Habitat: — " Pegu, South Andamans (common), Chittagong (doubtful), Tongkah in Siam on the East Coast of the Malay Peninsula, at its north extremity," says Brand is. Roxbugh says thus: — " Gurjin is the vernacular name at Chittagong where the tree grows to a great size, and is said to furnish the largest proportion of the best sort of wood oil or balsam."
All tender parts softly hairy, pubescent, compressed, branchlets, young shoots and petioles. Leaves ovate, with the base somewhat tapering, obtuse, soft and villous, 6 by 4½in., thinly pubescent on both surfaces, margins cilliate, lateral nerves strongly marked, 12 pair, pubescent beneath. Petiole 2in., softly pubescent. Calyx-tube (in flower, softly pubescent, strongly winged. ( W. T.. Thiselton Dyer). "Spikes, axillary, half the length of the leaves; belly of the Calyx simply fine- winged," Roxb, (Op cit). Flowers in Nov. -Dec. Seed ripens in April. Stamens indefinite.
Use: -The species also yields most of the Gurjun Balsam of Commerce.
140. Shorea robusta, Gœrtn., h.f.b.l, i.306. Roxb. 440.
Sans.: — Sàla. Asvakarna.
Vern.:--Sal, sala, salwa, sakhu, sakher, sakoh (resin) = rall dhuna, damar (Hind.); Sal, shal (resin) = rall dhuna (Beng.); Sarjmu, serkura. (Kol); Sarjom, Sontal; Sorgi Bhumij, sekwa, sekwa oraon, bolsal (Garo); Sakwa (Nepal) Tatural, (Lepcha); Salwa, saringhi (Uriya); Sal, sarei, rinjal (C. P.); Sal, kandar sakhu, koron (N.-W. P.); Koroh (Oudh); Sal, serai (resin) = ral, dhua (Bomb.); (resin)=rala, guggul (Mar.); (resin) = ral, (Guz.); (resin) = guggala (Khan.);
Habitat: — Tropical Himalaya, and along its base, from Assam to the Sutlej, Eastern districts of Central India, Western Bengal Hills.
A large gregarious tree, deciduous, but never quite leafless. Bark off young tree smooth, with a few long, deep, vertical cracks; of old trees 1-2 in. thick, dark-coloured, rough, with deep
