Flowering Trees & Shrubs in India
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FLOWERING TREES & SHRUBS IN INDIA by D.V. Cowen FOREWORD TO SIXTH EDITION I am flattered at being invited by the publishers to write a foreword for the sixth edition of this beautiful and popular book which has been out of print for several years and much missed and sought after by tree lovers. Not that a fresh foreword is at all necessary or called for after the book has established popularity and usefulness so unmistakably and especially a Foreword by one who is neither a botanist nor an artist but just an interested layman questionably qualified for the task. However, since the author herself has specifically stated that the book is meant for the layman, I feel less reluctant in airing my opinion, more as an appreciation of the artist-author than a foreword for her book. As a fellow birdwatcher I knew Mrs. Cowen intimately enough while she was residing in India to be struck with admiration for her remarkable versatility, boundless energy and unrelenting activity. For besides being a very busy socialite and do-gooder, she was an artist, a writer, an imaginative and successful gardener, a champion golfer and a keen and competent birdwatcher all rolled into one. And she excelled in everything she did. Her attractive plates in this book are all that a layman needs to help him identify the commoner and more showy flowering trees, both indigenous and introduced, he is likely to find in Indian gardens and on the countryside. The text, shorn of frightening botanical jargon, is simply and interestingly written and says just what a layman wants to know. I have myself used the book with much profit and enjoyment over the years and am therefore glad that now others will also have a chance of doing the same with its welcome reappearance in this new edition. – Dr. Salim Ali FOREWORD TO FOURTH EDITION It had been my intention, before leaving India, to bring out a companion volume to Flowering Trees and Shrubs in India but, mainly because of the difficulty of reaching trees. by no means common in and around Bombay, during their often brief flowering period, I was not able to prepare very many illustrations. Notes on nearly eighty species had been collected so, rather than destroy all these, I suggested to Messrs Thacker & Co, that some of the completed paintings should be used in the new edition lo illustrate additional chapters. To this they agreed so, as well as revising and enlarging everv chapter, I have described seven new trees and shrubs and added eight new illustrations The following books have been consulted in addition to those mentioned in tht-introduction and to their authors I am grateful. - Ceylon Trees by T. B. Worthington, - Some Beautiful Indian Climbers and Shrubs by N. L. Bor and M. B. Raizada, - Trees of Calcutta by A, P. Benthall, - Complete Gardening in India by K. S. Gopalaswamiengar. - DVCowen INTRODUCTION EVERY year, from March to May, when the air is at its hottest, the ground is parched and cracked and a film of dust covers every leaf and branch, one watches in awe that miracle of nature which brings forth from the branches of so many trees such an extravagant abundance of colourful blossoms and clean, polished foliage. From where, one asks, do these trees get sufficient moisture when no rain has fallen for months. The bright, new leaves, alone, would be a happy sight and one’s eyes, tired with the incessant glare of an Indian summer, gladly rest on them, but with blossoms ot every hue as well it is impossible to be unaware of the galaxy of colour. It is at this time of the year that so many people feel an urge to learn more about the trees they live amongst. This book is not concerned with the scientific study of plants or with the botanical forms of flowers and leaves but with those trees and shrubs, which, by the beauty ot their appearance or the familiarity of their names, lead visitors and residents to search for further information. It is for those people, residents or visitors — ordinary people with little or no, knowledge of botany but with a love of beauty and an interest in this country — that these pages have been written. The first consideration throughout has been easy identification. A colour key is provided so that, with the knowledge ot only a flower, a plant may be identified with,a minimum of trouble. The few botanical terms, without which it was impossible to give clear descriptions, are explained or illustrated. There is no doubt that such a book as this will not appeal to the scientific botanist who may say in criticism that the descriptions are not in accordance with scientific works on flora, but it is not for such people that the book is intended. Essentially it is tor the layman. Not being a botanist myself I see trees with the eyes of a layman and as I see them so I have described them. India is so rich in flowers — there are hundreds of trees and shrubs from which I had to make my list — the trouble was what to leave out and not what to put in. So, again, there will no doubt be criticisms of my choice and I can only say that, with due consideration for the size of book required, I chose those which, to me, seemed most prominent. Since one picture is worth a thousand words, the illustrations were all done with special care and from life, those in colour being painted natural size. A three-inch scale is marked at the bottom of each so that, even when reduced, the actual size of flowers and leaves can readily be determined. In some cases the tree sketches have been simplified so as to give a clearer idea of form and growth. Preparing this book has given me abundant pleasure and it is my hope that those nature-lovers who, by its aid, have found pleasure in identifying the trees and shrubs they have come across, will have had their botanical appetites sufficiently whetted for them to desire a further pursuance of the subject. Some knowledge of the origin of Indian flora is desirable for a gieater appreciation of its teeming growths. Reference to the Encyclopaedia Brittanica tells us that the flora of India, Pakistan, Burma and Sri Lanka has no peculiar botanical features, being compounded of those of adjoining countries. Dividing the region roughly into six parts, we have, firstly, the Western Himalayas consisting of parallel snow-clad mountains which show European and Siberian influence, especially at the higher levels. Secondly, the Eastern Himalayas, where tropical forms are more numerous and Chinese plants are in evidence. Next the Indus plain which is arid over the greater part and has a very low rainfall. Here there is only scanty vegetation — mainly herbaceous and drying up in-the hot season: low, thorny species are predominant. Fourthly, the Ganges plain which is much more humid and therefore has a greater variety of plants. Then the Malabar area — from Gujarat to Travancore — where the greatest profusion of tropical plants is found — luxuriant and evergreen as in Malaysia. Cane and bamboo are widespread; Teak, Queen’s flower and Fig trees grow in number and to fine proportions. Lastly the Eastern area-the belt of dry-evergreen, bw jungle along the coast, where Ixoras are common — and the inland region of the Deccan where plants are deciduous and frequently thorny. There, Convolvulus, Bamboo, varieties of Sterculia, the Indian Laburnum, Palmyra and Date palms are common. From this brief survey the reader will get an idea which districts are included or excluded in reference to the distribution of a tree or shrub. In no country are plants used medicinally to the extent they are here. Few trees or shrubs are not useful in this respect and many offer healing qualities in their flowers, leaves, fruit, bark and roots. A number of the treatments prescribed for centuries by herbalists and medicine men have .been proved to be of real benefit to the patient, but others can be classed among “Old Wives’ Tales” and if recoveries have been achieved, it has been by good luck and persuasion. Medical authorities have proved that the numerous prescriptions offered as a cure for snake-bite or scorpion sting are, in fact, quite useless. Selecting names has presented a great difficulty. In the numerous books of reference which I have studied, each, frequently, gives a different English name for the same plant; those which give vernacular names are at great variation in some instances and more recent productions give revised Latin names. So I decided to include all the English names, both Latin names and to select only some of those vemacQlar names on which different works agreed. It has not been possible for me to make any check on local names except those used in Bombay. I would like to express full acknowledgment for the information gleaned from the following authorities: Messrs. Watt, Hooker, Brandis, Roxburgh, Blatter and Millard, Talbot, Oliver, Gamble and Parker. I also owe a debt of gratitude to those who have so kindly helped and encouraged me, especially Mr. Joseph Abraham for correcting the script, Mr. Ahmadi and Mr. Russurriecas of the Victoria Gardens, Mr. Castellino of the Willingdon Sports Club and Major E. Holmes, for their kind co-operation. CONTENTS List of Illustration (Plates) List of Illustrations (Sketches in Black-and-White) 1. GUL MOHR SHRUBS AND CREEPERS 2. FLAME OF THE FOREST 1. GOLDEN DEWDROP 3.