,r\/*> - National Science Foundation

2. Elaeodendroa glancom (Rottb.) Pers., Synops. 1: 241. 1805. (Plate IV).
CELASTRACEAE
Elaeodendroa roxburghii W. & A.—Eheodendron paniculatum W. & A.—Elaeodendron oxydon
Turcz.—Celastrus glaucus Vahl—Mangifera glauca Rottb.—Euonymus glossa Wall.—Eunymus
tina Horn.—Neerija dichotoma Roxb.—Rhamnus neerija Spreng.—Schrebera albens Willd.
Sinh. Chutaya, Neralu, Pieri, Tamaruja; Tarn. Irgoli, Kannirai, Karrukuva, Karuvali,
Kiri, Pirai; Hindi Seluppai, Siri; Sans. Bhutaphala.
A dichotomously branched, small tree with a thick, brownish-grey, warted bark and
glabrous young parts; leaves simple, opposite, stipulate, 5—9.5 cm long, 3.5—6.5 cm
broad, variable, oval or roundish-oval, acute at base, obtuse, often twisted at apex, shallowly
serrate-crenate or entire, glabrous, rather coriaceous, glaucous, reticulate, petioles 06—1.7 cm
or more, stipules minute, triangular; flowers regular, bisexual, pale yellowish-green, 7 mm
in diameter, numerous in very divaricate, axillary or extra-axillary, paniculate, dichotomous
cymes, pedicels long and glabrous; sepals 5, almost distinct, imbricate, lobes unequal and
rounded; petals 5, imbricate, oblong, obtuse, distant; stamens 5, inserted on the disc, much
shorter than petals, anthers roundish; disc large, tumid, obscurely lobed; ovary superior,
immersed in the disc, 2-1 ocular with 2 collateral, erect ovules in each loculus, style conical, very
short; fruit an ovoid, 1-seeded drupe, 0.8—2 cm long, a pi cu late, glabrous, stone bony.
Flowers all the year round.
Illustrations. Wight, III. pi. 71. 1841; Beddome, Fl. Sylvat. pi. 148. 1868—73; Kirtikar
and Basu, Indian Med. PI., pi. 237. 1933; Herb. Peradeniya., drawing.
Distribution. Occurs in the hotter parts of India, Ceylon and Malay Archipelago. In
Ceylon, it is common in the dry country especially near the coast. Jaffna, Trincomalee, Kalpitiya,
Mannar, Hunnasgiriya, Deltota, Dambulla, Sigiriya, Minipe.
India. Dehra Dun: Lachiwala, Sen 32, April 1920; Madan 28; Murdia 36. Ceylon,
Thwaites CP. 1227. Northern Prov., Mullativu, Nevill, July 1889. North Western Prov., Mannar.
Herb. Peradeniya., Feb. 1890; Kalpitiya, Herb. Peradeniya, Aug. 1883. Eastern Prov., Batticaloa
near Unichchai Tank, Mueller-Dombois 67081406, Aug. 1967. Central Prov., Deltota, Thwaites
CP. 2520. Southern Prov., Ruhuna National Park, behind Yala bungalow, Mueller-Dombois
68083002, Aug. 1968; Cooray 68052909, May 1968; Wirawan 681, Oct. 1968; Buttawa Beach
area, Comanor 899, Jan. 1968; Mueller-Dombois and Cooray 67121021, Dec. 1967.
Uses. The powdered leaf is used as snuff to relieve headaches. The rootbark is mado
into a paste with water and applied onto swellings. The root is a specific against
snake-bite poisoning. The crushed root soaked in water and the solution strained off is taken
as an emetic. This solution is also rubbed on the chest for pneumonia.
25