
 KEY 257

The flowers and fruit appear in the hot weather.

LEPISANTHES. (From the Greek "lepis", a scale or
husk: and "anthos", a flower). A genus of about 20 species
of trees and shrubs, natives of tropical Asia. The leaves
are divided into several leaflets set in opposite pairs on
either side of a central midrib (paripinnate). The leaflets
have smooth edges (entire). The flowers are
unsymmetrical, with 5 sepals which overlap one another,
and 4 or 5 petals. The fruit contains 3 chambers (cells), but
is not lobed as in the genius Blighia.
Lepisanthes tetraphylla Radlk. Syn. Hemigyrosa
canescens Thw. Molinaea canescens Roxb. Cupania
canescens W. & A,
(Tetraphylla is from the Greek meaning "with four leaflets".
Canescens is Latin meaning "becoming white, or hoary".)
(F.I. p. 320. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 671. Not in B.P.)

A medium-sized, polygamo-monoecious tree ;

leaves alternate, pinnate, up to 15 inches long; leaflets
usually 4 (sometimes 2, 6, or 8), the terminal pair the
larger, elliptic, obtuse, shining above, up to 1o inches long
; flowers in sessile, crowded panicles ; sepals 5, erect,
concave, the 2 outer smaller ; petals 4 or 5, concave,
shaggy at the claw ; disc unilateral ; stamens 8, or in male
flowers 6 to 1o, rather longer than the petals ; stigma
trigonous, blunt ; fruit subglobose, velvety, ochre-coloured.
up to 1 inch diam.; seeds 2 to 5, set in white, translucent
pulp.
This is an evergreen tree, of moderate size, usually
with a crooked trunk, spreading branches and a compact,
rounded crown of dark green shining foliage. The fairly
smooth, dark brown bark flakes off in large pieces and
exposes- a much paler surface beneath, but the trunk is
often pale greyish in general appearance near its base
owing to irregular patches of light colour, and is gnarled
with uneven bumps and fissures: The large leaves are
usually divided into four leaflets set in two pairs on either
side of a central midrib, the pair of leaflets at the outer end
258 KEY

of the midrib being the larger. Each leaflet is narrow in

outline but more or less blunt at the tip, and has slightly
uneven edges. The upper surface is dark green and
glossy, but the underside is paler and of a duller texture.
The small whitish flowers are borne in branching clusters
set close to the larger branchlets and almost concealed by
the dense foliage. Each flower has five overlapping sepals,
and four or five minute
concave petals, which
are narrow and hairy at
the base.
The round, pale
yellow fruits have thin
soft, velvety skins
containing several large
seeds each enclosed in
white translucent pulp,
the whole interior
somewhat resembling
that of a mangosteen,
but on a much smaller
scale. The pulp has a
sweet taste but no
definite flavour, and,
though the fruit is
considered edible and
is much appreciated by birds and flying-foxes, it seems to
be seldom eaten by man.
The flowers appear in March and April, and the
fruits ripen in May, when they are often produced in great
profusion. The ground beneath the tree is then littered with
the skins and seeds that have been discarded by the
creatures that eat the fruits.
The wood is white, fairly soft, and even-grained. It
is used in house-building but is not very serviceable. It
weighs about 60 lb. per cubic foot.
The tree is a native of Burma, Ceylon and South
India, but has only recently been introduced into Bengal.
 KEY 259

A-fine specimen grows in the Royal Agri-Horticultural

Gardens in Alipore, and in recent years a number of young
trees have been in Calcutta streets, especially in
Ballygunge.
SCHLEICHERA. (After J. C Schleicher, a Swiss
botanist.) This genus contains only one species, a tree with
minute petalless flowers, a dry crustaceous fruit containing
only 1 seed, and leaves divided, into leaflets set in
opposite pairs on either side of a midrib (pinnate).
Schleichera oleosa (Lour.) Vlerr. Syn. S, trijuga
Willd.
(Triluga in Latin means "three yokes", in allusion to the
leaflets which are often in 3 pairs. Oleosa is Latin meaning.
"rich in oil):

Hindi, kusuin, gausam, kosum.

English, lac tree, guru lac tree, Ceylon oak,
honey ktree.
(F.I. p. 331. F.B.I. Vol. I; p: 684. B.P. Vol. I. p. 345)

A large deciduous tree ; leaves paripinnate, 8 to 16

inches long leaflets opposite, sessile, elliptic, the lowest
pair 1 to 3 inches,` the terminal pair 6 to 9 inches long;
flowers minute, yellowish green, fascicled on interrupted
racemes, polygamo-dioecious, apetalous ; racemes. 2 to 6
inches long ; 'stamens 6 to 8 ; style 3- to 4-cleft ; fruit
smooth or echinate, 1 inch long ; seed compressed, brown,
3/5 inch long.
This is a large tree with thick, smooth, grey bark, a
short, fluted trunk, and a dense and shady crown. Its
branches :are leafless for a short time in the cold weather,
260 KEY

and the new

leaves appear in
February or March
; at first they take
various beautiful
shades of red, but
they soon turn
light green, and
ultimately become
a fairly dark green,
which is often
brightened by
scattered tufts of
new leaves with
fresh red or pale
green tints. The
leaves are divided
into separate
pointed leaflets set in two, three, or four opposite pairs on
a central midrib ; the leaflets are attached directly to the
midrib without stalks, the terminal pair always being the
largest and the lowest pair the smallest. The minute
yellowish-green flowers grow iii short, dense clusters,
which are arranged in numerous spikes springing from the
twigs among the leaves. The flowers are either male or
hermaphrodite, the two kinds usually being found on
separate trees. The fruit is a smooth or , prickly,
hard=skinned' berry, roundish but rather elongated in
shape, with a point at the tip: The prickles that sometimes
appear on the fruit seem' to be galls caused by some
insect.
The tree is a native of the low hills of the
Himalayas, Central India, the Western Peninsula, Burma
and Ceylon. It is an important forest tree owing to its
various valuable products, and especially because the lac
grown on it is considered to be the best obtainable.
The timber is very hard', strong, and durable,
weighing about 68 lb. per Cubic foot. It is used for the
 KEY 261

rollers of oil and sugar mills, rice pounders, agricultural

implements, and cartwheels. It seasons well and takes a
good polish.
The acid pulp surrounding the stone of the fruit has
a pleasant flavour, and is often eaten. The young fruits are
pickled. The leaves and. twigs are lopped -for cattle fodder.
The seeds yield an oil, which is used for cooking and for
burning in lamps, and is said by some to be the Macassar
oil of hairdressers: A dye is obtained from the flowers.
Medicinally the oil is used to cure skin diseases,
rheumatism, and headache, and also for promoting the
growth of the hair. The bark is employed to cure skin
troubles and inflammation, and the powdered seeds to
remove maggots from wounds of animals.
The tree is not wild in lower Bengal, but is often
planted in Calcutta. Specimens may be seen on to the
west of Mayo Road, and on Strand Road near St. George's
Gate, Fort William.
The flowers appear with the new leaves in February
and March. The old leaves turn pale yellow before falling.
The fruits ripen during the rains.
EUPHORIA. (From the Greek "eu", well, and
"phoreo" bear, because the plants bear well their edible
fruits). This is a genus of about 6 species of 'trees and
shrubs, natives of India, Malaya, and South China. The
leaves are divided into of leaflets arranged in opposite
pairs on the midrib (paripirmate). The small flowers are
either male or bisexual; with cup-shaped calyces divided
into 4 or more overlapping segments. The fault is
contained in a more or less hard skin, which is generally
covered with small raised and does not split open
(indehiscent). The seeds are more or and are enclosed in
a layer of pulp.
This genus was formerly i4luded in the genus
Nepheliunx, from which it has now been separated by its
overlapping calyx segments.
Euphoria Longana Lam. Syn. Nephelium Longana
Camb. Scytalia Longan Roxb.
262 KEY

(Longana is a. Chinese name)

Bengali, asphal,
English, Longan, eyeball tree, dragon's eye,
urdoek, soap-nut.,
(F.L p. -319. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 688.B.P. Vol. I. p. 346.)

Leaves paripinnate, alternate ; leaflets opposite 4 to

10 coriaceous, shining above, elliptic, ovate-oblong or
lanceolate, usually rather obtuse at both ends, 2 to 12
inches long; petiolules very short ; panicles terminal and
axiillary flowers inch calyx deeply 5- or 6-lobed, tomentose
; petals about equalling the calyx ; stamens , 6 to 10.;
ovary 2- to' 3-lobed, hairy ;fruit globose, brown or
yell6wish-red, 4 inch diam., with rough, brittle pericarp ;
seed with succulent aril.
This is a middle-sized evergreen tree with smooth,
yellowishgrey bark, spreading branches, and dense, dark
green, shining foliage. The leaves are divided into from two
to five pairs of leaflets arranged iris two rows on either side
of the midrib. The leaflets
vary greatly in shape and
size, but are always narrow
and rather unequal-.sided
near the base. The young
leaves are reddish in colour,
but they soon turn green.
The very small
yellowish-white flowers are
borne in large open clusters
at the ends of the branches
and among the leaves. Two
kinds of flowers are
produced, male and
bisexual, both sorts being
found mingled on the same
tree. The spherical fruits are
borne in pendulous clusters
 KEY 263

rather like grapes they have rough, thin, scale-like rind

containing a, large black seed surrounded' by a thin layer
of white' juicy pulp They resemble a small and very inferior'
litchi, and are much eaten, especially by children, but the
pulp is' very scanty and only slightly sweet.
The timber is hard, and durable; but is little -used,
though' it is said to take a brie polish and to be useful for
furniture. Its weight is about per cubic foot. Medicinally the
fruit is reputed to tae nutrient; stomachic, and an fheltriintic.
In Indo-China the dried fruit is used us a tonic and
brain-stimulant.
The flowers appear in March and April, and the fruit
ripens in- June.
The tree is a native of south-western India, Ceylon,
Burma, and East Bengal. It is widely cultivated in the
tropics, and is commonly planted in and about. Calcutta,
chiefly for ornament and shade. A number of trees may be
seen on the Tollygunge Golf Course.
LITCHI. (A Chinese name). This is a genus
containing a single species which was formerly included in
the genus Nephelium. It is now distinguished by its calyx
almost devoid of lobes, and the absence of petals,
whereas the calyx of Nephelium is deeply cleft into 4- or
more segments, and minute petals are present.
Litchi chinensis Sonner. Syn. Nephelium Litchi
Camb. Scytalia Lichi Roxb.
(Litchi is a Chinese Mime. Chinensis means "from China").

Bengali, fichu.
Hindi, ldchu.
English. litchi
(F.I. p. 328. F.B.I. Vol. I, p. 687. B.P. Vol. I. p. 346.) .

A small fief; leaves ppripinnate ; leaflets 4 to r2,

opposite or alternate, oblong-lanceolate or ovate,
acuminate, glabrous, base cuneate, pale bepeath, up to 6
inches long ; flowers minute, in terminal panicles ; calyx 4-
to 5-dentate ; petals o ; disc glabrous ; stamens 6 to 10 ;
264 KEY

fruit red or pink when ripe, r inch diameter or more ;

pericarp brittle, tubercled ; seed r, axil large, fleshy.
The litchi is an evergreen shrub or a small tree with
thin, grey, rough bark, spreading branches, and dark
green, glossy foliage. Its leaves are very variable in size
and shape, but are, always divided into two rows of leaflets
arranged in pairs on either side of a central midrib. The
leaflets are pointed and dark green and shining' above but
pale and glaucous beneath. The minute, greenish flowers
have no petals and are very inconspicuous ; they grow in
small sprays at the ends of the branches, and are followed
by large clusters of roundish fruit contained in thin, brittle
rinds, which are covered with small raised points, and are
usually pink or crimson when ripe. Each fruit contains a
single large black seed surrounded by a white, juicy,
translucent pulp which is sweet, delicately flavoured, and
reminiscent of a large white grape., The fruits turn a dull
brown colour soon after being picked.
Litchis are said to be grown to perfection only, .in
one province of China but excellent fruits are obtained in
most years from the neighbourhood of Calcutta, and are
generally: considered one of the most delicious of local
products. In India the fruit seems to be always eaten
freshly picked, but in China they are often dried, when they
become blackish in colour, in which state they may be
bought in London and other western cities.
The timber is red in colour, and hard. It weighs
about 60 lb. per cubic foot.
In China the tree has many medicinal uses. The
root, bark, and flowers are employed to make a gargle to
cure throat troubles, and the green fruit is believed to help
children in small-pox. The seed is used to cure intestinal
troubles, and to relieve neuralgic pains.
 KEY 265

The litchi is now

widely cultivated in
India, having been
introduced from South
China. In many parts of
the country it fails to
produce good fruit, but
in lower Bengal its
results are usually
satisfactory, provided
the trees are netted well
-before the fruits are ripe
in order to protect them
from the attacks of birds.
The flowers
appear in February and
March, aid the fruit
ripens in May or at the
end of April. The young leaves appear at various times
throughout the year, and are often coloured pink; :-pr;?a
delicate shade of pinkish yellow. The plants are usually
propagated by gootee grafting. It is said that if they-are to
be grown from seed, the seed must be quite fresh when
sown.
SAPINDUS. (From the Latin "sago", soap, and
"indus" Indian). This is a genus of 11 species of trees,
natives of tropical Asia and America. The leaves are
divided into separate leaflets set in opposite pairs on a
midrib (paripinnate). The 5 sepals are unequal size, and;
overlap one another when in bud. The small petals are 4 to
5 in number, and there are' usually 8 hairy stamens on a
Peshy disc. The fruit consists of 1, 2, or 3 more or less
separate divisions (carpels), which are smooth and usually
fleshy, and contain a substance known as "saponin",
which. makes a1ather with water.
Sapindus laurifolius Vahl. Syn. S. trifoliatus Linn. S.
emarginatus Vahl.
266 KEY

(Laurifolius means "with laurel leaves". Trifoliatus` means

"with 3 leaves", or in this case "with 3 pairs of leaflets".)

Bengali, bararitha.
Hindi, ritha.
English, soapnut. (This name is also given to
S. Mukorossi).
(F:I. p. 331. F.B.I. Vol. I. p. 682. B.P. Vol. I. p. 344.)

Leaves alternate, paripinnate ; leaflets 4 to 6,

subcoriaceous, elliptic; generally obtuse and -emarginate,
sometimes acute, 3 to 7 inches long, those of the terminal
pair largest ; inflorescence -rusty-pubescent, terminal,
panicled ; polygamous, inch long, white, hairy ; ovary
tomentose ; druiles 2 or 3, fleshy, slightly united, glabrous
and wrinkled when ripe.
This is a large, handsome deciduous tree with grey
bark covered with rough scales. The'. rather short leaves
are divided into two or three
pairs of leaflets, of which the
terminal pair is always the
largest. The leaflets are usually
rounded at the tip with a
distinct notch at the end of the
central nerve, and are downy
on the lower surface, but there
is a variety with hairless
leaflets terminating in a
tapering point. Many minute,
dingy white flowers grow in
rather large, open clusters at
the ends of the branches.
There are two kinds of flower,
male and bisexual, both, kinds
being found in the same
cluster, the males
predominating. The fruit
consists of two; or more
 KEY 267

usually three, almost spherical berries, which are partially

joined, and are covered with reddish hairs when young, but
are hairless and wrinkled when ripe. Each berry contains
one hard, smooth, black seed:
The fruits contain a substance known as "saponin"
that forms a lather with water, and they are largely used as
a substitute for soap, being actually preferred to the best
soaps for washing woollens and delicate fabrics. They are
also useful as a detergent for washing cloth before dyeing
it.
The timber is yellow and hard, weighing about 64
lb. per cubic foot. It is not much used, but is occasionally
employed for building.
The fruit is valued for a great variety of medicinal
purposes, especially as an emetic, and as a remedy for
asthma, hysteria, and epilepsy. Lxternally it is given as a
remedy for the stings and bites of poisonous insects, and
is believed to be useful in cases of snake-bite. For
scorpion sting the fruit is given internally while the smoke
from the burning nut is being inhaled.
The tree is a native of Southern India. It is said by
Sir David Prain to be cultivated in Bengal and to be
occasionally planted near villages in the neighbourhood- of
Calcutta, but it is certainly not common, and may no longer
be found there except in the Royal Botanic Garden.
The flowers appear from October to December, and
the fruits ripen in the hot season. When ripe they have a
strong, sweet scent like over-ripe strawberries.
Sapindus Mukorossi Gaertn. Syn. S. detergens
Roxb.
(Mukorossi is a Japanese name. Detergens in Latin
means "cleansing".)

Bengali, ritha.
Hindi, aritha, dodan, kananar, ritha.
English, soapnut, (This name is also given to
S. lauri folius).
(F.I. p. 332. F.B.I. Vol. I, p. 683. B.P. Vol. I. p. 344.)
268 KEY

Leaves alternate, paripinnate, up to 18 inches long

; leaflets alternate or opposite, 10 to 16, lanceolate,
acuminate, glabrous, often slightly oblique, 2 to 6 inches
long ; petiolules short ; flowers ciliated, mostly bisexual,
inch diam., white or purple, in terminal panicles ; drupes
fleshy, solitary or in pairs, subglobose, inch diam.
This is a handsome deciduous tree, sometimes
attaining 60 feet in height, with grey, rather rough bark,
and long slender leaves divided into two rows of narrow,
pointed, slightly unequalsided leaflets,, which are arranged
close together on the midrib., sometimes, but not usually,
in opposite pairs. The minute, purple or greenish-white
flowers grow in open, much branched clusters at the ends
of the twigs, the flowers being of two kinds, male and
bisexual, the bisexual the more numerous. The fruit
consists of spherical fleshy berries, yellow when ripe,
borne either singly or in pairs, each berry containing a
single, round, black seed.
This tree is easily mistaken for the toon (Cedrela
Toona), which it closely resembles in foliage, but it may be
distinguished by its comparatively smooth, grey bark, much
smaller flowers, and fleshy fruits.
The fruits of this tree, as in the case of all members
of the genus, contain saponin, which has the valuable
property of forming a lather
with water. The fruits are
used for the same
purposes as those of S.
lauri folius, namely,
washing clothes, especially
woollen and delicate
articles, and the hair. They
are considered superior to
the best soap for these
purposes.
The timber is
compact, close-grained
 KEY 269

and fairly hard, weighing about 44 lb. per cubic foot. It is

seldom used. The leaves are given to cattle as fodder.
The fruit and seeds are regarded as a cure for
epilepsy. The seeds are supposed to remove tan and
freckles from the skin, and a solution of the fruits is a
remedy for skin diseases. The powdered seeds are said to
be a good insecticide.
The tree is a native of China and Japan. It is
cultivated throughout Northern India, and is said by Sir .
David Prain to be found occasionally near Calcutta, but it is
certainly uncommon in lower Bengal. The flowers appear
in May and June.

ANACARDIACEAE

This is a family comprising about 60 genera with

500 species of trees, and shrubs, mostly natives of the
tropics, of which about 20 genera are found in India. The
plants often contain milky and acrid juices, -which in some
cases are capable of raising blisters on the skin. The
leaves are not arranged in opposite pairs, and are very
various in structure. The small flowers may be unisexual or
bisexual, but are always borne in branching clusters
(panicles). The calyx is cleft into from 3 to 5 segments,
alternating with which are as many petals. The stamens
are usually as many as the petals and alternate with them,
the stamens being inserted under a disc. The ovary is
usually free from the calyx and contains from i to 6 cavities
(cells), each holding a single seed. The; fruits are fleshy,
and sometimes large, usually containing a single .seed.
The family is named after the genus Anacardium,
which includes Anacardium occidentale Linn., the cashew
nut (Bengali, hijli, badam), a small evergreen tree, a native
of America, cultivated in various parts of India for its nuts
and occasionally planted nn Bengal. The small
kidney-shaped, edible nut of this tree grows at the apex
greatly swollen, pear-shaped stalk, much larger than the'
nut. The stalk is-juicy; and edible.
270 KEY

LANNEA. (From the vernacular name in

Sgnegambia of one sptcies.) This is a genus of about 15
species of deciduous trees stout, soft branches, mostly
natives of Africa, of which one only is India. The leaves are
few, clustered at the ends of the braache and divided into
two rows of leaflets with smooth edges and in opposite
pairs on the midrib with a terminal leaflet at the apex limpai
pinnate). The flowers are unisexual, the males having 8 to
10 stamens, and the females 3 or 4 styles. The fruit is a
small, flattened containing a single seed.
Lannea grandis (Dennst.) Engl. Syn. Odina Wodier
Rdxb.
(Grandis is Latin meaning "large". Wodier is the Tamil,
name of this tree.)

Bengali, jial, jiol, fir, jival, bhadi, bohar, ghadi,

lokar:
Hindi, kiamil, kimul, kamlai, kashmala,
jhingan, inowen, mohin, moyna,
ginyan.
(F.I. p. 336. F.B.I. Vol. II. p. 29. B.P. Vol. I. p. 3540

A tree with thick starchy twigs ; leaves

imparipinnate, 12 to 18 inches long ; leaflets 7 to 9,
petiolulate, oblong-ovate, caudate-acuminate, opposite,
entire, 3 to 6 inches long, without an intramarginal nerve ;
flowers small, monoecious or dioecious, in compact
fascicles, greenish ; racemes numerous at ends of
branches ; female racemes simple, male compound ; calyx
4- or 5-cleft, lobes ciliate ; petals oblong, pink and greenish
yellow ; stamens 8 to 10 ; styles 3 or 4, short, stout ; drupe
reniform-oblong, inch long.
This is a deciduous tree with rather thick, smooth,
grey or whitish bark, which flakes off in small pieces, and
with a straggling ungainly habit of growth. In Bengal the
tree is usually only of small dimensions, but it is said to
grow to a large size, in more suitable climates. The leaves
fall during the cold weather, and the tree remains bare and
 KEY 271

ugly, until in March or

April the small
yellowish-green
flowers, tinged with
pink, appear in
numerous spikes or
sprays, which radiate
from the tips of the
rather thick soft twigs.
The flowers are
unisexual, the two
sexes being often
borne on different
trees, and if on the
same tree, usually on
separate branches.
Most of the female
flowers grow on short
unbranched stalks, and most of the male flowers on longer,
branching stalks. The handsome foliage appears after the
flowers, and often not till May or June, when the last of the
flowers have fallen. Like the flowers, the leaves are
clustered at the ends of the branches ; each leaf is divided
into :several narrow leaflets with smooth edges and
long tapering points, the leaflets being arranged in
opposite pairs on either side of a midrib with a terminal
leaflet at the tip. The small, rather flat berries are usually
borne in large numbers from the female trees, or female
branches, and persist for a long time ; they are red or
brownish when ripe, and each contains a hard stone.
The soft branches of this tree contain large quantities of
starch, and it is, therefore, easy to propagate the tree by
making cuttings and simply planting them in damp soil. For
this reason it is common in and about villages, and is
LANNEA GRANDIS often used to make hedges and to
mark boundaries.
A gum which exudes from the bark is used in
calico-printing, as a site for hand-made paper, and as an
272 KEY

addition to lime for white-washing. The bark yields a dye

which is employed to colour silk a brown or golden colour,
and is also used in tanning. The leaves make good fodder
for cattle and elephants, and in some places the tree is
pollarded for this purpose.
The bark is astringent and is used to cure ulcers,
sprains, bruises, skin diseases, and dysentery. The gum,
beaten up with cocoanut-milk, is also applied to bruises
and sprains. The juice of the green branches, mixed with
tamarinds, is given as an emetic in cases of narcotic
poisoning. A decoction of the bark is considered a cure for
toothache, and the powdered bark is used as
tooth-powder. The leaves are applied to elephantiasis of
the leg, and after being boiled are regarded as a remedy
for all kinds of pains and . swellings.
This tree is indigenous throughout the hotter parts
of India and is abundant in lower Bengal.
SPONDIAS. (A Greek name used by
Theophrastus). This is a genus of about 6 species of
deciduous trees, natives of the tropics, of which about 4
species are found in India. The leaves are divided into
separate leaflets arranged in opposite, or nearly opposite,
pairs on either side of the midrib with a terminal leaflet at
the tip (imparipinnate). The small flowers grow in open
erect clusters at the ends of the branches, and are of two
kinds, male and bisexual, both sorts being found on the
same tree (monoecious). There are 8 to 10 stamens
inserted beneath a broad disc, and 4 or 5 styles. The fruit
is a fleshy berry containing a hard stone holding from z to 3
seeds.
Spondias mangifera Willd. Syn. S. pinnata Kurz.
(Pinnata is Latin meaning "feathered", in allusion to the
arrangement of the leaflets. Mangifera is Latin meaning
"mango-bearing".)

Bengali, amra, amra, ambra.

Hindi, wrlara, ambodha, ambra, amra.
 KEY 273

English, hog plum, bile tree, wild mango,

traveller's delight.
(F.I. p. 387. F.B.I. Vol. III. p. 42. B.P. Vol. I. p. 356.)

Branchlets stoat ; leaves alternate, glabrous,

imparipinnate, r to ii feet long, scented like mango ; leaflets
7 to 13, oblong, acuminate, entire, 3 to 6 inches long, with
an intramarginal nerve ; flowers pentamerous, whitish,
polygamous, clustered on stout branches of panicles, J
inch diam.; calyx 5-toothed ; petals 5, oblong ; stamens 8
to 10 ; drupe 11 to 2 inches long, yellow when ripe,
smooth.
This is a deciduous tree with a rather straggling
habit, and smooth, grey, aromatic bark marked with short,
shallow, longitudinal wrinkles. In Bengal the tree usually
reaches only middle size and is often found growing as a
large shrub, but in some climates it is said to grow to be a
handsome tree of considerable height. Its leaves are
clustered near the ends of the rather soft, greenish
branchlets, and are divided into two rows of large leaflets
arranged in opposite pairs on either side of a midrib with a
terminal leaflet at the apex. The leaflets have short stalks,
are rather narrow in outline with projecting tips, and are
widely spaced along the midrib ; they are remarkable in
having a vein which runs round the leaflet just within the
margin, joining the tips of all the small veins which run
outwards from the central vein, a characteristic that
enables the leaves, of this tree to be easily distinguished
from the very-similar leaves of Lannea grandis. Many little
greenish-white flowers grow on the stout branches of large
sprays, which appear ac the ends of the twigs When the.
tree is leafless in February and March. The flowers are of
two kinds; male and bisexual, both sorts being found
together on the same tree. The fruits are smooth. berries
about the size and shape of a hen's egg ; they are yellow
when ripe, or sometimes green mottled with yellow and
black, and contain a large stone surrounded by coarse
fibre and some acid pulp. The tree may easily be
274 KEY

recognised by the
strong smell of mango
which pervades it.
The flavour of
the fruit has been
described as like that
of an exceedingly bad
mango, but
nevertheless it is
sometimes eaten raw
;though more often it
is used while still
green to give an acid
taste to curries, or
made into a pickle
with mustard-oil, salt,
and chillies. There are several varieties, some of which are
said to give fruits which are sweet and pleasant if the part
of the pulp just below the skin is first removed and the fruit
is eaten at exactly the right time. Cattle and deer are very
fond of the fruits, and in jungles where deer are found,
large heaps of the stones dropped by the deer are often
seen.
The bark is used as a remedy for dysentery and also,
ground and mixed with water, as an embrocation to cure
rheumatism. The fruit is eaten to relieve dyspepsia and as
a preventive of scurvy, and the juice of the leaves is
considered a cure for earache. The bark is commonly
believed to be a remedy for snake-bite.

The wood is soft and almost useless. A gum

obtained from the bark is sometimes used as an adhesive.
The leaves have an agreeably acid taste and are
sometimes eaten by men as well as by animals.
The tree is a native of most parts of india, Ceylon,
and Malaya, and ascends the hills to 5006 feet elevation. It
is very common near villages in Bengal and often
poritaneously.
 KEY 275

Hindus use the flowers in worship, especially as

emblems of spring in the worship of the goddess
Saraswati.
Spondias dulcis Forst.f. Syn. S. Cytherea sonn.
(Dulcis is Latin meaning "sweet". Cytherea is a Greek
name of the goddess Aphrodite).

Bengali, bilati aynya.

Hindi, bilayati ainya.
English, Otaheite apple, great hog-plum, vi.
(F.I. p. 387. F.B.I. Vol. II, p. 42. B.P. Vol. I. p. 356.)

Leaves imparipinnate, 8 to 12 inches long ; leaflets

usually 13 or 15, ovate-oblong, acuminate, finely crenate
or serrulate, up., to 3 inches long ; panicles 8 to is inches
long; flowers polygamous, whitish,; drupe ovoid, up to 3
inches long; seed y inches long, ovoid, echinate,
In its native country this is a tall and stately tree, but
in Bengal it does not attain a large size. It has fairly smooth
grey bark, stiff spreading branches, and leaves divided into
two rows of rather narrow leaflets arranged in opposite
pairs on either side of a midrib with a terminal leaflet at the
apex. The leaflets have finely notched or toothed edges
and pronounced points at their tips. The small
yellowish-white flowers are of two kinds, male and
bisexual, both of which grow together in rather large sprays
clustered at the ends of the stiff twigs. When ripe the
smooth, egg-shaped fruits are golden-yellow, often marked
with russet patches ; they sometimes reach a size larger
than a goose's egg, and contain a big stone covered with
fibre and surrounded by juicy pulp.
The rind of the fruit tastes of turpentine, but the
pulp has a delicious scent like apple or quince. The flavour
of the best varieties is said to be very good, but inferior
276 KEY

fruits are acid.

Nothing much can be
done with the fruit as
a preserve or by
cooking, but in its
native country it is
considered to be very
wholesome, and is
given freely to
invalids.
In Otaheite the
timber is valued for
making canoes.
The tree is a
native of the Society Islands in the South Seas, but is now
grown in many hot countries and is occasionally seen in
Calcutta gardens.
The leaves fall in the cold weather and new leaves
appear together with the flowers in March and April. The
fruits ripen in August or September.

MANGIFERA. (From "mango", a corruption of the

Tamil name of the tree, and Latin "fero", I bear, i.e.,
"mango-bearer".) This is a genus comprising about 30
species of evergreen trees with undivided leaves, natives
of Malaya and India, of which about 3 species are found in
India. The calyx is divided into q. or 5 segments, and the
petals, which fall as the fruit develops, are also 4 or 5 in
number. The stamens are as many as the petals, but only r
or 2 are fertile. The fruit is a large fleshy berry, containing a
single stone set in fibrous pulp.
Mangifera indices Linn.
(Indices is Latin meaning "Indian".)
Bengali, am, amora.
Hindi, am, azzzb.
Urdu, anzba.
English, mango, spying tree, cuckoo's joy,
Cupid's favourite.
 KEY 277

(F.I. p. 215. F.B.I. Vol. II. p. 13. B.P. Vol. I. p. 352.)

Leaves alternate, coriaceous, oblong-lanceolate or oblong,
entire, the margins often undulate, 5 to 12 inches long,
crowded near the ends of the branches ; petiole 4 inch toy
inches long ; panicles large, erect, pubescent ; flowers
polygamous or monecious, very small, subsessile in
terminal panicles ; sepals and petals spreading; anthers r
or 2 inserted on the inner side of the lobed disc ; sterile
stamens z to 4, minute ; drupe z to 6 inches long, smooth,
compressed.
The mango is a large evergreen tree with thick,
rough, nearly black bark, spreading branches, and a dense
crown of dark green foliage. The leathery leaves are long
and narrow, usually ending in a sharp point and often with
wavy edges ; they vary very greatly in size and in other
respects also, but usually have a tendency to droop from
their short stalks, and generally give a strong, sweet
resinous smell when rubbed or broken. The young leaves
may appear in small numbers at the ends of the branches
at all
seasons of the year ;
they are usually very
flaccid and for a time
hang vertically down
wards, while their colour
is often pink or reddish.
The small, yellowish,
strongly scented flowers
grow in great numbers in
stiff, erect, open clusters
at the ends of the
branches. Each of the
little spreading petals has
three minute
orange-coloured ridges
on its inner face. The
flowers may be unisexual
278 KEY

or herma phrodite, male and female, or male and

heraphrodite flowers being found mixed in the same
clusters. The fruits vary greatly in shape and size, and may
be yellow, green, or red when ripe, but they are always
smooth-skin ned, and are generally slightly flattened and
elongated with a tendency to be curved at the thinner end
opposite the stalk. Within there is a large, flat,
pale-coloured stone more or less covered with coarse
fibres, and surrounded by yellow or orange, juicy pulp,
which in the better varieties has a sweet and delicious
flavour.
Owing to its dense evergreen foliage the mango is
one of the best of Indian avenue trees, and is often planted
on roadsides and to form shady "topes", or groves, for
ornamental reasons and as camping sites. For these
purposes the common wild variety of the tree, which has
small and very fibrous fruits with, a strong flavour of
turpentine, is .grown from seed ; but the better varieties of
the tree that yield good fruits can only be grown
successfully from grafts'.
A great number of varieties of the mango are found
in different parts of India, and the fruits vary enormously in
flavour as well as in all other respects, while the plants in
some cases grow no higher than a man and even creep
along the ground. A number of different varieties are found
near Calcutta, but the climate does not seem suitable for
the production of the best fruits, which are usually imported
into Calcutta from Bombay and other. parts of India: - The
best-known variety is perhaps the "Alphonse", or "afooz",
which has almost round, orange-coloured fruit, and is
grown principally in Bombay.
The mango is one of the most valuable fruits of
India, and a§ well as forming an important article of diet for
many Indians, is now exported in considerable quantities,
either tinned or in the form of chutneys, and preserves.
Among the uses of the green unripe' fruit it may be
mentioned that it is eaten in curries, made into pickles with
salt, chillies, and other ingredients, into preserves and
 KEY 279

jellies by being cooked in syrup, and into a custard with

milk and sugar known as "mango-fool". The ripe fruit is
cooked in curries and the juice, dried on plates, forms thin
cakes known as "ambsdth". The kernels of the seeds are
eaten in times of scarcity, and poor people ;often eat them
boiled with green vegetable!j:4 Unripe fruits stuffed with
spices and boiled in must4d oil are considered a great
delicacy. The fruits of the wild mango are an important
food for many aboriginal tribes, who boil large quantities of
them and drink the juice that results.
The timber is grey, and coarse-grained, hard in the
case of old trees and soft in young trees. The weight is
about 43 lb. Der cubic foot. It is much used for cheap
doors, boat-building, window-frames, packing cases, and
in recent years for making plywood.
The bark and leaves yield a yellow dye, and the
bark is occasionally used for tanning. Cattle are fond of the
leaves and twigs.
The tree has a large number of medicinal uses ; in
particular the unripe fruit is considered a cure for
ophthalmia, while the ripe fruit is laxative, tonic, and good
for the liver. The smoke of the burning leaves is used to
stop hiccough and as a remedy for sore throat, and various
parts of the tree are employed to stop bleeding. A powder
made from the flowers is burned to keep away mosquitoes,
and many parts of the tree are prescribed for the treatment
of snake-bite and scorpion-sting. The twigs and leaves are
used for cleaning the teeth, and the twigs as a 'substitute
for Pan.
Hindus regard mango leaves as emblems of
happiness and prosperity. They are used to welcome
guests and are hung in festoons over doorways and on
shamianahs for festive purposes. On all religious
occasions leafy twigs of the mango are kept in new pots
filled with water, accompanied by a green cocoanut, and
are placed one on each side of the doorway of a house
along with two plantain stems. On the occasion of
marriages and other happy ceremonies the leaves are
280 KEY

used for pouring libations into the sacred fire, and the twigs
with leaves or flowers are employed in the worship of
Saraswati, the goddess of learning.
The tree is believed to be a native of the hotter
parts of India and, although usually seen near the haunts
of man; is occasionally found as if truly wild in virgin forest.
It is now widely cultivated in the tropics and is very
common all over Bengal.
The flowers usually appear from the end of January
to March, and the fruits mostly ripen from May to July,
though some varieties produce fruit at other times of the
year.
MORINGACEAE

This family contains a single genus with 3 species

of soft-wooded deciduous trees, natives of the tropics of
Asia and Africa, of which 2 species are found in India. The
leaves are composed of many small leaflets, the midrib of
the leaf being divided into branches which may be again
subdivided before the leaflets are reached - (bipinnate or
tripinnate). The flowers are rather large, bisexual, and
borne in clusters from the leaf axils ; they are not
symmetrical, and within the 5 unequal petals is a disc
bearing ro or 12 stamens of which 5 only are fertile. The
fruit is a long, narrow, beaked pod containing numerous
seeds.
The affinities of this family are very doubtful and it
has been variously classified by different authorities.
MORINGA. (A vernacular name from Malabar). The only
genus of the family.
Moringa oleifera Lamk. Syn. M. ptervgosperma
Gaertn. Hyperanthera Moringa Vidld.
(Oleitera is Latin meaning "oil-bearing". Pterygosperma is
from . the Greek meaning ,"with winged seeds").

Bengali, saliva, say na, sujuna.

Hindi, inungna, sat njna, saonjna, shajna,'
sondna, segvu.
 KEY 281

Urdu, sabujna.
English, horseradish tree, drumstick tree, ben
tree.
(F.I. p. 36o. F.B.I. Vol. II. p. 45. B.P. Vol. I. p. 357.)

A small tree ; bark corky ; leaves tripinnate, 12 to

30 inches long ; rachis slender, thickened at the base ;
leaflets -I to 3334 inch long, pale beneath, the lateral
elliptic, the terminal obovate ; flowers white, I inch diam,
scented, in large puberulous panicles; sepals
linear-lanceolate, reflexed ; petals narrowly spatulate ;
stamens 5 ; staminodes 5 ; pod pendulous, 9-ribbed, 9 to
18 inches long ; seeds 3-gonous, winged at the angles.
This is a small quick-growing tree with soft wood,
and thick, grey, rough bark marked with longitudinal
cracks. Its foliage has a light, airy, and graceful look. The
large leaves are scattered along the branches, and are
delicately divided into numerous small, smooth leaflets,
which are bright green above and pale beneath. The
slender midrib of the leaf is joined by from 4 to 8 pairs of
still more slender lateral branches, each branch being
opposite its pair, and each being again divided several
times in the same manner until the thread-like stalks of the
graceful leaflets are ultimately reached. To some people
the manner in which the leaf is divided and the small
leaflets are reminiscent of the fronds of a maidenhair fern.
The white, scented flowers open at about the same time as
the young leaves and spread in large, loose clusters from
the axils of the leaves. Each flower has a calyx with 5
recurved lobes, 5 narrow, white petals, and 1o or 12
stamens, of which 5 only bear yellow anthers containing
pollen. The long, slender flexible pods hang in clusters
from the branches, each pod having 9 distinct ribs and
rather wavy edges, and containing a number of large
seeds with 3 pronounced wings.
This tree is very easily propagated not only from
seed but by simply planting twigs, or even sections of large
branches, in moist soil, when they will usually take root and
282 KEY

sprout in a very short time. For this reason the tree is

commonly grown in and about villages not only for its
various valuable products, and as an ornament, but to
support fences and to mark boundaries.
The pods, flowers, leave, and even the twigs, are
used as vegetables and cooked in many ways with various
condiments. The pods are made into a curry known in
Madras as "drumstick curry", and into a pickle said to be
exceedingly nauseous to Europeans, but long appreciated
by Indians; for it is mentioned in a list of pickles written 350
years ago. Cut into pieces about 4 inches long and boiled
the same pods are said to have a flavour scarcely
distinguishable from asparagus, and are only marred by
their fibrous skins. The pungent root is employed in place
of mustard and has long been known to Europeans as an
excellent substitute for horseradish, for which purpose it is
often used. The twigs and leaves are sometimes lopped for
fodder, especially for camels.
The wood is soft, spongy, perishable, and useless,
but a coarse fibre is obtained from the bark and is
occasionally made by poor people into ropes and cordage.
A dark gum exuded by the stem is used in calico-printing
and sold as a substitute for gum-tragacanth. The seeds
yield a clear, limpid,
almost colourless
oil, known as ben
oil, though the true
ben oil appears to
come from another
species M. apteya,
a native of Africa.
This oil is used by
watchmakers, and
is much valued by
perfumers
owing to its
great power of
absorbing and
 KEY 283

retaining delicate scents, but it seems to be seldom

produced in India, though the oil from the Indian tree is
said to be equal to that from the African.
The tree has a large number of medicinal uses chiefly
owing to the rubefacient qualities of its various parts. The
root is probably the only part of real medicinal value, for it
contains an oil not unlike mustard oil, though with a more
unpleasant smell, and is often used to make counterirritant
plasters and for similar purposes. The oil of the seeds is
applied externally in the treatment of rheumatism, and
various parts of the tree are given internally for a number
of ailments. The bruised leaves are a popular remedy for
the bites of snakes, dogs, monkeys, and other animals.
The root is valued as a cure for sore throats, and the
flowers are said to be useful in catarrhal affections.
The tree is a native of the forests of the Western
Himalayas, but is now cultivated in many tropical countries
including most parts of India. It is very common near
Calcutta, but is seldom seen in the town itself.
The flowers appear with the young leaves from the
end of January to the beginning of April, and the pods
ripen about three months later. The tree remains bare. of
leaves for several months in the cold season.

LEGUMINOSAE
(From the Latin "legumen",' a bean).

This is the second largest family of flowering plants,

comprising about 500 genera with 12,000 species of
herbs, shrubs, and trees. The leaves are very various in
form but are usually not arranged in, opposite pairs, and
are commonly divided into a number of separate leaflets ;
they are generally accompanied by stipules (small leafy
attachments to the stem near -the base of each leaf). The
calyx is divided into segments while;.. the petals are
normally 5 in number, and are often unequal, making the,
flowers unsymmetrical. The stamens - generally number io;
and the fruit consists of a single pod generally containing
284 KEY

several seeds; and usually splitting open along one or two

sutures into two valves. -
The family is divided into 3 very easily
distinguishable sub-families, chiefly according to the form
of the flowers, as follows:-
I. Papilionaceae. This subfamily has flowers
shaped like those of a pea i.e, with 5 petals of which the
uppermost is broad and often bent backwards, the two-
lowest are more or less joined together to form a beak or
keel, and the two lateral enclose the two lower ; the
stamens are. usually more or less joined into a sheath
which encloses the style.
2. Caesalpineae. The flowers of this sub-family are
usually large and, showy: The 5 petals are unequal, but
are all quite separate and overlap only slightly ; the
stamens are also quite separate.
3. Mfaioseae. This sub-family has small flowers of
which many are usually densely clustered in .compact
heads or spikes. The petals are equal and more or less
joined together. The stamens may be separate or joined ;
they are sometimes very numerous and often project far
beyond the petals, forming the most conspicuous part of
the flower.
The roots of most leguminous plants bear small
nodules containing bacteria which enable the plants to
take up much more nitrogen from the air than other plants.
Hence by increasing the available nitrogen, these plants
tend to enrich rather than impoverish the soil in which they
grow ; many of them are therefore of great importance in
the rotation of crops, and for the same reason trees of this
family are usually chosen when "shade. trees" are
required, in tea gardens and elsewhere, to give protection
to delicate plants beneath them.
The family includes some of the most important of
India's food crops, a number of valuable timber trees, and
many of the most beautiful flowering trees and shrubs to
be found in the world.
 KEY 285

i. Papilionaceae. (From the Latin "papilio", a

butterfly, in allusion to the shape of the flowers). This
division of the family Legusninosae comprises herbs,
shrubs, and trees from all parts of the world, and includes
all the leguminous plants which are found in cold countries.
The flowers are formed more or less after the manner of
the typical pea-flower, i.e., the two lower petals are joined
to form a "keel", the two lateral petals overlap and enclose
the keel, and the upper petal is broader than the others,
encloses them all in bud, and is often bent back when the
flowers open. The calyx is divided into 5 segments, which
often form two lips, the upper lip with 2 segments, and the
lower with 3. The stamens are usually 10 in number, and
are more or less joined into a sheath which encloses the
ovary and style ; the sheath is split along its upper side
and often along the lower side to form two half sheaths of
5 segments each ; sometimes 9 stamens form a sheath
while the tenth is separate. The classification of the
species is largely based on the arrangements of the
stamens.
The flowers of these plants are elaborately
-adapted to secure cross fertilisation of one flower by
another by making use of the higher and more intelligent
insects, such as bees. The insects alight on the two lateral
petals and probe for honey near the base of the broad
upper petal, The side petals are usually connected in
some; way to the two lower petals which enclose the
stamens and style, so that the latter are forced outwards
and may be touched by the insects. Different species have
various mechanisms whereby pollen is ,squeezed, or
thrown, out onto the insect; usually the stigma first
emerges to be rubbed by the insect, and pollen is released
later, so that it may be carried on and applied to the stigma
of the next flower to be visited, thus ensuring as far as
possible that each flower is pollinated by the pollen of
another flower and not by its own, and so effecting
cross-fertilisation..
286 KEY

The Papilionuceae are a most important , group , of

pla,2, for they include all the peas, beans and pulses (dal)
which from suit: valuable food for men and animals, as well
as many other trees and ; which yield timber, edible roots,
fibres, fodder, pith, and various other products. Also
included in this family are many beautiful :garden plats
such as the sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus Linn). A large
"number species of herbs and climbers of this sub-family
are wild and cultivated in Bengal.
On the western edge of Chowringhee, near its
junction with-'Theatre Road, there is a single specimen of
Myyoxylon Peyeirae slotsch, the Balsam of Peru, a native
of San Salvador. This is - beautiful, lofty evergreen tree,
with smooth, grey bark and' shining leaves about 9 inches
long, divided into about 8 leaflets alternately arranged on
either side of a central midrib. Each leaflet has a short
blunt point with a small notch at the apex and its edges are
wavy. The small whitish flowers are seldom, if ever, seen
in the climate of Bengal. The genus is closely allied to
Castanospernnum, from which it differs in its -pod, which
does not split open to release the seed, and is narrow and
winged at the base. Its name is from the Greek, meaning
"myrrh wood." A medicinal.' balsam can be obtained from
incisions in the bark. This is one of the most handsome
foliage trees to be found in Bengal and is worthy of further
cultivation.
SESBANIA. (An Arabic plant name). A; genus of
about 2ol species of herbs and short-lived trees, natives of
the tropics and subtropics. The leaves are divided into
many small leaflets arranged in opposite pairs on either
side of a central midrib with no terminal leaflet at the tip
(paripinnate). The flowers are large, and the stamens
consist of 9 joined in a sheath and r separate
(diadelphous). The pods are long and narrow, and are
divided by partitions between the numerous seeds
(septets).
 KEY 287

This genus includes S. cannabina Pers. (Bengali,

dhunchi) a common field crop in Bengal, as well as several
weeds common in marshes and wet places near Calcutta.
Sesbania grandiflora Pers. Syn. Aeschynomene
grandiflora Roxb.
(Grandiflora is Latin meaning "with large flowers").
Bengali, agati, agasthi, agusta, bakphul,
bagphal, bah, buka.
Hindi, agasti, agust, bak, basta, hatiya,
basna.
Urdu, agast
English, swamp pea,'

(F.I. p. 569. F.B.I. Vol. II. p. 1115. B.P. Vol,- I: p. 404.)

A small tree ; leaves paripinnate, 1 to 5 foot long ; leaflets

20 to 60, about i inch long, oblong, glabrous ; flowers 2 to
4, in short, axillary racemes, 3 to 4 inches long, white, red,
or pink ; pod i foot or more long, falcate, firm, separate,
tetragonous, the sutures thickened.
This is a pretty little soft-wooded tree with smooth,
light brown bark, a straight stem, spreading branches, and
slender leaves divided into two rows of small, narrow,
bright green leaflets. Its very large flowers grow in small
clusters in the axils of the leaves; their petals are arranged
like those of a pea-flower, according to the usual plan in
this sub-family, but in this case they take a very elongated
form; occasionally "double" varieties are found in which the
flowers have more than five petals and
288 KEY

are much
contorted. The flowers
may be white, crimson
or various shades of
pink. The pods are
very long and slender,
fourangled, slightly
curved, and contain
numerous seeds ; they
mostly ripen in May
and June, when they
are yellowish in colour.
The young
leaves, pods, and
flowers of this tree are eaten as vegetables and in curries,
and are also given to cattle as fodder. The timber is white,
soft and not durable, weighing only about 32 lb. per cubic
foot, but it is used for posts to support the roofs of huts,
and as firewood. The tree is often grown as a support for
the betel vine.
The bark is very and in the early stages of
smallpox. The juice of the leaves and flowers is a popular
remedy in Bombay for catarrh and headache, and a
poultice made from the leaves is applied to bruises. The
root of the red-flowered variety, rubbed into a paste with
water, is considered a valuable application in rheumatism,
while the bark of the white-flowered variety is said to be
given internally in cases of snake-bite.
The flowers are sacred to the god Shiva. They are
specially valued as offerings in the month of Kartik.
The tree is a native of Malaya. It is now grown in
many parts of India, and is common in villages near
Calcutta. Its growth is very rapid and the plant may reach a
height of 20 feet within two years of sowing.
The flowers appear mostly from September to
November, but continue through the cold season well into
the hot weather.
 KEY 289

Sesbania Sesban (L.) Merr. Syn. S. aegyptiaca

Peys. Aeschynomene Sesban Linn.
(Aegyptiaca means "from Egypt". Sesban is an Arabic
name).
Bengali, jayanti.
Hindi, jaint, jait, janjhan, jet, jhijam, rasin,
dhandiain.
Urdu, fait.

(F.I. p. 569. F.B.I. Vol. II. p. 114. B.P. Vol. I. p. 403.)

A small, soft-wooded, short-lived tree or shrub ;
leaves paripinnate, up to 6 inches long ; leaflets i8 to 40,
opposite, linear-oblong, obtuse, puberulous when young,
minutely petiolulate, up to i inch long ; flowers up to 2 / 3
inch long, yellow, red, or purplish, in lax few-flowered
axillary racemes ; pedicels up to 4 inches long ; bracts
lanceolate, scarious ; calyx campanulate, 4 inch long ;
standard orbicular ; stamens diadelphous ; pods up to 9
inches long, pendulous, twisted, sharply beaked; seeds 2o
to 30.
This is a quick growing shrub or a small, straight,
shortlived tree, with pale brownish grey bark, and
greyish-green foliage. The leaves are divided into a
number of small, narrow, blunt leaflets, which are set in
opposite pairs on either side of the midrib of the leaf. The
yellow or red flowers grow in small clusters on rather long,
drooping stalks, which spring from the bases of the leaves.
Each flower is shaped like the flower of a pea, and has its
upper petal broad and almost round. Of the ten stamens,
nine are joined to form a tube round the ovary, the tube
being split down one side, and the tenth stamen separate
from the others and situated in the opening between the
two sides of the tube. The pods are long, slender and
pendulous, and contain a number of seeds, each of which
is separated from its neighbours by partitions in the pod.
The flowers are usually marked with red, especially on the
large upper petal, but a variety with pure yellow flowers is
found and has been called vary typical. Another variety
290 KEY

with the large upper petals dark maroon on the outside,

and the two lower petals tipped with red, has been called
var. bicolor W . & A. A form with the upper petal dotted with
purple, but otherwise with pure yellow petals, is known a5
var. picta Prain. A variety, with entirely chocolate-coloured
or maroon flowers also occurs occasionally. ' All parts of
the plant vary greatly in regard to size.
This plant is often used to make hedges, and is
frequently grown from seed as an annual to form a barrier
round field crops. It is also found in gardens, where it is.
used to give shade to young plant, and to support
creepers, and is clipped to form ornamental hedges. If left
to grow without pruning, it sometimes attains a height of as
much as twenty feet, and this within one year.
The wood is very soft, white, and fibrous, weighing
about 27 lb. per cubic foot. It was formerly used to make
gunpowder
charcoal, and it is planted
in dry districts to yield a
substitute for bamboos.
In Assam the stems are
split and plaited into
mats, and in Burma the
wood is made into toys.
The bark is made in
ropes, and the leaves
and branches form
excellent fodder for
cattle.
The plant has a
number of medicinal
uses. The seeds are
stimulating and
astringent, and are
regarded as a remedy for
diarrhoea and diseases
of the spleen, as well as
for ulcers and skin
 KEY 291

diseases. The leaves are made into poultices for the

treatment of wounds and swellings. The root is believed to
be a remedy for scorpionstings, and there is a superstition
that the mere sight of the seeds of the tree will remove the
pain of these stings.
This plant is wild in tropical Africa, and is cultivated
in all in Bengal, and may be seen in hot countries. It is very
common Calcutta gardens.
The flowers appear principally in the cold season
but also during the rains. The plants only live about three
years.
Hindus use the leaves and flowers in worship on
the occasion of the Durga puja.
MILLETTIA. (Named after C. Millett, an officer of
the East India Company, circa 1820). This is a genus of
about 60 species of trees and climbing plants, natives of
the tropics and subtropics of Asia and Africa, of which
about 10 species are found in India. The leaves are
divided into 2 rows of leaflets arranged in opposite pairs
with a terminal leaflet at the end of the midrib
(imparipinnate). The flowers have the typical structure of
the sub-family (i.e. like the flower of a pea) and are white,
pink, or occasionally blue. The calyx-lobes are very short
or altogether absent, but the petals are attached by narrow
ribbons (claws). Nine stamens are joined into a sheath
while the tenth is separate (diadelphous). The pods are
woody or firm, and split open by 2 valves.
Millettia ovalifolia Kurz.
(Ovalifolia means "having oval leaves").
(F.B.I. Vol. II. p. 107. Not in F.I. & B.P.)
Leaves imparipinnate ; leaflets 7, elliptic-ovate,
chartaceous, glabrous, up to 2 inches long ; petiolules 5 / 8
to 5 / 6 inch long ; flowers in drooping axillary racemes ;
calyx glabrous, dark red or purplish, broader than long ;
corolla purple or mauve, about 4 inch long; pod 2- or
3-seeded near middle, pale, incurved, narrowed to base,
verrucose, 2 to 3 inches long.
292 KEY

This is a very
beautiful little tree with
a rounded crown and
branches that have a
tendency to droop. The
smooth grey bark flakes
off the trunk in small
irregular pieces. Most of
the leaves fall in the
cold season a nd many
of the branches remain
bare for a short time,
until in the early hot
season they become covered with drooping sprays of
small lilac or bright mauve flowers. The new leaves follow
soon after the flowers ; each leaf is divided into seven thin,
smooth, pointed, brightgreen leaflets arranged in three
opposite pairs on either side of a slender midrib with a
terminal leaflet at the tip. The pods are pale in colour, flat
and slightly curved, with a rough, knobbly surface ; each
pod contains two or three seeds near its centre.
This tree is a native of the Prome district of Burma.
It is not uncommon in Calcutta gardens, and is one of the
most beautiful of trees when covered with its delicate
sprays of flowers before the leaves appear. Later in the
year its neat dwarf habit and elegant foliage make it a very
desirable garden tree.
A fine specimen may be seen on the west side of
Dalhousie Square (1944).
GLIRICIDIA. (From the Latin "glis", a dormouse,
and "caedere", to kill, in allusion to the fact that the seeds
are used for poisoning rodents). This is a genus of about
ro species of trees and shrubs, natives of tropical America.
The leaves are divided into two rows of leaflets arranged in
opposite pairs with a terminal leaflet at the tip of the midrib
(imparipinnate). The flowers are shaped like those of a pea
and are white or pink in colour. Nine of the stamens are
 KEY 293

joined to form a sheath while the tenth is separate

(diadelphous). The pod is many-sided, flat and wingless,
and opens into two leathery valves (dehiscent).
Gliricidia maculata H.B.K.
(Maculata is Latin meaning "spotted", probably in allusion
to the whitish spots on the bark of the young branches).
English, madre tree, mother of cocoa,
Madura shade tree.
(Not in F.I., F.B.I. & B.P.)
Leaves. imparipinnate, up to 15 inches long ;
leaflets 9 to 19, opposite, ellipti, obtuse, oblique, minutely
puberulous, pale below ; racemes up to 4 inches long ;
calyx tubular, almost entire, reddish, about -1 inch long ;
corolla white or pink, standard with a pale yellow mark in
centre below ; stamens diadelphous ; pod flat, up to 8
inches by 3 inch ; seeds up to 10 or more.
This small tree has a short trunk covered with soft grey
bark marked by longitudinal cracks, and long, straight,
slender branches which at first tend to rise almost vertically
from the base. The bark of the young branches is a warm
brownish-grey and is sprinkled with whitish spots. The
graceful leaves are divided into a number of thin, broad,
pointed leaflets, which are bright green above and pale
below, and are arranged in opposite pairs on either side of
a slender midrib with a terminal and still broader leaflet at
the tip. In the cold season most of the leaves fall and the
branches remain bare until in February the small white,
pink, or pale mauve flowers appear in small sprays which
literally cover the greater part of the branches. The flowers
are shaped like the typical pea-flower and have a pale
yellow mark near the base of the upper petal, which is a
guide to the position of the honey for visiting insects. The
new leaves closely follow the flowers in March and April.
The pods are long and flat containing several seeds; they
are usually borne rather sparsely in the climate of Bengal.
The tree is very quick-growing and hears pruning
well; in gardens it is usually "pollarded"
294 KEY

at the top of the

trunk and young
branches are
allowed to take
their place. If
allowed to grow
without pruning it
soon becomes
straggling and
untidy. The tree
has great beauty
when in full flower,
but at other times
of the year seems
rather ungraceful
owing to the numerous straight, slender, stiff branches that
radiate upwards from the top
of the short pollarded trunk. The tree is used in several
parts of India as a shade tree for crops, for which purpose
it is very suitable owing to the ease with which it is
propagated by cuttings, and the speed with which it will
form a shady spreading crown after the trunk has been
lopped a few feet from the ground. The whole tree is very
rich in nitrogen and the Toppings are often used as green
manure. In South America it is much planted as a shade
tree for the cocoa plant.
The dried leaves smell like new-mown hay.
This tree is a native of tropical America. It is now
cultivated in many tropical countries and is common in
Calcutta gardens.
PISCIDIA. (From the Latin "piscis", a fish, and
"caedere", to kill, in allusion to the use of the seeds for
stupefying fish). This is a genus of two species of trees,
natives of tropical America. The leaves are divided into two
rows of leaflets arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the
midrib with a terminal leaflet at the tip (imparipinnate). The
flower is shaped like a pea-flower, and is unusual in that
 KEY 295

nine stamens are joined to form a sheath round the style,

while the tenth is separate at the base but is joined to the
tube higher up. The pod is short and thickish, and has four
wings.
Piscidia Erythrina Linn.
(Erythrina is the name of a genus of plants of this
sub-family with red flowers).
English, fish-poison tree, Jamaica dog-wood.
(Not in F.I., F.B. & B.P.)
Leaves imparipinnat, up to 9 inches long ; leaflets 7
to Li, opposite, oblong or elliptic, glabrous, up to 22 inches
long, the terminal largest ; panicles up to 6 inches long,
scattered along the branches ; calyx puberulous, purplish,
5-toothed ; corolla I inch across, pale mauve with pale
yellow mark at base of standard ; stamens monadelphous,
the tenth free below and curved outward in a loop ; pod 2
to 4 inches long by i / 3 inch wide, longitudinally q-winged
and irregularly jointed ; seeds 6 to 8, black.

This is a small tree with grey bark which flakes off

in irregular pieces, and a rather straggling habit of growth.
Its leaves are divided into a number of dark green, rather
narrow leaflets arranged in opposite pairs on either side of
the midrib with a
terminal and rather
larger leaflet at the tip.
The mauve flowers
grow in scattered
clusters along the
branches, each flower
shaped like the typical
flower of a pea, with a
pale yellow mark at the
base of the broad upper
petal as a guide to the
position of the honey for
the benefit of visiting
insects. The pods are
296 KEY

narrow and rather thick with four wings at the corners.

The seeds of this tree are poisonous and are used
in the West Indies for stupefying fish before catching them.
When given in less than lethal doses to the higher animals
they are said to have a hypnotic effect, and they have
been used medicinally for this purpose.
The tree is a native of Jamaica and other places in tropical
America. It is not to be highly recommended as an
ornamental tree because its flowers are neither graceful
nor of a striking colour, but it is occasionally grown in
Indian gardens. A tree may be seen near the north-west
corner of the Calcutta Zoological Gardens and another (in
1944) on the east side of Dalhousie Square. When the
branches are bare of leaves in March and April, they are
sometimes almost covered by the clusters of pale mauve
flowers. The new leaves are produced soon after the
flowers open.
PONGAMIA. (From the Tamil name of the tree,
"ponga" or "pongam"). This is a genus containing one
species only, a tree which is found on the banks of streams
and ditches throughout the plains of India, and is often
planted as a shade tree. The leaves are divided into two
rows of leaflets set in opposite pairs on either side of the
midrib with a terminal leaflet at the tip (imparipinnate). The
flowers are white or purple, with 10 stamens joined into a
sheath, the tenth stamen being separate near its base.
The pod is woody and thick, has no wings, and contains
one seed. The genus differs from Piscidia chiefly in the
shape of the pods.
Pongamia pinnata (Linn.) Merr. Syn. P. glabra
Vent. Galedupa indica Lam.

(Glabra is Latin meaning "hairless". Pinnata is Latin

meaning "feathered", in allusion to the leaflets. Indica
means "Indian").
Bengali, kararaja, dahuy kayanja,
dalkaramcha, kaymuj, khawari.
Hindi, karauj, papas, kiramal, kanja.
 KEY 297

English, lradian, beech, fioonga oil plant.

(F.I. p. 538. F.B.I. Vol. II, p. 240. B.P. Vol. I. p. 407.)
Leaves imparipinnate, 8 to 14 inches long,
glabrous, bright green ; leaflets 5 or 7, opposite, ovate or
elliptic, shortly acuminate, 2 to 5 inches long ; flowers
2-4-nate in simple, long-peduncled, axillary racemes ;
corolla purple or whitish, 2 inch long; standard silky on the
back; pod woody, glabrous, more or less falcate, r-seeded,
1 to 2 inches long, up to 4 inch thick.
This is a moderate-sized spreading tree with soft, smooth,
greyish-brown bark, usually covered with small knobs or
swellings, a short bole, and a rounded crown. The bright
green, shining leaves are divided into several leaflets
arranged in opposite pairs on either side of a slender
midrib with a terminal leaflet at the tip. The foliage is nearly
evergreen, but it mostly falls in the early hot weather and is
at once replaced by fresh green leaves. In May and June
the lilac-coloured, or pale pink flowers are borne in great
profusion in short clusters growing on long stalks from the
axils of the leaves. Each flower is shaped like the flower of
a pea. The short, broad pods are woody in texture and
contain a single seed; they take nearly a full year to ripen
and do not fall till the hot weather of the year after their
origin. They do not split open and the seed cannot
germinate until the walls of the pod decay. As the trees in
their wild state usually grow near water, the form of the fruit
is doubtless adapted to help the distribution of the seed by
its ability to float long distances in streams.
The seeds yield an oil which was once widely used
for illuminating purposes but has now been largely
superseded by kerosene. The ash of the wood is
sometimes used for dyeing, and a coarse fibre is obtained
from the bark. The fruit is said to be eaten by men, and the
leaves make good fodder for cattle. In the south of India
the leaves are extensively employed for manuring
298 KEY

rice-fields, for
which purpose they
appear to have some
special merit which is
not fully understood.
The wood is white,
fairly hard, tough,
coarse, and not easy to
work ; its weight is
about 40 lb. per cubic
foot when seasoned. It
is used for making solid
cartwheels and for fuel.
The tree has a number
of medicinal uses. In
particular the oil from the seeds is employed to cure skin
diseases. In Ceylon the juice of the roots is used for sores
and also for cleaning the teeth. The leaves as well as the
oil from the seeds are considered useful in the treatment of
rheumatism.
The tree is wild and common all over China, Malaya,
tropical Australia and Ceylon, as well as in most parts of
India. Its home is the sea-shore and near water, but it will
grow in dry places also, and it is now a favourite shade
tree in many of the dryer districts of India, where it is often
planted on roadsides. In Bengal it is often seen on the
edge of tanks and ditches with its branches overhanging
the water. It is also grown in gardens, where the delicate
greens of its foliage and its profuse flowers make it worthy
of a place, especially on lawns, because grass grows well
in its shade. It is readily propagated and boughs stuck in
damp ground soon take root.
PTEROCARPUS. (From the Greek "pteron", a
wing, and "karpos", a fruit, in allusion to the winged pods).
This is a genus of about 15 species of large trees, natives
of the tropics of the Old and New Worlds, of which ;
species are found in India. The leaves are divided into
 KEY 299

separate leaflets, of a leathery texture, arranged in two

rows on either side of a slender midrib with a terminal
leaflet as the tip (imparipinnate). The lateral leaflets are not
placed in opposite pairs. The flowers are yellow, usually
rather large, and shaped like the typical flower of a pea.
The pods are flat and usually more or less circular with a
broad wing surrounding the thicker centre.
The genus contains several valuable timber trees
including P. dalbeygioides Roxb., the Andaman redwood,
an immense tree of great importance in the Andamans,
and P. macyocarpus Kurz, a common tree of the inland
parts of Burma.
Pterocarpus indicus Willd.
(Indicus means "of India").
English, padauk (this is the Burmese name
which is also applied to P.
macrocaypus and to P.
dalbeygioides), Burmese rosewood,
senna tree, gold mohur (this is the
name given to this tree in Singapore
; in India it is usually given to Delonix
yegia Raf.)
(F.I. p. 538. F.B.I. Vol. II. p. 238. B.P. p. 412.)
Leaves imparipinnate, 6 to 9 inches long ; leaflets
alternate, 5 to 9, elliptic, abruptly acuminate with an obtuse
point, glabrous, subc0riaceous, 2 to 4 inches long ; flowers
in terminal panicles, numerous, orange yellow, fragrant,
about 2 inch long; calyx 1 / 5 to inch long, brown-silky,
teeth rounded ; standard 3 to 1 inch broad ; pod orbicular,
1 to 2 inches diam., silky pubescent when young, the wing
1 to 1 inch broad.
This is a handsome, lofty, evergreen tree with
olive-grey bark, a rounded spreading head, drooping
branches, and rather small leaves divided into a number of
dark green, shining leaflets arranged on either side of a
central midrib with a terminal, and somewhat larger, leaflet
at the tip; the leaflets are rather narrow in outline, ending in
a blunt point, and the lateral leaflets are not set in opposite
300 KEY

pairs. The golden

yellow, sweet-scented
flowers grow in open
clusters at the ends of
the branches, each
flower being shaped
like the flower of a pea.
The pods are flat and
round with a broad wing
which enables the
whole pod to be carried
by the wind from the top
of the tree to a distant
point, thus ensuring the
dispersal of the seed
over a wide area.
The tree is
believed to be
indigenous in Malaya
and is often planted in Burma. In India it is grown in
gardens for its flowers and for its handsome foliage, and it
is not uncommon in Calcutta. Two fine specimens may be
seen in the Victoria Memorial garden, and others in the
Zoological Gardens. The flowers are said to be produced
three times during each hot season before the break of the
rains, and this has been found to be more or less true of
the trees in Calcutta. The orange-yellow flowers form a fine
contrast to the dark shining green of the leaves, but
unfortunately

they are usually borne too high from the ground to

be clearly seen. They are very short-lived and all the trees
in the same neighbourhood are said to flower on the same
days. The fresh young leaves mostly appear at intervals
during the rains, when the trees are sometimes a brilliant
emerald green, very different from their usual dark colour.
The wood is hard and of fine quality, though less useful
than that of P. dalbergioides, the Andaman redwood, or
 KEY 301

Andaman padauk, with which this tree is often confused.

The heartwood is dark brick-red, and its weight is about 6o
lb. per cubic foot. It is much used for building, and for
making cartwheels, furniture, and musical instruments.
The kernel of the seed is used as an emetic, and an
infusion of the leaves is given in fevers.
DALBERGIA. (Named after Nicholas Dalberg, a
Swedish botanist who (lied in 1820). This is a genus of
about 8o species of trees, shrubs and climbers, natives of
the tropics and sub-tropics. The leaves are divided into two
rows of leaflets, which are set on either side of a slender
midrib but not in opposite pairs (pinnate with alternate
leaflets). The flowers are small, set in branching clusters,
and white or purplish in colour. The pods are flat but they
do not open into separate valves in order to release the
seeds (indehiscent).
The genus includes about 25 species found in
India, including two of the most valuable of Indian timber
trees. No species is wild near Calcutta but three are
planted in and about the city.
Dalbergia Sissoo Roxb.
(Sissoo is an Indian vernacular name).
Bengali, sisu.
Hindi, shisham, sissu, sissai, tali.
English, sissoo, South Indian redwood.
(F.I. p. 533. F.B.I. Vol. II. p. 231.B.P. Vol. I. p. 411.)

Leaves imparipinnate ; leaflets 3 to 5, alternate,

broadly-elliptic or ovate, acuminate, pubescent when
young, glabrous when mature, 1 to 3 inches long ; leaf
rachis zig-zag ; flowers yellowish-white, I inch long, in short
axillary panicles ; stamens 9, monadelphous ; pod
linear-lanceolate, 1-22 to q inches long, r to 4 seeded.
The sissoo is a large tree with rough grey bark
which peels off in narrow longitudinal stripes. Its leaves are
divided into several rather small, roundish leaflets with
pronounced points, which are set on either side of a
zig-zag midrib, not in opposite pairs but alternately, and
302 KEY

with a terminal
leaflet larger
than the others
at the end of
the midrib. The
small
yellowish-white
, scented
flowers, each
shaped after
the plan of a
pea flower,
grow in short
branching
clusters from
the axils of the leaves. In this species the stamens are nine
in number and are joined to form a tube which is slit along
its upper side. The fruit is a thin, strap shaped pod, pale
brown when ripe, containing a
few flattened seeds.
The pods do not burst open when ripe to free the
seeds, but are scattered by wind and water ; the thin outer
covering of the pod soon decays and the seeds then
germinate. In their wild state the trees are usually found
growing on the banks of streams and rivers to which their
pods have been carried by floods.
The sissoo is one of the most important of Indian
timber trees, and has perhaps been planted to a greater
extent than any other tree except teak. The wood is very
hard and close-grained, weighing about 48 lb. per cubic
foot. It is durable, seasons well, and does not warp or split.
It is extensively used for furniture, boat-building and for
construction generally, and is said to be the finest of Indian
timbers for carving.
An oil obtained from the seeds is used to cure skin
diseases. The powdered wood is considered valuable in
leprosy and skin eruptions.
 KEY 303

The sissoo is a native of the outer hills of the

Himalayas, but is now found throughout India. It is very
commonly grown not only in plantations but as an avenue
tree, though owing to its light shade it is perhaps less
suitable for this purpose than many others. It is not
indigenous near Calcutta but is often planted there on
roadsides, and a number of specimens may be seen on
the Maidan.
The leaves fall in the cold season and are replaced
in January and February by new foliage, which is closely
followed by the flowers. The pods ripen from November to
January. The flowers are very fragrant, and their scent
carries far on the, evening air.
Dalbergia latifolia Roxb.
(Latifolia is Latin meaning "with broad leaves").
Bengali, sitsal.
Hindi, bilayati shisham.
English, Indian rosewood, dark blackwood,
blackwood.

(F.I. p. 532. F.B.I. Vol. II. p, 231. B.P. Vol. I. p. qir.)

Leaves imparipinnate, glabrous, q to 6 inches long;
leaflets alternate, 3 to 7, broadly elliptic or orbicular,
obtuse, sometimes emarginate, f to 3 inches long ; rachis
straight ; petiolules long ; flower in short axillary panicles,
whitish, 4 inch long ; stamens 9, monadelphous ; pod firm,
oblong-lanceolate, 1- to 9 seeded.
This is a deciduous tree with grey bark which is
marked with short irregular cracks and peels off in thin
longitudinal flakes. In the south of India, which is its real
home, the tree grows tall and straight, but in the north it
usually assumes the form of a low, branching tree with a
curved hole. Its leaves are divided into several roundish
leaflets with blunt ends, which are arranged on either side
of a slender, straight midrib with a terminal leaflet at the tip.
The lateral leaflets are not placed in opposite pairs but
alternately. The small whitish flowers, each shaped like a
diminutive pea-flower, grow in short branching clusters
304 KEY

among the leaves. The pods are flat, firm and

strap-shaped, and brown in colour when ripe.
This tree yields one timbers, which is much similar
purposes ; the fine old carved chairs, sideboards, etc.,
made from this wood are well known, but apparently _
fewer are made now than formerly. The wood is extremely
hard and close-grained but
easily worked. The weight
is about 50 lb. per cubic
foot. It is purple-black in
colour and takes a high
polish.
The tree is
indigenous in the outer
ranges of the Himalayas
and in Central and
Southern India. It is said to
be occasionally planted
near Calcutta.
The flowers usually
appear in April or August,
and the new leaves in the
hot weather. It forms a
more satisfactory shade
tree than Dalbeygia Sissoo
owing to its denser foliage
of the most valuable of
Indian used for making furniture.
Dalbergia lanceolaria Linn. Syn. D. frondosa Roxb.
(Lanceolaria means "lancet-like", presumably with
reference to the shape of the pod. Frondosa means
"leafy").

Bengali, chakeindia.
Hindi, takoti, bithua.
(F.I. p. 534 F.B.I. Vol. II. p. 235, B.P. Vol. I. p. 4rr.)
 KEY 305

Leaves alternate, imparipinnate, glabrous, 3 to 8

inches long ; leaflets 9 to y, alternate, ovate or obovate,
obtuse, often emarginate, r to z inches long ; flowers in
short unilateral racemes arranged in large terminal and
axillary panicles ; calyx 5-toothed, 8 inch long, brownish
purple ; corolla pale mauve, 4 to 3 inch long ; pod
narrowed to the point and base, 7- to 3-seeded, y to 4
inches long, light brown, flexible.
This tall and graceful deciduous tree has slender,
rather drooping branches, and smooth grey bark which
peels off in rounded patches. Its leaves are delicately
divided into a number of thin, bright green leaflets set on
either side of a slender, straight midrib, with a terminal, and
usually slightly larger, leaflet at the-tip; each leaflet is
narrowed at the base to a short stalk, and is broadly
rounded at the tip, usually
with a pronounced notch in
the centre at the end of its
central nerve. The small,
pale mauve or lavender
flowers grow in great
profusion in little one-sided
spikes which are arranged
in large, widely-branching
clusters at the ends of the
twigs and among the
leaves. The pods are brown
when ripe, flat and pointed,
and narrowed at the base
into a long stalk they
contain from one to three
seeds, the number being
clearly visible from the
outside of the pod.
The tree sheds its
foliage in the spring and produces its new leaves along
with the flowers, usually in May. It is a graceful tree at all
306 KEY

times, and has a delicate beauty during the short period

when the flowers are mingled with the fresh new leaves.
The wood is white and fairly bard, without
heartwood, and not durable. It seems to be very variable in
weight and quality. It is said to be used in Bombay for the
handles of tools and agricultural implements, and
elsewhere for building purposes.
An oil obtained from the seeds is considered a
remedy for rheumatic affections. The bark is given in
infusion to relieve dyspepsia, and as an external
application in cases of remittent fever.
The tree is a native of the Sikkim Terai, Bihar, and
the Western Peninsular of India. It is occasionally planted
in Calcutta and on roadsides nearby. A specimen may be
seen (in 1941) on the west side of Kidderpore Road north
of its junction with the Red Road, and others grow in the
Calcutta Zoo.
ERYTHRINA. (From the Greek "eruthros", red, in
allusion to the colour of the flowers). This is a genus of
about 30 species of soft-wooded trees and shrubs, natives
of the tropics and sub-tropics of both hemispheres, of
which about 6 species are indigenous in India. The leaves
are divided into three leaflets (trifoliolate), and the flowers
are large and usually red, the upper petal greatly
exceeding the others. The 10 stamens are joined into a
single sheath (monadelphous). The pod is very narrow and
swollen with joints between each seed.
In addition to the small indigenous trees described
below, a number of shrubs of this genus are grown in
Indian gardens, some of which are very ornamental. The
best known of these is probably E. Cyista-galli Linn., the
cock's-comb, with large erect clusters of crimson flowers.
E. Parcelli has variegated foliage and orange flowers.
Erythrina indica Lam. Syn. E. variegata Linn.
(Indica means "of India".)

Bengali, Palita mandar, paltemaday, rakta

maday.
 KEY 307

Hindi, pangra, Pangara, dada, nzandara,

panfim, Phayad, dholdhak.
English, coral tree, mochi wood.
(F.B. p. 541. F.B.I. Vol. II. p. 188. B.P. Vol. I. p. 398.)

A tree attaining 50 feet in height ; bark armed with

conical black prickles ; young shoots and inflorescence
clothed with stellate pubescence ; leaves trifoliolate ;
leaflets entire, glabrous, membranous, truncate or
broad-rhomboidal at the base, 4 to 6 inches long and
broad, often broader than long ; flowers scarlet (or white) in
dense racemes, on peduncles up to 15 inches long ; calyx
very oblique, minutely 5-toothed at the tip, about 1 inch
long ; standard 2 inches long or more, wings and keel
about 1 inch long ; stamens much exserted ; pod torulose,
6 to 12 inches long ; seeds 1 to 8, smooth, dark red.
This is a soft-wooded shrub, or a medium-sized
tree with yellowish or greenish-grey, smooth and shining
bark, which peels off in thin papery flakes. Its branches are
armed with conical black prickles, but these fall off when
they are a few years old. The leaves are divided into three
large broad leaflets, two of which are set opposite one
another with the third, which is usually larger, at right
angles to them and opposite the stalk. During the cold
season the tree usually sheds its leaves entirely and the
branches remain bare until, in February or March, the large
bright scarlet flowers appear in dense tufts at the ends of
the stems, to be followed later by the new leaves. The
flowers have the structure of a pea-flower, but in this case
the upper petal is very much larger than the others and the
stamens project a long way beyond the rest of the flower.
The pod is large and contains up to 8 seeds separated by
distinct joints in the pod.
The tree is easily propagated by cuttings and grows
very quickly; it is therefore often used to make hedges, and
is also grown to support betel-vines and other climbing
vegetables. The young leaves are eaten in curries and the
mature leaves are used as cattle fodder. A red dye is
308 KEY

sometimes obtained from the flowers and the bark is said

to be employed in tanning and dyeing. The bark yields a
fibre suitable for cordage.
The wood, though very light and soft, is fairly tough
and durable, and is in
demand for certain
purposes where lightness is
important, particularly for
the frames of sieves, for
jars to be used for
household purposes, and
for boxes to be covered
with lacquer. The weight is
only about 20 lb. per cubic
foot. The bark is used to
cure dysentery and as a
febrifuge. The leaves are
employed to lessen pain in
the joints, and their juice is
said to relieve earache and
toothache ; they are also
considered useful in
conjunctivitis and as an
anthelmintic.
During the short
period when the brilliant scarlet flowers appear on the bare
branches the tree has great beauty, and although at other
times of the year it is decidedly unattractive owing to its
rather coarse leaves and ungainly habit, it is often grown in
parks and gardens. A variety with white flowers (var. alba)
is occasionally seen, and others with leaves variegated in
different ways are also found.
The tree is a native of the including parts of the
Sunderbans. near Calcutta and may also occur
Erythrina ovalifolia Roxb,
(Ovalifolia is Latin meaning
Bengali, hari kahra.
(F.I. p. 543. F.B.I. Vol. II. p. r89.B.P. Vol. I. p. 398.)
 KEY 309

Leaves trifoliolate ; leaflets elliptic or elliptic-oblong,

obtuse, glabrous, whitish beneath, subcoriaceous, twice as
long as broad, up to 6 inches long ; racemes lax, g to ro
inches long, several at the ends of branchlets ; calyx
campanulate, splitting irregularly into 2 or more unequal
divisions, inches long and broad ; standard 2 inches long,
broadly obcordate ; keel r inch long ; wings 4 inch long ;
pod torulose, 6 to 8 inches long, finely downy ; seeds 6 to
8.
This is a small soft-wooded
with dark brown prickles
which
bark. Except for the shape
and shape of the flowers,
the indica (see p. 158), but
may easily be distinguished
by the shape of the three
leaflets which are always
about twice as broad as
long. In texture the leaf lets are fairly firm, and are pale in
colour on the lower surface, while their tips are more or
less blunt. The flowers are perhaps less brilliant in colour
than those of E. indica, and are borne in several loose
clusters at the ends of the stems, not in one compact
cluster as in the case of E. indica. The upper petal of the
flower is not more than twice as long as the other petals.
This plant is indigenous in Ceylon, Malaya, Burma,
Assam and lower Bengal, and although it is probably not
wild in the neighbourhood of Calcutta, it is occasionally
planted, instead of the much commoner E. indica, to form
hedges and as a support for the betel vine.
The flowers appear in February and March.
BUTEA. (Named after a former Earl of Bute, a
botanical author of the 18th Century). This is a genus
containing 3 species, a tree, a shrub, and a climber, all
natives of India. The leaves are divided into 3 leaflets, and
the large, red or orange flowers grow in dense clusters ;
310 KEY

there are nine stamens joined together and a tenth

separate (diadelphous). The pod is leathery and broad,
containing one seed near its apex.
B. superba Roxb. is an immense woody climber
common in the dry forests of Central India. Its flowers and
leaves are not unlike those of B. monospernza, but the
petals are larger and more gorgeous in colour. Tree with
grey branches armed h arise from corky swellings of the
leaflets and the arrangement tree closely resembles
Erythrina
Roxburgh remarks, "When in flower I do not think
the vegetable world offers a more gaudy show".
Butea monosperma Ktz. Syn. B. frondosa lioen.
(Frondosa is Latin meaning "covered with foliage".
Monosperma is Greek meaning "with one seed").

Bengali, galas, polashi.

Hindi, dhak, galas, kakyia, kankrei, chichra
tesu deseskajhad, chalcha.
Urdu, palashpapya.
English, flame of the forest, teak, Bengal
kino.

(F.I. p. 540. F.B.I. Vol. II. p. 194. B.P. Vol. I- P- 401-)

Young shoots tawny-tomentose ; leaves trifoliolate ;

leaflets coriaceous, hard, the terminal obovate, obtuse,
with cuneate base, 4 to 8 inches long and broad, the
lateral oblique-ovate, smaller ; racemes up to 6 inches long
pedicels brown-velvety, I- to z inch long ; calyx
campanulate, coriaceous, 2 inch long, brown-velvety ;
petals 2 or 3 inches long, equal, orange-red, clothed with
grey pubescence; pod 6 to 8 inches long by 121- to z
inches wide, silvery-hairy, r-seeded.
 KEY 311

The galas is a
small or medium-sized
tree with a gnarled and
crooked trunk, thick,
grey, fibrous bark, and
large dark green leaves
divided into three thick
and leathery, broad,
rounded leaflets, of
which the two lateral are
opposite one another
and the third is larger. In
the cold weather the
leaves mostly fall and
the crooked branches remain bare until in February or
March they become almost covered with short clusters of
orange-red flowers, though some branches often remain
leafy and bare of flowers. Each flower is shaped like the
flower of a pea, but is much longer and narrower in
proportion, rather resembling a lobster's flowers, the small
calyx, and the buds before they open, are densely clothed
with brown or black velvet, making a surprising and
beautiful contrast with parrot tree, bastard claw. The short
stalks of the red of the petals, which is softened by a fine
silvery down' that covers their surfaces. The large and
coarse leaves soon follow the flowers, and once their
freshness has faded the trees lose their beauty and
become distorted and unattractive objects until their
flowers again open in the following spring. The pods are
broad, thickened near the tip where they contain a single
seed, and thin near the base; their surface is strongly
marked with nerves and covered with grey silky hairs; at
first they are green, so that when they appear on branches
bare of leaves they give the impression at a short distance
of foliage; but they are yellowish-grey when ripe and are
then so light that they are carried far and wide by the
strong winds of the hot weather, thus ensuring a wide
dispersal of the seeds.
312 KEY

This tree is very common in all the hotter parts of

India except the wettest and the dryest areas. In many
places it forms wide areas of scrub jungle, and looks like
great stretches of flaming fire when the blossom is seen
from a distance in the spring. In the vicinity of Calcutta the
tree only occurs where planted, but in the dryer districts
further west it becomes abundant, and it is said that the
village of Plassey, where Clive fought his decisive battle
about go miles north of the city, took its name from
surrounding groves of the palas tree.
Next to the kusum (Schleicheya oleosa), this tree is
the most important host of the lac insect; the lac produced
from it is more plentiful than that from other trees, but
inferior in quality to lac grown on the kusum. The flowers
provide a brilliant but fleeting yellow dye, and the bark
gives a coarse fibre used for rough cordage and for
caulking boats. The leaves are much used as plates, as
umbrella coverings and as a substitute for wrapping paper,
a regular trade in them for these purposes being carried on
in some places. The foliage is collected as fodder for
buffaloes, but goats will not eat it. Maggots can be killed by
sprinkling the powdered seeds over them. The fibrous
roots are made into ropes.
The wood is soft and not durable except
underwater. It is used for well-curbs, piles, and for the
scoops of wells, which are often made of pieces of this
timber joined with leather. The weight is about 35 lb. per
cubic foot. Charcoal of good quality is made from this
wood.
A red gum obtained from the trunk, known as
"Bengal kino," or "butea kino," is much used in medicine as
an astringent, both for external and internal use. The
powdered seeds are commonly employed as an
anthelmintic, and to cure skin diseases. The bark and
seeds are said to be of value in the treatment of
snake-bite.
Hindus regard the tree as sacred to Brahma and it
is used for worship in various ways. In the homa ceremony
 KEY 313

the twigs are offered with ghee in the sacred fire, the
leaves being employed to pour the ghee. From the wood
sacred utensils are made, and a staff of palas wood must
be constantly held in the hand of a young Brahmin during
the sacred thread ceremony, and during the period of
learning under a guru. The three leaflets are regarded as
emblematic of the Hindu trinity, and sometimes young
Hindus wear the leaves as a sign that they axe absorbed
in religious study. The flowers are offered to the gods.
The tree is not common in Calcutta but it is
occasionally planted in gardens and on roadsides. A fine
specimen may be seen on the west side of Dalhousie
Square (in 1944). Trees with yellow and white flowers are
occasionally reported in various parts of the country.
As in the case of most trees with large red flowers,
the pollination. is carried out mostly by birds, which throng
the trees when they are in flower, in search of honey.
The young seedlings produce a bulb-like swelling at
the top of the root and "die back" at this point at the
beginning of the hot weather, subsequently sending up a
new shoot from the swelling. This is said to happen several
years running irrespective of the amount of moisture
available.
BRYA. (From the Greek "bruo", I sprout, in allusion
to the fact that the seeds are said to germinate before they
fall from the tree). A genus of 3 species of trees and
shrubs, natives of Central America and the West Indies.
The leaves take various forms; but often grow in clusters.
The stamens are joined together, and the pod consists of
several joints each containing a single seed. The branches
are armed with spines at the bases of the leaves.
Brya Ebenus DC.
(Ebenus is from the Greek "ebenos", ebony).

English, Jamaica ebony, green ebony, cocus

wood.
(Not in, F.I., F.B.I. and B.P.)
314 KEY

An evergreen, glabrous shrub or small tree with

stipular spines ; leaves aggregated, usually in pairs,
sessile. simple, obovate, often retuse, 4 to 34 inches long ;
flowers in fascicles at the ends of the branches, peduncles
about r / 5 inch long ; calyx green, r / 5 inch long, lobes 5,
subequal ; corolla orange, 2 inch long, standard
suborbicular ; stamens 9, monadelphous ; pod torulose.
This is an evergreen shrub, or a small tree, often
branched from its base, with rather rough, greyish-brown
bark marked with longitudinal fissures, and many slender,
dark-coloured, twigs, which have a drooping tendency. The
very small, shining leaves are closely set along the
branchlets, and are usually grouped together in pairs. They
have scarcely any stalks, and are broadest near their blunt
and rounded tips. Near their bases are short sharp spines.
The delicately scented,
bright orange flowers are
clustered, on short stalks,
usually near the ends of
the twigs,. and are
sometimes borne in great
profusion. Each is -shaped
like the flower of a pea, the
upper petal being large
and almost round in
outline. The nine stamens
are partially joined to form
a split tube round the
ovary. The pod is divided
into several joints each of
which contains a single
seed.
This very attractive
plant is a native of the
West Indies, but is now
commonly grown in India
for its graceful habit of
growth and its fragrant orange flowers. It is often seen in
 KEY 315

Calcutta gardens. The flowers appear principally in March

and April, but are also produced at other times during the
hot season and rains.
The wood is very hard and dark in colour. It is used
for making tools, knife-handles, etc., and is said to be the
wood from which the truncheons of London policemen are
made.
CASTANOSPERMUM. (Latin meaning
"chestnut-seed", owing to the resemblance of the seeds to
the sweet chestnuts of Europe). This is a genus comprising
two species of trees, natives of Australia, of which, one is
cultivated in India. The leaves are divided into two rows of
leaflets with a terminal leaflet at the tip of the midrib
(imparipinnate). The flowers are large and orange or yellow
in colour with separate stamens. The pod contains 4 or 5
spherical seeds, and opens by 2 valves.
Castanospermum australe A: Cunn.
(Australe is Latin meaning "of the southern hemisphere").

English, Moveton Bay chestnut, black bean.

(Not in F.I., F.B.I. & B.P.)

Leaves imparipinnate, 1 to feet long ; leaflets about

15, elliptic glabrous, conaceous, stiff, about 5 inches long,
the terminal leaflet smaller ; flowers orange-red, in lateral
or axillary loose racemes about 4 inches long ; petals z2
inches long ; stamens free ; ovary long-stipitate,
many-ovuled ; pod 4- to 5-seeded, 8 to 9 inches long;
seeds globose, 14 inches dram.
This middle-sized
evergreen smooth grey bark,
rather drooping has a straight
trunk, fairly branches, and
dense, handsome foliage. Its
leaves are divided into a
number of stiff, narrow,
pointed, shining leaflets
arranged in opposite pairs on
316 KEY

either side of a central midrib with a terminal and smaller

leaflet at the tip. During the hot weather the orangered
flowers are borne in small loose clusters among the
leaves. Each flower is shaped on the pattern of the flowers
of a pea, and contains ten separate stamens. The ovary
grows on a minute stalk. The flowers are often borne in
some profusion but are inconspicuous because they are
largely concealed by the foliage. The large brown pods
contain four or five round black seeds resembling
chestnuts which are valves of the ripe pods scattered to a
distance when the two denly open with a twisting motion.
The seeds are edible and after roasting are said to
be not unlike roast chestnuts; they are eaten by the natives
of Australia but seldom by Europeans and the people of
India.
The wood is hard, and white with a yellowish tinge.
It does not seem to be considered of any value.
The tree is a native of sub-tropical Australia, but is
now widely cultivated in the tropics as a shade tree, for
which purpose it is very suitable owing to its dense and
handsome foliage. It is occasionally planted in Calcutta but
it is not very successful as a roadside tree in Bengal
because it is liable to be damaged by the high winds which
are so common in the province. Several specimens may
be seen (in 1944) on the north side of Lower Circular
Road, south of the Victoria Memorial. The flowers usually
appear in the early part of the hot season, and the new
leaves with or soon after the flowers. Occasionally the tree
flowers at other times.
(2) CAESALPINIEAE.
This is the second sub-family of the Leguminosae,
consisting almost entirely of trees, shrubs and climbers, all
natives of warm countries. The leaves are generally
divided into separate leaflets, which are either, arranged in
two rows on either side of a central midrib, usually without
a terminal leaflet (paripinnate), or on either side of lateral
branches of the .midrib (bipinnate). The .flowers are
usually large and bisexual, and seldom symmetrical. The
 KEY 317

calyx is divided into 5 segments. The petals are 5 in

number, and overlap each other when in bud with the
upper petal inside. The stamens usually number 10 or
fewer and are generally separate, from one another.
The sub-family contains some of the most
gorgeous and beautiful trees in the world. Not many of its
members are wild in Bengal, but it is well represented in
gardens.
CAESALPINIA. (Named after A. Caesalpini, an
Italian physician and botanist, A.D: 1519-1603). This is a
genus of about 40 species of trees, shrubs, and prickly
climbers. The leaves are divided into small leaflets borne
on branches (pinnae) of the midrib of the leaf (i.e.
bipinnate). The calyx is cleft to the base, or nearly so, into
5 segments, which overlap when in bud. The 5 petals are
nearly equal in size, and white, red, or yellow in colour.
The stamens are not joined to one another, and the pod is
leathery and flattened, without wings.
As well as the trees described below, the genus
includes C. Pulcheyrima Sw. (Syn. Poinciana -Pulcherrima
Linn.) the Barbadoes pride (Bengali, kyishna chum), a
common garden shrub with orange or yellow flowers ; and
also several thorny, straggling shrubs which are common
in lower Bengal, and often used for making hedges, of
which the commonest is C. Bonducella Flem. (Bengali,
nata haranj).
Caesalpinia coriaria Willd,
(Coriaria is Latin meaning "used for tanning".)

English, divi-divi, American sumach.

(Not mentioned in F.I., F.B.I. and B.P.)

Leaves bipinnate, up to g inches long by 5 inches

wide ; pinnae 13 to 17, 2 to 3 inches long ; leaflets 40 to
6o, 1 inch long by r / 12 inch wide, greyish below ; flowers
scented, in dense terminal panicles r to 2 inches across ;
corolla r / 5 inch long and wide, pale yellowish, filaments
reddish ; pods thick, spirally twisted, not prickly.
318 KEY

This is a low tree with rough, grey-brown, corky

bark flaking off in small irregular pieces, a short trunk, and
widespreading branches which. droop at their tips till they
nearly touch the ground. The rather small leaves are
divided into as many as a thousand diminutive narrow
leaflets, which are closely set on either side of several
slender branches of the midrib of the leaf. These branches,
or "pinnae", are arranged in opposite pairs with a terminal
one forming the end of
the leaf. The leaflets are
dark green above, but
greyish on the lower
surface. The small
yellowish, or greenish,
flowers grow in dense
clusters at the ends of the
branches they are
sweet-scented and attract
an extraordinary number
of butterflies and other
honeyseeking insects to
the tree when they
appear at intervals during
the hot weather and
rains. The thick brown
pods are curiously
twisted, but not covered
with prickles as are the
fruits of so many
members of this genus.
This little tree is a valuable addition to a garden
owing to its delicate foliage and its attractive, dwarf,
umbrella-like shape. It is a native of the West Indies but is
now commonly cultivated in the tropics, and is occasionally
planted in Calcutta gardens. A tree may be seen (in 1941)
on the west side of the Victoria Memorial garden. The trees
are slowgrowing, and in spite of their small size will live to
the age of eighty years or more.
 KEY 319

The pods yield a valuable tanning material and

have been exported to Europe in large quantities for this
purpose. They are also said to make a good black ink.
The timber is hard and very heavy, ,weighing up to
74 lb. per cubic foot. The heartwood is nearly black.
The pods are a powerful astringent, and are given
to relieve periodic fevers. The bark is also used for the
same purpose.
The new leaves are produced in March.
Caesalpinia Cacalaco Humb & Bomlp.
(Cacalaco is an American vernacular name).
(Not mentioned in F.I., F.B.I. and B.P.)

Leaves bipinnate, 6 to 9 inches long ; pinnae 6 to

10 ; leaflets 6 or 8, obovate, often refuse, 2 to r inch long,
glabrous ; flowers in, racemes panicled at the ends of the
branches ; racemes up to 9 inches long ; flowers 3 inch
diam.; calyx subcampanulate, greenish ; petals yellow, or
orange, with darker spots, up to 4 inch wide ; stamens ro,
filaments flattened near base, white-tomentose, 3 inch long
anthers ovate, purple or brown ; pod torulose, about 6
inches long, many-seeded.
This medium-sized tree has rough, brownish-grey
bark marked with deep horizontal cracks, a stout trunk, and
spreading branches. Its leaves are divided into a number
of smooth leaflets, with blunt ends and pointed bases,
arranged on either side of lateral branches of the central
midrib of the leaf. The rather small yellow flowers grow in
narrow, stiff spikes clustered in large numbers at the ends
of the branches. Their buds are yellowish-green; and their
petals are yellow or orange marked with minute reddish
spots. The stamens are covered with white down, and bear
purple or brown anthers. The long, cylindrical pod contains
many seeds separated by an equal number, of
constrictions in the walls of the pod.
This tree is a native of South America but is not
uncommonly cultivated in tropical countries for its delicate
foliage and profuse display of yellow flowers, which in
320 KEY

Calcutta have the merit of appearing in December and

early January when very few other flowers are to be seen.
It is not common in Bengal, but a fine specimen may be
seen (in 1941) near the centre of the Curzon Gardens.
PELTOPHORUM. (From the Greek "peltophoros",
a shield-bearer). This is a genus of about 7 species of
splendid trees, all natives of the tropics, of which 2 are
grown in India. The leaves are divided into numerous
small, narrow leaflets arranged on lateral branches of the
mid-. rib of the leaf (bipinnate). The flowers are yellow with
5 roundish petals, and 10 separate stamens. The calyx is
divided into 5 segments which overlap one another. The
pods are flat and have a wing along each edge.
Peltophorum inerme (Roxb.) Llanos. Syn. P.
ferrugineum Bth. Caesalpinia inermis Roxb.
(Ferrugineum is Latin meaning "rust-coloured" in allusion
to the colour of the pods and young branches. Inerme
means "unarmed", or "thornless".)

English, yellow gold mohuy, rusty

shield-bearer, byaziletto wood.
(F.B.I. Vol. II. p, 25;. Not in F.I. & B.P.)

Young branches, petioles, rachis, and midrib of leaf

beneath, ferruginous-pubescent ; leaves bipinnate ; pinnae
8 to 26 ; leaflets 20 to 30, opposite, obliquely oblong,
obtuse, shining above, to 4 inch long ; racemes 5 to 6
inches long in a large erect terminal panicle ; petals 5:
roundish, crinkled, yellow with long ferruginous hairs on the
back; stamens 10, unequal, yellow with orange anthers ;
stigma peltate ; pod flat, indehiscent, z to q inches long,
broadly winged along each suture, t- to 3-seeded.
This magnificent evergreen tree has smooth grey
bark, rather short branches, and elegant dark green
foliage. Its leaves are divided into a large number of very
 KEY 321

small leaflets, which are

arranged in opposite pairs
on either sides of lateral
divisions of the midrib of the
leaf. The lateral branches
(known as "pinnae") are
themselves set in opposite
pairs, and are closely
crowded so that the
numerous leaflets give a
fairly dense shade. The
midrib of the leaf, as well as
the stalks and young
branches, are covered with
minute rusty brown hairs,
but the upper sides of the
leaflets are of a clear, dark, shining green, and the lower
sides are pale and greyish. Many beautiful, yellow, scented
flowers grow in large, stiff erect sprays at the ends of the
branches, and are followed by large numbers of flat,
winged pods, the shape of which is not unlike a long shield
such as was carried by the Zulus, the genus. The pods
soon continue to decorate the tree and has given rise to
the name of turn a handsome reddish brown, and long
after the flowers are over.
This is one of the most ornamental of all tropical
trees, and is very suitable for gardens, especially as it
permits grass and other plants to grow beneath it. The
flowers appear chiefly from the end of March till May, when
their vivid yellow makes a magnificent contrast to the bright
green of the leaves. The rustyred pods soon follow the
flowers, giving the tree a peculiar beauty of its own
throughout most of the rainy season; and a second flush of
flowers is often produced about September, at which time
both yellow flowers and rusty pods may be seen on the
tree together. The new leaves are mostly borne in
February.
322 KEY

The sapwood is light, soft and of little value, but the

heartwood is hard and blackish, and is used for
cabinet-making.
The tree is a native of the Andamans, Ceylon,
Malaya, and North Australia. It is commonly planted in
India; and is plentiful in Calcutta gardens. It is easily
propagated from seed.
Peltophorum brasiliense Urmb.
(Brasiliense means "from Brazil")
(Not mentioned in F.I., F.B.I. & B.P.)

A small tree with slender branches ; leaves

bipinnate, about q inches long by 3 inches wide ; pinnae
usually 5 ; leaflets usually 8, 1 inch long by 4 inch wide,
greyish below, bright green above, elliptic, obtuse ; flowers
in small axillary and terminal panicles ; calyx greenish
yellow, tomentose 3 inch long, unequally 5-lobed ; petals
5, about 3 inch long, ovate-elliptic, yellow, the posterior
larger, reflexed, spotted with red ; stamens 9 or 10,
subequal, free, filaments pilose ; ovary sessile ; pod
flatfish, narrowly winged.
This is a very
graceful little tree, nearly
evergreen, with a slender
trunk, wide-spreading,
drooping branches, and
thin smooth,
brownish-grey bark,
which flakes off in large
pieces to show patches of
lighter colour beneath. Its
leaves are delicately
divided into small leaflets,
which are set on either
side of the branches
(pinnae) of the midrib of
the leaf. There are usually
four of these pinnae, set
 KEY 323

in opposite pairs, and a fifth at the end of the midrib, each

of which usually has eight leaflets, also in opposite pairs.
The leaflets are thin, and smooth, bright green above, and
pale beneath. The rather inconspicuous flowers appear, in
small clusters at the ends of the twigs or among the
leaves. The calyx has five unequal, greenish lobes; and
the five petals are bright yellow. One petal is larger than
the others and is spotted with red. The pod is flattened and
has two narrow wings along its edges.
Although its flowers are seldom striking, this small
tree is a very valuable addition to Indian gardens owing to
its remarkably graceful habit and delicate foliage. It has
been only recently introduced into Calcutta, and is not as
frequently grown as its merits warrant. A young specimen
may be seen in the Zoo (in 1944) near the main gate.
The flowers are not often seen in Calcutta and
appear to be produced in a curiously irregular manner.
They sometimes appear in small numbers about May, and
but rarely at other times, but very occasionally they may be
produced in profusion in the cold season. The new leaves
appear in the early part of the hot weather.
DELONIX: (From the Greek "delos", evident, and
"onux", a claw, in allusion to the shape of the petals). This
is a genus of 3 species of trees, natives of tropical Africa
and Asia, of which r species is commonly cultivated in
India. The leaves are divided into numerous leaflets
arranged on lateral branches of the midrib of the leaf
(bipinnate). The flowers are large, and grow in broad
clusters. The calyx segments are narrow, and green, and
do not overlap one another. The 10 stamens are separate,
and are exserted far beyond the petals. The long, flat, thin
pods contain many seeds.
Delonix regia Raf. Syn. Poinciana regia Boj.
(Regia is Latin meaning "royal").

Hindi, gal mohy, guli mohuv.

English, gold mohuv, (the usual name of this
tree in Bengal, but applied to other
324 KEY

trees else where), flamboyant, flame

tree, peacock flower.
(F.B.I. Vol. II. p. 26o. B.P. Vol. I, p. 446. Not in F.I.)

Leaves bipinnate, up to 2 feet long ; pinnae 20 to

40 ; leaflets very numerous, about 1 / 3 inch long by 1 / 8
inch wide ; .flowers 3 to 4 inches across ; petals obovate,
clawed, about 2 inches long, red or orange, the upper petal
striped with yellow or white ; stamens 10, exserted, red ;
pod 12 to 24 inches long by 2 inches broad, flat, firm
;seeds numerous, oblong, mottled.
This is a quick-growing tree with slightly rough,
greyishbrown bark, and a rather slender trunk, which
usually soon divides into a number of spreading limbs,
bearing delicate feathery, foliage. The large leaves are
divided into many hundreds of diminutive leaflets, which
are arranged in opposite pairs on lateral branches of the
midrib of the leaf. The branches of the midrib are
themselves set in opposite pairs, and are closely crowded,
but the leaflets are so small that the leaves have a light
and feathery appearance, which is accentuated by their
rather pale greyish shade of green. Early in the hot season
the foliage falls and, when the branches are almost bare,
the brilliant flowers appear in profusion, growing in broad,
erect clusters along the branches. The flowers first open in
April, and continue along with the fresh new foliage till the
rains of the monsoon arrive.
 KEY 325

They vary in colour from a

deep crimson (a rare
variety), through scarlet
and orange, to a delicate
salmon-colour. The five
petals have broad blades
with wavy edges and are
attached by slender stalks
four of them are of one
colour and give their tone
to the whole mass Of
blooms, while the fifth
petal is streaked with
yellow or 'white. The ten
stamens are usually red
and project far beyond the petals. The huge pods are flat,
and thin ; they soon turn brown and hang long on the tree,
often till the flowers of the following year appear.
The gul mohr is per haps the most gorgeous of all
ornamental - trees and is well known in almost all tropical
countries especially those near the sea. It is said to be a
native of Madagascar, but it is not now found there in a
wild state and may perhaps have originated in Mauritius. .It
is common in Calcutta gardens, streets, and parks, and its
dazzling flowers make a magnificent spectacle in the hot
season, especially when mingled with the yellow flowers of
Peltophorum ineyme, and the lilac blooms of
Lagerstroemia Flos-reginae, the jarool.
As a garden tree the gul mohr has the merits of
growing quickly and being ornamental at all times except
during the short period when the branches are bare before
the flowers appear, but unfortunately it is easily damaged
by high winds, and has the disadvantage that grass and
most other plants will not grow beneath it.
The wood is very light, soft, and of little value,
though it is said to take a fine polish.
326 KEY

The seeds take a long time to germinate and often

lie for two or three years in the soil before showing signs of
life. The flowers are pollinated chiefly by birds.
COLVILLEA. (Named after Sir Charles Colville,
once governor of Mauritius). This genus contains one
species only. It differs from Delonix chiefly in the shape of
its pod, which is not flat but round and full, and in its
5-coloured sepals, of which the upper 4 are joined
together.
Colvillea racemosa Bojer.
(Racemosa is Latin meaning "with flowers in racemes or
clusters like bunches of grapes").

English, Colville's glory.

(B.P, Vol. I. p. 4,46. Not in F.I. and F.B.I.)

Leaves bipinnate, about 3 feet long; pinnae 40 to

6o, 4 inches long ; leaflets 40 to 6o, about 2 inch long ;
flowers z2 to 2 inches diam., in dense pendulous racemes
panicled at the ends of the upper branches, up to 18
inches long ; bracts coloured, caducous; calyx coloured,
irregular ; petals about 4 inch long, orange ; stamens 10,
about 14 inches long, yellow; pod swollen.
This is a handsome tree which, when not in flower,
closely resembles Delonix yegia, the gul mohy. Its bark is
brownish grey in colour with a pinkish or coppery tone, is
studded with numerous small corky knobs or
excrescences, and often peels off in thin, irregular tlakcs.
The trunk is usually taller and stouter than that of the gul
mohr, and the branches spread less widely. The feathery
leaves are much larger than those of the gul mohy, but are
divided in the same way into a great number of small
leaflets. arranged on branches of the midrib of the leaf
(known as "pinnae") ; the pinnae are more numerous than
those of the gul mohr but the leaflets are fewer and rather
larger. The flowers' are borne in dense cone-like, or
sausage-like, spikes, which hang in clusters from the tips
of the upper branches. Their petals are short and .stiff, and
 KEY 327

orange in colour. There are ten reddishorange stamens,

which project a long way beyond the petals, forming by far
the most conspicuous part
of the flower. The pods are
not flat but more or less
round in section.
This is a tree that
well deserves a place in
any garden owing to its
graceful foliage alone, while
its flowers, though
insignificant compared with
those of its gorgeous
relative the gul mohr, can
sometimes be very
handsome, and have the
merit of appearing when
few other trees are in
bloom. The leaves fall in the
early- hot season and are
replaced by new leaves in May. The flowers appear at the
end of August and last throughout most of September,
when the tops of the trees are sometimes covered with
masses of dull orange blooms.
The flowers attract great number of bees and other
insects, but birds also assist in their pollination.
The tree is believed to be indigenous in East Africa,
but was first found in Madagascar, where a single tree was
discovered under cultivation by the natives. It is now grown
in many tropical countries but is nowhere common. A
number of trees exist in Calcutta and specimens may be
seen in the Zoological and Belvedere Gardens, and at the
junction of Mayo Road with Chowringhee. .
SCHIZOLOBIUM. (From the Greek "schizo", split,
and "lobos", a lobe,( alluding to the manner of the opening
of the pod). This genus comprises one or two species of
tall trees, natives of Brazil and Panama. The leaves are
large and divided into numerous small leaflets set on either
328 KEY

side of branches from the midrib of the leaf (bipinnate).

The calyx is unequal-sided with segments overlapping in
bud and reflexed in flower. The petals number and are
unequal in size and shape. The 10 stamens are separate
from one another, while the pod is more or less flat and
contains only seed enclosed in the wing-like interior of the
pod.
Schizolobium excelsum Vog.
(Excelsum is Latin meaning "lofty").
(Not in F.I., F.B.I. & B.P.)
A tall, deciduous tree ; leaves bipinnate, about 3
feet long ; pinnae up to 40 ; leaflets up to 40, z inches long,
oblong, shortly petioluled, whitish beneath ; flowers yellow
about 1 inch diam., in large terminal panicles ; calyx
turbinate, oblique, segments reflexed ; petals 5, clawed,
unequal ; stamens xo, separate ; pod compressed,
obovate, seeded,
dehiscent,
This tall and
handsome tree
resembles Colvillea
racemosa in many
respects, but may be
distinguished by its
much larger leaflets,
and by its broad
clusters of bright
yellow flowers. The
trunk is usually tall,
straight and fairly
stout, the branching
taking place at some
distance above the
ground. Its bark is
smooth, and greyish
with a pink or coppery
tint. The very large
leaves have a beautiful fern-like appearance, and are
 KEY 329

clustered near the ends of the branches. They are divided

into numerous leaflets, which are fewer and larger than
those of Colvillea racemosa and Delonix vegia. At the ends
of the branches the brilliant yellow flowers grow in large
open clusters, unfortunately at such a height from the
ground that they cannot always be clearly seen. The pod is
short, fairly flat, broadest near its tip, and contains only a
single seed.
This fine tree is a native of Brazil. It grows to
perfection at low altitudes in the Indian hills, and it is
occasionally planted in lower Bengal. where it sometimes
thrives fairly well. The yellow flowers are borne in the hot
weather when the tree is often a magnificent sight. The
leaves fall during the cold season and are replaced at
about the same time as the flowers appear. Unfortunately
the branches are brittle, and it is unsafe to plant this tree in
position where their fall may do damage.
A number of young trees have been recently
planted in Calcutta gardens.
PARKINSONIA. (Named after John Parkinson, an
apothecary and author of London, 1567-1620). This is a
genus of 3 species of trees, of which 2 are natives of
America, and 1 of South Africa, one of the American
species being universally cultivated in the tropics. The
leaves are divided into small leaflets set on the lateral
branches of a very shot midrib, the leaflets being
sometimes minute or altogether wanting. The calyx is
deeply cleft into 5 narrow segments which overlap very
slightly while in bud, and the petals are broad, the,
uppermost having a long claw. The 10 stamens are shorter
than the petals, while the pod is swollen, with narrow
constrictions between the seeds, to release which the pod
finally splits open (dehiscent).
Parkinsonia aculeata Linn.
(Aculeata is Latin meaning "thorny').

Bengali, belati kikay. English, Jerusalem

thorn.
330 KEY

(F.B.I. Vol. II. p. 26o. B.P. Vol. I. p. 446. Not in F.I.)

A glabrous bush or low tree ; stipules spinescent ;

leaves bipinnate ; main rachis very short, reduced to a
spine ; pinnae 2 to 6, rachis 6 to 12 inches long, flattened,
crowded ; leaflets minute, oblanceolate, obtuse, scattered,
sometimes wanting ; ,flowers about z inch diam. in short,
lax racemes ; calyx deeply cleft, segments lanceolate,
subvalvate, subequal ; petals broad, yellow, the upper with
a long claw ; pod 3 to 6 inches long, turgid, dry, moniliform,
dehiscent ; seeds usually 4 to 7.
This- is a shrub or small tree with very thin brown or
green bark, the younger stems and twigs being of a clear,
vivid polished green. At first sight the plant may appear to
have grass-like foliage, but in reality the leaves are divided
into separate leaflets in the same way as are those of other
nearly related plants, the leaflets being arranged in rows
on either side of branches from the central midrib of the
leaf. (Leaves -so divided are said to be "bipinnate"). In this
case the central midrib is very short, usually ending in a
sharp spine, while two, four, or six branches (known as
"pinnae") spring from the midrib in opposite pairs.
Frequently there is only, one pair of pinnae, in which case
the midrib is so short as to be scarcely noticeable, and
each pinna may then be mistaken for a separate leaf. The
leaflets are arranged in two rows on the pinnae, as in the
case of other bipinnate leaves, but in this case they are
reduced to insignificant scales, and are sometimes
altogether wanting. In any case the tree appears at a little
distance to have only clusters of narrow grass-like leaves
at the ends of its slender green twigs. The rather
handsome yellow flowers are borne in small loose clusters
at the bases of these curious leaves,. The pods are
roundish in section, but long and slender, with narrow
constrictions between the seeds giving the whole the
appearance of a string of beads. The flowers appear at
most times of the year but particularly in the hot season.
 KEY 331

This plant is very

quick-growing, and is
much used for making
hedges, for which
purpose its thorns make
it specially suitable,
though it is reported to
be. very injurious to
other plants growing
nearby. The smaller
branches and twigs are
lopped for feeding
goats, and the white,
close grained wood
makes a good fuel and
charcoal. A beautiful white, but brittle, fibre is said to be
obtained from the bark.
The tree is a native of tropical America, but is now
universally cultivated and naturalised in many places. It is
common in the dryer parts of India, and is occasionally met
with near Calcutta, especially about villages. In 1939 some
of these trees were growing on the bank of the Hooghly at
Diamond Harbour.
ACROCARPUS. (From the Greek "akros,
outermost, or at the top, and "karpos", a fruit). A genus
containing 3 species of trees, natives of south-eastern
Asia. The leaves are large and are divided into separate
leaflets, which are set on either side of branches of a
central midrib (bipinnate). The flowers are red or orange in
colour and have only 5 stamens each. The pods are thin
and flat with many seeds.
Acrocarpus fraxinifolius W. & A.
(Fraxinifolius is Latin meaning "with leaves like an ash")

Bengali, nzaudauia.
English, shingle tree; Pink cedar, red cedar,
mundani.
(F.B.I. Vol. II. p. 292. B.P. Vol. I. p. 445. Not in F.I.)
332 KEY

A large deciduous tree ; leaves bipinnate ; pinnae

8, a foot or more long ; leaflets 10 to 12, nearly sessile,
oblong, rather oblique, glabrous, subcoriaceous, 3 inches
to 4 inches long ;' flowers in dense, erect, simple racemes ;
sepals 5, 4 inch long ; petals narrow, scarlet ; stamens 5,
twice as long as petals ; pod thin, flat, long-stalked ; seeds
many, obovate, oblique.
In its native country this is said to be a very tall,
erect tree attaining over 180 feet in height and having a
trunk as much as, 50 feet high before any branches occur ;
but when planted in lower Bengal the tree does not attain
this great size, and the trunk usually branches a few feet
from the ground, above which point several slender limbs
rise almost vertically upwards, giving the tree a distinctive
but rather ungainly appearance. Its bark is fairly smooth,
and greyish-brown in colour, and the trunk is, often
buttressed at its base. The long and slender twigs bear
very large leaves divided
into separate leaflets, set
on eight branches. of the
midrib of the leaf, which
are arranged in four
opposite pairs. The small
scarlet flowers are borne
in dense spikelike clusters,
each flower having five
narrow petals and five
much longer stamens. The
thin, strapshaped pods
contain a number of
seeds.
The tree sheds its
leaves during the cold
season, and the flowers
appear in February and
March, after which the new
leaves appear. The young
 KEY 333

foliage is more or less crimson for a short period.

The hills of South, India., Assam, Burma, and the
base of, the Himalayas are the homes of this tree, but it is
occasionally: planted in the plains of India, and is much
used as a shade-tree in coffee plantations. A specimen
grows in the Royal Agri-Horticultural Society's garden in
Alipore and two others (in 1942) near the rifle range at
Belghurriah.
Although this tree has always been described as an
"erect tree", it has been noticed in Calcutta that it has the
unusual power of starting life as a climber, making use of
an existing tree as a support, and becoming itself an erect
tree after it has smothered and destroyed its host.
The timber is fairly hard and strong, fairly durable,
and easy to work. It seasons well but is apt to split. It is
used for boxes and for shingles. Its weight is about 43 lb.
per cubic foot.
SARACA. (A West Indian vernacular name). This is
a genus of about 6 species of trees, natives of India and
Malaya, of which 1 is commonly found in India. The leaves
are divided into several leaflets arranged in opposite pairs
on either side of a central midrib (paripinnate).. The flowers
have no petals, but the calyx is coloured and is surrounded
by coloured bracts. The slender stamens number 2 to 8,
and are exserted beyond the calyx. The pods are flat and
leathery, and open to release the seeds (dehiscent).
Several other species are occasionally found in
Indian gardens.
Saraca indica Linn. Syn. Jonesia Asoca Roxb.
(Indica means "of India").

Bengali, asoka.
Hindi, asok, ashok.
English, asoka type.
(F.I. p: 312. F.B.I. Vol, II. p. 271. B.P. Vo1. I. p. 444.)

Leaves pinnate ; leaflets opposite, 6 to 12, elliptic, 3

to 9 inches long, glabrous, rigidly subcoriaceous ; flowers
334 KEY

in dense corymbs 3 to 4 inches broad ; pedicels 4 to 2 inch

long below the coloured, oblongspathulate, amplexicaul
bracteoles ; calyx-tube 2 inch long, lobes 4 to inch long ;
petals none ; perfect stamens 7 to 8, nearly 1 inch long,
scarlet; pod 4 to 1o inches long by 2 inches wide, 4- to
8-seeded, flat.
The asoka is a small spreading tree with smooth
brownish bark, and evergreen foliage forming a dense
rounded crown. The leaves are divided into several
narrow, pointed, smooth leaflets set in opposite pairs on
either side of the .midrib. When young the leaflets hang
limply downwards in bunches from the ends of the
branches ; at first their colour is greyish-white, which
quickly turns to a reddish tint, and ultimately, as the leaflets
mature to their final stiff consistency, becomes a clear dark
green. The small delicately scented flowers are yellow or
orange when they first open, but by the action of sunlight
gradually change to vermilion. They grow in great
profusion in small, broad clusters close to the spreading
branches, their general appearance being reminiscent of
the flowers of a red Ixora. They have no petals and their
beauty depends on the small coloured bracts with which
they are surrounded, the petal-like lobes of the calyx, and
the slender projecting stamens. The flat, leathery pods are
covered with net-like markings ; they are slightly curved,
pointed at the tip, and often have a pronounced notch in
the middle of their outer edge. The young pods are
purplish in April, but turn darker as they ripen.
Both Hindus and Buddhists revere this tree. The
word "asoka" means sorrowless, and the tree is regarded
as a symbol of love, being dedicated to Kama Deva, the
god of love, in whose quiver the bloom of the asoka was
one of the five flowers that
 KEY 335

formed the five arrows with

which he kindled passion in
the hearts of human and
celestial beings. Hindu
ladies are said to drink
water in which six asoka
blossoms have been,
immersed in order to
preserve their children from
trouble and grief. The
leaves are used in the
celebration of the Durga
pujah. To Buddhists the
tree is -sacred because
Gautama Buddha was born
beneath its shade.
The flowers are much
used for temple decoration. They are especially at
tractive at night when they exhale a delicate scent for
some distance around.
According to Sanskrit poetry the tree is so sensitive
that if touched by a lovely woman it bursts into flower and
blushes crimson.
The wood is soft and weighs about 50 lb. per cubic
foot. It seems to be of little value, but is used for building
purposes in Ceylon.
Medicinally the bark is employed to cure internal
haemorrhages and to beautify the complexion. The
flowers, pounded and mixed with water, are considered
useful in acute dysentery.
The tree is a native of many parts of India and
Malaya. It is common in Bengal gardens and near temples,
thriving best in shady situations. The flowers appear from
the end of February till June.
BROWNEA. (Named after P. Browne, an English
naturalist in the West Indies, 1720-1790). This is a genus
of about 10 species of trees and shrubs, natives of tropical
America. The leaves are divided into separate leaflets
336 KEY

arranged in opposite pairs on either side of a central midrib

(paripinnate). The flowers are red or pink, and are borne in
dense showy clusters close to the branches. There are 5
nearly equal petals, and 10 or more stamens which are
joined for about half their length, and are exserted beyond
the petals. The pods are flat and curved.
In addition to the small tree described below,
several other shrubby species of this genus are found
occasionally in Calcutta gardens. The best of these is
Brownea gyandiceps Jacq., known as the "rose of
Venezuela", which has very large spherical heads of bright
red flowers borne at the ends of the branches.
Brownea coccinea Jacq.
(Coccinea is Latin meaning "scarlet"). .

English, West Indian mountain rose.,

(Not in F.I., F.B.I. & B.P.)

Leaves pinnate, up to 12 inches long; leaflets 10 to

15, up to 51 inches long by 2 inches wide, elliptic,
acuminate .; petiolules short ; bractlets enclosing the bud,
up to q inches long, pinkish, caducous ; flowers scarlet in
corymbs about 3 inches wide on lower side of branches ;
petals 5, spathulate, ii inches long ; stamens ii or 12, joined
for about half their length, red ; pods compressed, curved,
nearly glabrous, about 8 inches long.
This is a small
evergreen tree, often
branching from near the base,
with dense, shady foliage. The
leaves are divided into several
narrow, pointed leaflets
arranged in opposite pairs on
a central midrib. The young
leaves are enclosed in pinkish
scales which fall to the ground
to expose the leaflets hanging
limp arid colour-, less from the
 KEY 337

ends of the branches. As the leaves mature they become

mottled with red or purple, but finally the leaflets acquire a
glossy green tint and stand out stiffly from the midrib.
During the heat of the day the leaves tend to droop, but at
night they raise themselves and expose the scarlet flowers,
which by day are usually partially hidden. The smaller
branches and twigs are studded on their lower sides with
compact round heads of flowers, which at first are very like
red rhododendrons. They are sometimes borne in such
profusion that the spreading branches are weighed down
by them. The pods are flat and scimitar-shaped.
This tree when not in bloom closely resembles both
Sayaca indica and Amheystia nobalis, but the round
compact clusters of flowers are quite distinctive.
The tree is a native of Jamaica. It is now widely
cultivated in India and is common in Calcutta gardens. The
flowers mostly appear in February and March, but they are
also seen at other times, especially in September.
AMHERSTIA. (Named after Lady Sarah Arnherst,
an artist and collector in India, d. 1838). A genus
containing a single species, a native of Burma. The leaves
are divided into separate leaflets set in opposite pairs on a
central midrib (paripinnate): The flowers are crimson in
pendulous sprays, with 5 very unequal petals of which z
are minute and To stamens of which 9 are joined. The pod
is flat and opens to release the seeds (dehiscent).
Amherstia nobilis Wall.
(Nobilis is Latin meaning "noble", or "stately".)

English, tree of heaven..

(F.B.I. Vol. II. p. 272. Not in F.I, & B.P.)

Leaves paripinnate; up to 18 inches long ; leaflets

12 to 16, oblong, acuminate, glabrous, subcoriaceous,
opposite, 6 to 12 inches long ; flowers in pendulous
racemes ; pedicels 2 to 4 inches long with a pair of
lanceolate red bracteoles enclosing each bud ; calyx
segments 4, petaloid, red, membranous; petals 5, 3 large
338 KEY

and unequal, mixed red and yellow, the upper one 2

inches long and broad ; also 2 minute petals ; stamens To,
diadelphous, alternately longer, the longer 2 inches in
length ; pod 6 inches long by 21 inches broad, glabrous,
truncate, 4- to 6-seeded.
This tree has been described as the most beautiful
object in the whole vegetable kingdom, and many people
on seeing its graceful hanging sprays of delicate red and
yellow flowers below the handsome foliage would probably
be willing to agree with this contention. The leaves are
divided into several opposite pairs of narrow, pointed,
smooth leaflets set on either side of a central midrib, and
closely resemble the leaves of Saraca indica and of
Byownea coccinea. The resemblance extends to the
young leaves, which at first hang limply from the ends of
the branches and while in this flaccid state assume various
beautiful shades of pink, copper-colour, mauve, or purple,
but soon turn a bright shining green as they gather
strength and firmness. The wonderful flowers hang in
immense candelabrum-like clusters from all parts of the
tree, the upper flowers usually having longer stalks than
the lower, so that the clusters are conical in shape with the
broader ends of the cones uppermost. Each -flower has
three brilliant red and yellow petals, of which the upper
petal is by far the largest, and ten prominent stamens, of
which five are much longer than
the others, and nine are joined
together below, the short and the
long being arranged alternately.
There are also four petal-like
calyx lobes, which curve
backwards above the petals, the
tube of the calyx being narrow
and as long as its lobes. The
flowerstalks are also red, and the
buds are enclosed in two
conspicuous, slender red leaves
(known as "bracteoles"), which
 KEY 339

are almost as large as the petals, and are nearly as long

as the tube and the lobes of the calyx together. The pod is
flat, hairless, and smooth, containing from , 4 to b seeds ;
in April the young pods are brilliant crimson with greenish
markings.
As the clustered flowers of Byownea are
reminiscent of red rhododendrons, so the hanging sprays
of Amherstia are not unlike the flowers of orchids, and
perhaps it is necessary to seek among that family if any
rivals to its magnificent, yet delicate, flowers are to be
found.
The wood is hard and white with a pinkish tinge,
weighing about 50 lb. per cubic foot.
The tree is a native of Burma, where it is much
cultivated but seldom found in a wild state. It is
occasionally planted in Calcutta gardens, but is not
common, since it is delicate and difficult to propagate. A
fine specimen may be seen in the Belvedere garden west
of the, main building, and there are several in the Royal
Agri-Horticultural Garden:
The flowers appear from the end of January to
April. The new leaves are produced almost throughout the
year.
TAMARINDUS. . (A latinised form of an Arabic
word meaning "Indian date"). This is a genus containing a
single species distinguished by small leaves divided into
diminutive leaflets set in opposite pairs on a central midrib
(bipinnate), flowers with 3 unequal petals, and 3 stamens
united to the middle.
Tamarindus indica Linn.
(Indica means "of India".)

Bengali, teutul, until, tintivi, tetai, nuli, ambli.

Hindi, amli, imli, ambli, nuh, tanayulhindi.
Urdu, imli.
English, tamarind.
(F. I. p. 530. F.B.I. Vol. II, p. 273. B.P. Vol. I. p. 444.)
340 KEY

A large glabrous tree ; leaves paripinnate, up to 5

inches long, narrow ; leaflets 20 to 40, opposite, oblong,
obtuse, about 2 inch long ; flowers about 2 inch long in lax
racemes ; calyx-tube turbinate, segments 4 ; petals 3,
unequal, red and yellow.; stamens 3 united to the middle ;
pod thick, filled with pulp, brown, irregularly curved ; seeds
3 to 12, brown, shining.
The tamarind is a very handsome evergreen tree
with thick, dark grey, rough bark marked with cracks and
fissures. The trunk is usually rather short, and the
branches, when the tree is not crowded by other trees,
spread widely, the lower branches being almost horizontal.
The leaves are very thick and in spite of their small size
and their division into many leaflets, throw a dense shade
over a wide area. When young the leaves are of a brilliant
emerald, but they soon fade to a soft jade green, which,
together with their feathery look, gives the tree a very
distinctive appearance. All over the branches the rather
inconspicuous flowers are borne in small loose clusters
among the leaves ; each flower has three unequal petals,
variegated yellow .and red, and three stamens, the other
two petals being reduced to minute scales. The pods are
more or less oval in section, long, curved and irregularly
swollen ; they are brown in colour and contain seveial
shining seeds set in fibrous pulp.
This is one of the best known of Indian trees, since
it is commonly planted by roadsides and in "topes" as a
shade tree, and is often found in villages owing to the
attraction of its fruit and the many other valuable products
that can be obtained from it. Unfortunately, owing, it is
said, to acid contained in its leaves, most other plants have
difficulty in growing beneath it, and it is therefore
unsuitable for gardens in spite of the great beauty of its
delicate foliage and its fine spreading limbs. For the ;same
reason it is generally believed by Indians that the
neighbourhood of a tamarind is unhealthy, and even that
those who sleep beneath its branches are in danger of
catching leprosy.
 KEY 341

Tents pitched under it in wet weather are said soon

to get damaged by the action of the leaves.
The fruits are valued for their acid pulp and also for
their seeds, both of which are eaten. There are a number
of varieties, of which the most important are the common
sour-fruited variety, a variety
with sweet pulp, and another
with a reddish pulp, which is
specially prized. The pulp is a
favourite ingredient of curries
and chutneys, and also for
making sherbet. A large trade
is carried on in the pulp in
some parts of India, and it is
exported in considerable
quantities to Europe and
elsewhere. In times of scarcity
the seeds are pounded and
eaten, and the kernels, when
the outer skin has been
removed by roasting and
soaking, are boiled or fried.
The young plants, leaves, and
flowers, are also eaten.
The seeds ground to
powder and mixed with gum
make a strong cement, and
are used, among other purposes, for dressing
country-made blankets. The seeds also give an
amber-coloured oil which is made into a varnish to paint
idols. The leaves yield a red dye and give a yellow shade
to cloth previously dyed with indigo. An infusion of the fruit
mixed with sea-salt is used for brightening silver, and the
pulp of the pods for cleaning metal utensils.
The wood is hard, close-grained, and very durable
if not exposed to the weather. It is difficult to work, but
highly prized for wheels, mallets, planes, rice-pounders,
342 KEY

furniture, and turning. The sapwood weighs about 62 lb.

and the heartwood about So lb. per cubic foot.
Medicinally the tree has a great many very varied
uses. The bark is tonic and astringent, and is said to
restore sensation in cases of paralysis. The leaves are
used to wash wounds and to reduce inflammation. A
poultice of the flowers is given to relieve conjunctivitis. The
pulp of the fruit is often eaten as a laxative, and the seeds
are employed in the treatment of dysentery.
The fruits were well known in Europe during the
middle ages for their medicinal qualities, having been
introduced by the Arabs, who appear to have come to
know the tree through the Hindus. The Arabic name of the
tree has become naturalised in English, and has given the
botanical name to the genus.
In some parts of India the tree is believed to be
haunted by spirits. In Burma it is considered to induce heat
in the surrounding country.
The tree grows to a very large size and great age.
A specimen with a girth of 42 feet has been recorded in
Ceylon, and trees have been known to live well over 200
years. The new leaves usually appear in May, and are
closely followed by the flowers, but the trees vary
considerably in this respect and occasionally one may be
seen putting forth its fresh leaves and flowers in
September. The dark brown pods often hang on the tree till
the flowers of the following season appear.
The tamarind is believed to be indigenous in
tropical Africa, but is now widely cultivated in the tropics,
and is common in India wherever frost does not often
occur. It is abundant on roadsides near Calcutta but is
seldom seen in the city, possibly owing to the general
belief that it has an unhealthy influence on its
surroundings. Although a magnificent avenue tree it is not
planted on the Maidan, perhaps because it would be
damaged by people in search of its fruit, flowers, and
leaves.
 KEY 343

HAEMATOXYLON. (From the Greek "haima",

blood, and "xulon", wood, in allusion to the colour of the
heartwood.) This is a genus of 3 species of trees, natives
of tropical America, of which one species is often cultivated
in gardens. The leaves are divided into several small
leaflets arranged in opposite pairs on a central midrib
(paripinnate). The calyx segments do not overlap one
another, and the stamens are separate. The pods are flat
and pointed, opening along one side.
Haematoxylon campechianum Linn.
(Carimpechianum means "of Campeachy'.', a place in
Mexico.?

Bengali, bokkan.
Hindi Patang.
English, logwood, Campeachy tree.
(Not in F.I., F.B.I. & B.P.)

Leaves paripinnate, about 3 inches long ; leaflets

opposite, 6 or 8, glabrous,
obovate, retuse, T to r inch
long, bright green, subsessile
; flowers small, yellow, in
axillary racemes ; calyx
segments valvate ; petals 5,
oblong ; stamens free with
hairy filaments ; ovary
short-stiped, free ; pod
lanceolate, flattened,
dehiscent ; seeds usually
This is a low,
spreading tree with a crooked,
buttressed, and much
indented trunk covered with
dark brown bark, which peels
off in small flakes. Its small
leaves usually spring several
together from the same point,
344 KEY

and are elegantly divided into several opposite pairs of

broad, blunt leaflets, of a pale, bright green colour, and
broadest near their tips. The little, pale yellow flowers grow
in narrow spikes from the twigs near the bases of the
leaves, and appear in great profusion, very fragrant and
beautiful. The buds are of a handsome brownish-purple
before the petals open. The small pods are narrow, flat,
pointed, and papery in texture.
The wood is hard, the sapwood being white and
small in quantity, and the heartwood brown or red. The
latter is a very valuable dye-wood, and is largely exported
from the West Indies to Europe and elsewhere, a
decoction of the chips being used to dye fabrics violet,
blue, and black. The wood is also employed, in the
manufacture of ink. It weighs about 65 lb. per cubic foot.
Medicinally the heartwood is used as a tonic and
astringent in the treatment of dyspepsia and diarrhoea. It is
also made into an ointment for application to gangrene.
The tree is a native of Central America and the
West Indies. It is often grown in Indian gardens for its very
delicate foliage and its masses of scented flowers which
appear from the end of January to March. It is specially
suitable for planting on small lawns because it allows grass
to grow beneath it.
CASSIA. (An ancient Greek name). This is a large
genus containing about 400 species of herbs, shrubs and
trees, mostly natives of the tropics, of which about 15 are
natives of India, and many others are cultivated in this
country. The leaves are divided into two rows of leaflets set
in opposite pairs on a central midrib (paripinnate). The
flowers are usually showy, and pink or yellow in colour.
The calyx is deeply divided into 5 segments, which overlap
when in bud, and the petals are broad and nearly equal.
The stamens number To or less,; they are often unequal in
length, and their anthers mostly open by terminal pores.
The pods vary in .shape, but the numerous seeds are
usually separated by transverse partitions of the. pod.
 KEY 345

This genus contains some of the most beautiful

flowering trees and shrubs to be found in India. In addition
to the trees described below, several species of shrubby
cassias with yellow flowers are cultivated in Bengal. The
best known of, these is C. alata Linn., which is naturalised
near Calcutta and common in gardens. It has stout
branches, very large leaves with 16 to 24 broad leaflets up
to 6 inches long, and bright yellow flowers in stiff erect
spikes, each bud being enveloped in a large yellow hood
(or "bract").
Three species of small undershrubs, or herbs, of
this genus are common on waste land near Calcutta and in
most other parts of India ; all have yellow flowers, and are
much used in Indian medicine, chiefly to cure skin
diseases. They and the other local species may be
distinguished by the following key, which is intended to
assist in the identification of all the cassias usually to be
found in Calcutta:-
I. Flowers yellow.
A. Small undershrubs or herbs, weeds of waste
land, etc.
(1) Herbaceous, leaflets 6 ; pods very slender. C. Tora.
(2) Shrubby ; leaflets 6 to 10 ; pod flattish. C. ovientatis.
(3) Shrubby ; leaflets 12 to 20 ; pod rather thick. C.
Sophera.
B. Large shrubs or trees.
(1) Flowers in long hanging clusters (racemes) ; leaflgts up
to 6 inches long, ; a small tree. C, Fistula.
(2) Flowers not in long hanging clusters.
(a.) Flowers in stiff erect spikes ; leaflets 16 to 28, 2
to 6 inches long; a shrub. C. alata.
(b.) Flowers in broad clusters at ends of branches.
(i) Leaflets more than 30, not more than inch wide ;
a shrub or small tree. C. multijuga.
(ii) Leaflets 12 to 28, dark green above ; anthers
pod 6 to g inches long ; medium-sized tree. C. siamea.
(iii) Leaflets 6 to 18, glaucous ; anthers To ; pod 3
to 6 inches long ; a shrub or tree. C. glauca.
346 KEY

II. Flowers orange tinged with pink. C. izaoschata.

III. Flowers more or less pink or mauve.
A. Leaflets 12 to 24, flowers y to z' inches diam.
(1) Leaflets pointed, mostly 2 inches long or more ; flowers
March to August. C. nodosa.
(2) Leaflets blunt, mostly less than 2 inches long ; flowers
mostly in April. C. javanica.
B. Leaflets 14 to 40 ; flowers about z to y inches diam.
(1) Pod rough, curved, slightly flattened ; leaflets narrow,
round at both ends ; young leaflets often reddish ; flowers
mostly February-March ; bracts very small, falling before
the flowers open. C. grandis.
(2) Pod smooth, straight, cylindrical ; young leaflets not
reddish ; bracts conspicuous, persisting till the flowers
open.
(a) Leaflets rounded at base, 3 to 4 times, as long
as broad ; flowers mostly April-May. -C. renigera.
(b) Leaflets narrowed at base, unequal-sided, about
twice as long as broad ; flowers mostly June-July.
C. mavginata.
The above key is not exhaustive, for several other
species of Cassia with yellow flowers are sometimes
cultivated in Bengal gardens ; moreover the accuracy of
some of the identifications is perhaps slightly uncertain
because there has been considerable confusion in the
names given to cassias in Calcutta, and some errors have
crept into books by wellknown authorities. Furthermore the
subject is complicated by a number of apparently hybrid
plants which are now grown in gardens. Hybrids between
C. nodosa and C. javanica seem to be common, and it is
even doubtful whether the two species are actually distinct.
A very beautiful tree which may be a hybrid between C.
nodosa and C. Fistula, produced by the Royal
Agri-Horticultural Society of India and named C.
alip'uyensis, has the habit of C. Fistula, but with smaller
leaves, pale ivory-coloured flowers, and the swollen
filaments of C. nodosa. Another tree named G. Lancastevi
appears to be a hybrid between C. mavginata and some
 KEY 347

other species with pink flowers ; it produces a fine show of

deep pink blooms in the early part of the rains, much
superior to those of C. marginata.
A single specimen of C. moschata H. B. & K., a
very beautiful tree which in March produces pendulous
clusters of pinkish-orange flowers in great profusion, is to
be seen in the Royal Agri-Horticultural Gardens in Alipur.
Cassia Fistula Linn.
(Fistula is Latin meaning "a pipe" ; the bark of the
tree, when imported 'into Europe for medicinal purposes,
used to arrive rolled up in the form of tubes. This is said to
have given rise to the name, but perhaps more probably it
refers to the shape of the pods).

Bengali, arnultas, baudaylati, sonali.

Hindi, amaltas, baudarlauyi, girmalah.
Urdu, amaltas.
English, Indian laburnum, pudding pipe,
purging cassia, golden shower.
(F. I. p. 348. F.B.I. Vol. II. p. 261. B.P. Vol. I. p. 437.)

Leaves pinnate, up to 15 inches long ; leaflets 8 to

16, glabrous when mature, ovate acute or shortly
acuminate, up to 5 inches long ; petiolule 1 / 6 to J inch
long; flowers 12 inches across, in lax pendulous racemes
up to 20 inches long ; petals 5, yellow, obovate, subequal ;
3 stamens with long curved filaments, anthers opening by
longitudinal slits ; 4 stamens with short filaments, anthers
opening by pores ; 3 stamens small without pollen ; pod
cylindric, 2 to 3 feet long by 1 inch thick, brown or black ;
seeds 40 to 100 in dark pulp, separated by transverse
partitions.
This is a small or medium-sized tree with a rather
untidy habit of growth, and ,bark which is smooth and
greenish-grey when young, but brown and rough when old.
Its large leaves are divided into two rows of broad, pointed
leaflets arranged in opposite pairs on either side of the
slender midrib. The leaves fall during the cold weather and
348 KEY

the early part of the hot season, but in April, as the last of
the old leaves vanish, the large, bright yellow flowers
appear in graceful hanging clusters. Each flower has five
broad, yellow petals and ten yellow stamens, of which
three are long and curve elegantly outwards along with the
lender style, four are short with large anthers, and three
are much smaller and lacking in pollen. The fresh leaves
grow along with the flowers, which continue till the new
foliage is .fully developed. During the cold weather, and
even up to the time when the flowers open, the tree is
often conspicuous for its immense, blackish, slender,
cylindrical pods which hang long on the bare branches;
they contain a large number of Slat seeds,. each
embedded in a dark pulp, and separated from the next
seed by a transverse partition.
When in a full flower
this is one of the most
beautiful of trees, its clear,
pale yellow blooms hanging
in graceful sprays being
difficult to compare to any
thing in nature except per
haps the flowers of Labur
num Vulgaye Griseb, the
laburnum of English gardens
; (which however has only a
superficial resemblance to
the Indian tree, for it has
pea-like flowers and belongs
to the sub family
Papilionaceae). When not in flower the pudding pipe is a
rather unattractive and ungainly plant, especially when, as
often happens, its leaves are damaged by insect pests and
its bark by human marauders ; but its great black pods
hanging from leafless branches in the cold and hot
seasons give it a bizarre grace of its own ; and even when
they persist until the flowers appear, in the opinion of some
they add to the beauty of the whole tree.
 KEY 349

The pulp of the fruit, and also the root-bark, form

one of the commonest and most useful of Indian
medicines, a simple purgative or laxative. The pulp is the
Cassiae pulpa of the Brit. Pharmacopoeia. The fruit, is also
used to cure leprosy, heart diseases, and abdominal pains.
The root is a strong purgative and has been given as a
febrifuge. The leaves allay chillblains and are regarded as
useful to relieve inflammation, while both the bark and
leaves are used to cure skin diseases. The parched leaves
are eaten mixed with food as a mild laxative.
The bark is sometimes employed in tanning and to
yield a light red dye. The sticky pulp of the pods has a
sweet taste and is valued in Bengal for flavouring tobacco.
The flowers and leaves are sometimes eaten by men,
though they are rejected by cattle and goats. Curiously
enough bears, jackals, and monkeys eat the highly
purgative pods with impunity and so play a large part in the
distribution of the seeds, which would otherwise be
destroyed by insects before escaping from the pod.
The timber is hard and durable, but difficult to,
work, and only available in small sizes. It is used chiefly for
making tool handles, posts and agricultural implements.
The weight is about 6o lb. per cubic foot.
The flowers are used by Hindus in religious
ceremonies and as temple-offerings. In Mysore stakes cut
from the tree are fixed in the ground and worshipped.
The tree is frequently planted in Indian gardens.
Several varieties exist, the best of which retain the full
clear yellow of their flowers, while the flowers of other
varieties tend to turn to a dull creamy yellow soon after
opening. The tree is common in jungles and thickets near
Calcutta, but seldom shows up to advantage, except in
gardens, owing to the damage done to the trees by people
in search of the flowers, fruit, and, bark. It is indigenous in
most of the forests of India and Burma.
Cassia nodosa Buch-Ham.
350 KEY

(Nodosa is Latin meaning "knotty", or "gnarled", in

allusion to the large knots seen on the trunk and branches
of this species).

English, pink cassia, pink mohuv.

(F.I. p. 349. F.B.I. Vol. II. p. 261. B.P. Vol. I, p. 437.)

The youngest shoots silky ; leaves paripinnate ;

leaflets 12 to 24, 2 to 4 inches long, thinly coriaceous,
glabrous, elliptic-oblong, acute ; petiolules 4 inch long ;
stipules narrow, falcate ;- flowers pink, in erect racemes
from the scars of fallen leaves ; bracts narrow lanceolate,
pubescent ; sepals 1 / 5 inch long ; , petals, -4 to 1 inch
long ; 3 stamens long and curved with large globose
thickenings in the middle of the filaments and anthers
opening by slits ; 4 short with anthers opening by pores ; 3
minute, sterile ; pods cylindrical, 12 to 18 inches long.
This very beautiful; nearly evergreen tree, when
grown in the open, has a short gnarled trunk and very
wide-spreading branches, which form a broad umbrella-like
dome, the outer branchlets tending to droop till they
sometimes nearly touch the ground ; but when grown
amongst other trees, the trunk is capable of attaining a
considerable height in its
search for light, and the tree
then takes a comparatively
slender outline but with a
crooked trunk. Its bark is
greyish, or yellowish-brown,
smooth when young, with
numerous, narrow but deep,
horizontal clefts. The leaves
are divided into two rows of
narrow, pointed, shining
leaflets, considerably larger
than those of the other
pinkflowered cassias, but like
them arranged in two rows in
 KEY 351

opposite pairs on either side of a slender midrib. The

scented flowers appear in large loose clusters along the
branches; they are larger than the flowers of the other pink
cassias, and fade gradually from a bright pink to almost
white. The five petals are narrow and pointed at both ends,
while three of the stamens are much longer than the others
and curve gracefully outwards beyond the petals together
with the slender style. In the middle of the stalk, or
"filament", of each of the three long stamens is a curious
bulge or swelling, a peculiarity common to some of the
other cassias. The pods are round in section, and contain
a number of seeds divided by transverse partitions and set
in evil-smelling pulp.
This is the most handsome of the pink cassias, and
is a truly lovely sight when covered with masses of pink
and white flowers reminiscent of apple blossom. Its leaves
are graceful, and its broadly spreading habit is an added
attraction when sufficient space is available, while it has
the further advantage of remaining in flower from March till
long after the rains have broken, whereas the other pink
cassias bloom for one or two months only. The new leaves
are produced in April together with the flowers.
This tree closely resembles Cassia javanica, and
hybrids between the two species seem to be so common
that one is led to think that the two trees are not specifically
distinct. They may, however, usually be distinguished by
the larger and pointed leaflets of C. nodosa, and by its
narrow petals, pointed or contracted at both ends.
Cassia nodosa is a native of Malaya, Burma,
Sylhet, and the Chittagong hills. It is very commonly grown
in Calcutta gardens.
The wood is fairly hard and weighs about qo lb. per
cubic foot. The sapwood is light brown and the heartwood
red.
Cassia javanica Linn. Syn. C. bacillus Roxb.
(Javanica means "of Java". Bacillus is from the
Latin "bacillum", a small rod, probably in allusion to the
pods.)
352 KEY

English, Java cassia.

(F.I. p. 350. F.B.I. Vol. Il. p. 267. Not in B.P.)

Leaves paripinnate, 6 to 12 inches long ; leaflets ¢

to 28, usually 16 to 28, oblong, obtuse or emarginate,
smooth, r to 2 inches long; petiolules very short ; stipules
crescent-shaped, lower half narrower ; calyx segments 5,
dull reddish ; petals oblong, unequal ; stamens 10, the 3
lower much longer having an ovoid swelling in the middle
of 'the filaments ; 'pods cylindrical, 18 to 24 inches long by
inch diam., dark brown, rather smooth.
This is a very beautiful tree with fairly smooth
brownish or pinkish-grey bark, usually a short trunk, and
widely-spreading, almost horizontal branches with
drooping tips, which form a wide umbrella-like canopy. Its
leaves are divided into a number of narrow, blunt leaflets,
of a bright green colour and soft smooth texture, set in two
rows in opposite pairs on either side of a slender midrib.
The bright pink flowers grow in open clusters mostly on
short leafless branches, which spring from near the scars
of fallen leaves. The five petals vary in size, but all have
the same rather narrow shape with blunt ends, and are
prettily veined. Three of the stamens much exceed the
others in length, having an oval swelling in the middle and
a double curve below it. The pod is round in section, and
very long, with a fairly smooth, dark brown surface.
This graceful tree is very like Cassia nodosa, and
some doubt exists whether the two species are really
distinct. C. javanica may, however, be distinguished by its
smaller, blunt leaflets, its blunt petals, and its calyx which
is brown, purplish or reddish, whereas that of C. nodosa is
usually javanica are mostly borne of C. nodosa often grow
on the ends of leafy twigs. But hybrids between the two
species seem to be common.
The tree is used medicinally as a substitute for
Cassia Fistula.
 KEY 353

Java and Sumatra

are the native home of this
species, but it is now
widely planted in the
tropics. In Calcutta it
seems to be very scarce
though hybrids between it
and C. nodosa appear to
be more plentiful. A
specimen of the true C.
javanica may be seen (in
1942) on the east side of
the Gardens.
The flowers appear mostly in April and although
very beautiful while they last, have the disadvantage that
they are soon over, whereas those of C. nodosa persist
until the rains break, and long after. The hybrids between
the two species seem to produce flowers that last little
longer than those of C. javanica. The new leaves are
produced at about the same time as the flowers.
Cassia renigera Wall.
(Renigeia is Latin meaning "kidney-bearing" in
allusion to the shape of the stipules, i.e. the small leafy
attachments at the bases of the leaf-stalks).

English, Burmese pink cassia.

(F.B.I. Vol. II, p. 262. Not in F.I. & B.P.)

Deciduous, softly tomentose ; leaves paripinnate up

to 14 inches long ; leaflets 16 to 40, oblong, obtuse,
rounded at the base, membranous, softly pubescent, r to 2
inches long, by z inch wide ; stipules large, reniform ;
.flowers scented, pink (or yellow), in short racemes from
the old wood ; bracts large, ovate, acuminate ; pedicels
121- to 2 inches long ; sepals and petals silky ; petals
elliptic-oblong, 2 / 3 to r inch long ; 3 stamens longer with a
cylindrical thickening in the middle of the filament ; pod
cylindric, 15 to 18 inches long.
354 KEY

This is a small deciduous tree with spreading and

drooping branches. Its bark is fairly smooth, brownish grey
in colour, and covered with small corky excrescences. The
leaves are gracefully divided into a number of very narrow,
blunt leaflets covered with minute down, and arranged in
two rows in opposite pairs
on a slender midrib. The
pink. scented flowers
appear in April and May in
short clusters along the
bare parts of the
branches. From other
cassias this species may
be easily distinguished by
the broad leaflets (bracts)
which grow at the base of
each flower, and the soft
silky hairs which cover the
calyx and petals; but the
stamens resemble those
of C. nodosa and C.
javanica in having large
swellings in the centre of
the three longest, the
remaining stamens being
very much shorter. The
pod is round in section, long, and almost black.
This is a beautiful tree with a graceful habit, elegant
leaves, and lovely deep pink flowers which are often borne
in great profusion ; but they are perhaps less striking than
those of C. nodosa, and C. javanica, and it shares with the
latter tree the disadvantage of having only a short
flowering period from April to May. The leaves begin to fall
during the cold weather and the branches are bare when
the first flowers open, but the new leaves then appear
together with the flowers.
The tree is a native of the interior of Burma. It is
occasionally planted in Indian gardens, but is far from
 KEY 355

common in Calcutta. A specimen may be seen in the

Agri-Horti. Garden at Alipore. A variety with yellow flowers
is found in Burma, but does not seem to have been
introduced - elsewhere.
Cassia marginata Roxb. Syn. C. Roxburghii DC.
(Marginata is Latin meaning "with a distinct
margin", in allusion to the slightly thickened margins of the
leaflets).

English, red cassia, red Indian laburnum.

(F.B.I. Vol. II. p. 262. Not in F.I. & B.P.)

Branchlets' and young leaves silky ; leaves

paripinnate ; leaflets 20 to 30, membranous, glabrous
above, oblong, oblique, emarginate and apiculate, about i
inch long ; stipules hastate or falcate ; racemes axillary, or
terminal ; pedicels 2 to z inch long ; bracts large, ovate or
obovate ; petals inch long, deep' pink ; 3 stamens long and
curved with anthers opening by slits, filaments not swollen
; 4 shorter with anthers opening by pores ; 3 minute and
sterile ; pod cylindric, 4 to 12 inches long, almost straight,
smooth, spongy within.
This is a small graceful tree with deeply cracked,
brown bark, spreading and
drooping branches, and
normally a short trunk, though
when compelled to do so to
escape from the shade of
other trees, the trunk can
attain a fair height. The leaves
are smaller and more slender
than those of the other pink
cassias, and are divided into a
number of unequal-sided
leaflets set in two rows on
either side of a central midrib.
The small, fragrant, cerise or
terra-cotta flowers grow in
356 KEY

narrow clusters among the leaves and from the leafless

parts of the branches, often in very great profusion. Three
of the stamens are much longer than the others but are
devoid of the conspicuous swellings that are so noticeable
in some of the other cassias. The pods are round in
section, smooth, and fairly straight.
This beautiful little tree is a native of South India. It
is an admirable garden tree but is not often grown in
Calcutta. Specimens may be seen (in 1942) near the
eastern boundary, of the Zoological Gardens.
The flowers appear principally in June and July.
The wood is strong and durable, weighing 6o to So
lb. per cubic foot. It is used for the naves of wheels and the
handles of instruments.
Cassia grandis L.f.
(Grandis is Latin meaning "large").

English, horse cassia, pink shower.

(Not in F.I., F.B.I., & B.P.)

Twigs, leaves, and petioles rusty-pubescent when

young; leaves paripinnate, up to 12 inches long or more by
z2 inches wide ; leaflets 20 to 40, oblong, abrupt at both
ends, acute, more or less
pubescent, about z 2 inches
long flowers in numerous long
racemes, pinkish ; pod
compressed-cylindrical,
transversely rugose, to 3 feet
long.
This is a spreading tree with
fairly smooth grey bark. When
growing in the open the trunk
is short and the branches
form a broad round dome
covering a wide area with
their drooping twigs ; but if