Schleichera (shlikera)

[NL. (Willdenow, 1805), named after J. C. Schleicher, a Swi botanist, author (1800) of a Swi flora.] A genus of plants of the order Sapindaceæ, type of the tribe Schleichereæ. It is characterized by apetalous flowers with a small calyx of four to six uniform and valvate lobes, a complete and repand disk, six to eight long stamens, and an ovary with three or four cells and solitary ovules, becoming a dry and indehiscent one to three-celled ovoid and undivided fruit, containing a pulpy and edible aril about the black top-shaped seed. The only species, S. trijuga, is a native of India, Ceylon, and Burma, especially abundant in Pegu, sometimes called lactree, and known in India as koosumbia. It is a large hardwood tree with alternate and abruptly pinnate leaves, usually of three pairs of leaflets, and with small long-pedicel led flowers in slender racemes. Its timber is very strong, solid, and durable. In India and Ceylon it is valued as one of the trees frequented by the lac-insect (see lac2 ), and its young branches form an important source of shellac. The oil pre ed from its seeds is there used for burning in lamps and as a remedy for the itch. Schleichereæ (shli-kērē-ē), n. pl. [NL. (Radlkofer, 1888), typic genus Schleichera, and containing also 3 other species in 2 genera, natives tropical Africa and Madeira. Schlemm's canal. See canal of Schlemm, under can all.