Alstonia scholaris, R.Br.

Family: Apocynaceae

Common Name: Devil's tree, chatiyan ---------------------------- Telugu Name: Eda-kulu, Yedakulapa­

General:

It is scarce in A.P., mostly found in Vishakapatnam Dist. of Andhra Pradesh. Identified by whorle-..: leaves, exudation of milky juice when cut, presence of a green fleshy scale like glands at the base. :­is totally absent in dry regions. Recommended for plantation on a soil.close to perennial streams.

Flowering:

Greenish white flowers in umbellately branched panicles appear in November-December to Maret..

Fruiting:

Fruits ripen in May to August.

Morphology of the Fruit/Seed:

Fruit is follicular; follicles 2, slender (thread like) up to 0.6 mt. long by 0.7 cm broad, several togeiM form the peduncles. Seeds 0.8 cm long, flattened, oblong with tuft of brownish haris of 2 cm or longer at either end.

Seed Collection and Storage:

Seed years are irregular. When the pods appear black or deep-brown colour (i.e., in the first week ;of May), the branches are lopped and pods plucked. Pods are dried in the sun to hasten opening. The seeQ are stored in sealed tins upto June.

Seed Biology:

* 770 pods weigh a Kilogram. A Kg. of fruit produces 20 grams of seeds.

Pretreatment:

Not required.

Nursery Technique:

In the nursery, the seeds mixed with ash are broadcasted in shaded beds in May. Either they can b;: transplanted in polythene bags for bag planting or left in the primary bed for stump planting.