r r
2.3
renders ii more ])riulc. Pure waier dissolves ¡1. perCecily. and ihcsoliiiioa
is ol' a deep, cleai', red coloiu'- It is in a great measure solulile
ill spirits, but ilie soluLiou is paler and a little turbid; the watery
solution also becomes turbid when spirit is added, and tlie spiriiuoiis
more clear by the addition of water ; diluted vitriolic acid renders
both solutions turbid; mild caustic vegetable alk;ili changes tlie
colour oi'the watery solution to aclear, deep, fiery, blood red;* the
spirituous it also deepens, but in a less degree ; sal martis changes
tlie watery solution into a good durable ink.
These are, I think, proofs that it contains a very small proportion
ofvesin ; in which it differs from the gum resin called Kino, or
gummi rubnu.i astringens Gambiense, which the Edinburgh college
has taken into their Materia Medica (I have used tlie recent gum
in making my experiments, which may make some difference), but
as this can be mo.^t perfecdy dissolved in a watery menstruum, it may
prove of use whgie a spiiituous solution of Kino (being the most
complete] cannot i>e properly administered, consequently it may
prove a valuable ac(|uisition.
Infusions of the flowers, either fresh or dried, dye cotton cloth,
previously impregnated with a solution of ahmi, or alum and tariar,
a most beautiful briglu yellow, more or less deep according to the
strength of the infusion: alittle alkali addedto the infusion changes
it to a deep redisli orange, which dyes unpre])ared cotton cloth of
die same colour, but the least acid changes it to a yellow, or lemon.
TJicse beautiful colours I have not been able to render perfectly ¡)er-
Among numberless e.'iperimcnts, I expressed a quantity of the
juice of the fresh flowers, whicli being diluted with alum water, and
rendered perfectly clear by depuration, was then evaporated by
the heat of the sun, into a soft cxtract; this pi'oved a brighter water
colour than any gamboge 1 have met with; it is one year since I
first used it, and it remains bright. Infusions of the dried flowers
yielded an e.xtracc very little, it any thing, inferior to this last mentioned;
they yield also a very line, durable, yellow lake, and all
these in a very large proponioii.
The Lac insects are frequently found on the small branches and
the petioles of tlie leaves of this tree, Whctlier the natural juices of
its bai-k contribute to impvove the colour of their red nidus (colouring
mattei) I cannot say; to determine it, would require a set nf experiments
acciuately made on specimens of lac gathered front the various
trees it is found upon, at the same time, and as nearly as possible
from the same place.
I do not find that the natives make any nse of the gum or flowers,
altlioiigh they promise to be valuable; the former as a medicine, and
the latter as a pigment and dying drug.
22. BTJTKA SUPERBA.
Tiga Madugaofthe Telingas.
Rod spindle-form, vaiy large.
Sia,I twining, as thick or thicker than a man's leg, woody, veiy
long, running over laige trees. Bari ash-coloured, pretty
smooth.
Branches like the stem but small, and with a smoother baik.
Leaves alternate, three'd, remote, very large. Leajlels downy, in
' Willi J], dlilizcci dccoctioci of Il,i5 g„n,, I irisJ lo dye cotloi. clotli prepai-cd wit!,
iliim, will,sugai oflnd, iinJwiil, a solution of lin in regia, buttile i-cds produced
thereby were bad; ibat wlierc alum was einplo)'ed uas the best.
otiier respects as in Butea frondosa, but greatly larger, the terminal
one is generally about twenty inches long, and broad in
proportion; the lateral somewhat less.
Racemes as in the former, but much larger.
F/iiwcrs also the same, only much larger and more numerous.
Qil)x divided as the other, but the divisions longer and much more
pointed.
Carol the same.
Legnmc and Seed as in the former, but rather larger.
This is a very large twining shrub, a native of the mountains.
Flowering time the beginning of tlie hot season.
When this species is in full flower, I do not tliink the vegetable
world offers a more gaudy sliow. Tiie flowers arc incomparably
beautiful, very large, and vei^y numerous; the colours are so e.-cceedingly
vivid, that my best painter has not been able with his utmost
skill to imitate their brightness.
From fisstnes in the bark, the same sort of ritby-coloured astringent
gum exsudes, the flowers also yield the same beautiful yellow
dye and pigment.
25. AILANTHUS EXCELS A.
Petlda-maunchitto of die Telingas.
rn,nk perfectly straight, rising like that of the fir-tree to a very
great heiglit. Bark smooth, ash-coloured.
Branches pretty numerous, ascending.
Leaves about the extremities of the branclilets, abruptly pinnated,
generally about three feet long. Lcnjlets short-petiolated, from
ten to fointeen paii-, oblitiuely oblong, or somewhat sickleform,
the nei ve rims so as to make the exterior portion twicc
as broad as tlie interior, very remotely and grossly sei'rated, or
indented, smooth, about four inches long and two broad.
Petiole round, smooth.
Panicle terminal, very large.
BracU minute.
Flowers exceedingly numerous, small, slightly tinged with yellow,
hermaphrodite and male mixed.
Calyx as in the genus.
Petals five, many times larger than the calyx.
Xeclary or Receptacle is a perforated, glandulous, notched body,
whicli suriounds, aiid in a great measure hides, the germs.
Filaments ten, shorter than the petals, inserted into the lower edge of
tlie nectary.
Genns above, from one to four, very minute, immersed in the perforation
of the nectary.
Sly/e none. '
Sligma small.
Capsules from one to four, but generally one or two, not connected
at the base, linear-oblong, siirrounded with a large membranaceous
wing, a little twisted at the apex and base,
Seedon(^, ilatteiied.
Calyx. Carol, Xcctary, and Stam
rudiment ofapiscil.
This is an immense large t
Circars, but is chiefly a nativ
I the hermaphrodite, bul
e, is found in many parts of the
of the open valleys among the
mountains; flowers during the cold season ; seed ripe in April
and May.
The wood of this tree is white and light, of course it soon
perishes; is chiefly used to make cattamarans (rafts for fishermen to
go a fishing on).
• In the plate the dissected flowers arc magnified; the fruit of its
natural size.
24. STERCULIA URENS.
Cavallic oftheTdingas.
Trimk ercct, very
very smooth
25. STERCULIA COLORATA,
Caraka of the Telingas.
Tnml erect, growing to a very great size. Bark ash-coloui'ed, and
a little scabrous.
Branches ntmieroiis, irregularly spreading; Bark as on the trunk,
but smoother.
Leaves alternate, about the extremities of the branchleta, petioled,
considerably broader than long, five-nerved, fivc-lobed: lobes
aciitc ; soft and a litde downy; they are generally, when full
velvc broad,;
top largeand shady. ash-coloured,
;r coat is thin, transparent, covered with
ce, and peels ofl: like the pellicle of the
birch-bark ; inwardly it is fibrous and netted.
Leaves about the extremities of the branches, alternate, petioled,
iive-lobed, fivc-nerved; lobes acute, very downy, from nine to
twelve inches each way.
Pdiolt nearly as long as the leaf, round, downy.
Panicles terminal, pretty large; every part covered with a glutinous,
farinaceous, yellow down.
Bracts lanced.
Floxuers small, numerous, yellow, male and hermaphrodite mixed ;
there is but a small proportion of the latter.
Calyx below, belled, five-toothed, leathery, divisions acute ; on the
inside of each division near the base there is an inverse-hearted
hairy gland.
Cord none.
Filaments ten, short, alternately longer, imited below into a thin
sheath, which girds the base of the germs.
Anthers iRigt, two-lobed, alternately larger.
Germs five, placed on a thick short pedicel.
Style single, short, thick.
Stigma five-lobed.
Capsides five, leguminous, tinited in foi-m of a star, one-celled, onevalved,
opening lengthways, on the outside covered with
yellow down, and many stiff bin-ning hairs.
Seeds from three to five, oblong, cbesnui-coloured. inserted alternately
into the margins of tlie capsules.
Calyx, Stamen, and columnar Receptacle as in the hermaphrodite.
Pistil: the rudiments of the germs only, without any appearance of
a style.
Thi.? is a very large tree, chiefly a native of the mountainous
countries on the coast; casts its loaves about the end of the wet season
; flowers during the cold; the leaves come out with the fruit
about the beginning of the hot season.
The wood of this tree is soft and spongy; towards the centre of
large trees it is reddish. I do not know of any use it is put to, except
to make Hindoo guitars.
I observed that the water in which I kept gi een branches for examination,
became thick, like a clear, glutinous jelly.
Bark exceedingly astringent, tinges the saliva reddish. Seeds
are roasted and eaten by the natives; they taste very like parched
pease.
Petiole rolnd, a little downy, about nine inches long.
Stipules two, erect, lanced, inserted into the petiole near its base.
Pina'c/« terminal, small, numerous, red like coral, covered with
many red stellated hairs : ^vhen in flower this tree appears as
if entirely covered with fine ramifications of red coral.
Floweis niunerous, about an inch long.
Calyx below, funnel-form, leathery, its mouth five-toothed, outside
covered Nvith red stellated hairs, withering.
Carol none.
Filaments scarce any.
Anthers about thirty, kidney-form, sitting sessile round the border
of tlie extremity of the receptacle.
Receptacle 0Ï the pistil cylindric, bent a little, length of the calyx,
round, smooth, bearing five oval germs on its top.
Styles short, recin-ved,
Capsules from one to five come to maturity, leguminous, jiedicelied,
pendulous, leathery, one-celled, one-valvcd, opening on the
outside long befoi-e the seeds are ripe.
Seeds two, adhering one to each margin of die gaping capsule, alternate,
about the size and shape of a French bean.
This is a very large tree, a native of the mountainous parts of the
Rajahmundry Cii car ; casts its leaves during the cold season ; flowers
in April ; soon after the leaves make their appearance.
26. SALVADORA PERSICA.
Linn. Spec. Plant, n 5. Vahl Symb. I. }>.li.tab.-t.
EmbcliaGi-ossularia. Retz.ohs. •!. p. 2.1.
Pedda Waragowenky of the Telingas.
Fmnk generally crooked, eight or ten feet high to the branches, and
one in diameter. Bark very scabrous and deeply cracked,
exceedingly numerous, spreading, with their extremities
perfectly pendulous, like the weeping willow.
Leaves opposite, petioled, oval or oblong, entire, very smooth and
shining on both sides, without veins, from one to two inches
long, and about one broad.
Stipules no-ns.
terminal, and from the exterior axilis, composed.
Flozuers minute, very numerous, greenish yellow.
Bracti minute.
Calyx below, four-toodied, lasting.
Coroi one-petaled: tube short; border four-cleft; segments oblong,
revolute.