4. SONCHAMPA Michelia champaca Linn. (Order: Magnoliaceae). Michelia named in honour of P. A. Micheli, a Florentine botanist (1679-1737).

Champaca is derived from the vernacular name. Description: A tall handsome evergreen tree attaining a height of 110 ft. or more. Leaves 7 to 10 in. long by 2 to 4 in. wide, lanceshaped, with an acute or acuminate tip, glabrous above but softly hairy beneath, petiole 0.75 to 1 in. long. Flowers 2 to 2.5 in. across, solitary, strongly scented, enclosed in greyish-yellow spathe-like bracts which soon fall; sepals and petals together number 15 or more; pedicel short and thick. Fruits composed of capsules, 0.75-inch in diameter, marked with small white points. Seed reddish turning brown. Distribution: Eastern sub-Himalayan tracts and lower hills up to 3,000 ft., Assam, Burma, Western Ghats, southern India. Much cultivated for its fragrance. Gardening: The seeds should be sown as soon as possible after collection. The tree demands a moderate amount of light and thrives best in a moist climate and moist, deep soil. Uses: The fragrant flowers are used in religious ceremonies and by women for ornamenting the hair. A yellow dye is extracted from the flowers by boiling, and is used as a base for other colours. Various parts of the tree are used medicinally. The wood is good and would be serviceable for planking and for furniture, but the tree is seldom cut on account of it being looked upon as sacred. It is commonly planted in the neighbourhood of temples. The trade name is Champa. Note: The tree is not found wild in the Bombay Presidency.