Hollock {Terminalia myriocarpa) Plant

A large evergreen tree with a spreading crown and long pendulous

branchlets. The panicles of small, pink young fruits start appearing from October

to November and fruits ripen from end of December to January. Fruits drupe,

yellow, 3- cornered, and the lateral corners developing into short wings. The wings

are initially pink in color, become yellow later on and are a good indication about

the maturity of the seeds. The tree usually seeds welt but occasionally a poor seed

year may intervene. Seeds are very small, light in weight, and collected by lopping

the smaller branches. After plucking the seeds are dried under proper shade for two

to three days. Seeds are gently beaten in a bag and separated from wings by

winnowing. Sowing should be done immediately as seed loose viability within

three months of collection.

Sowing is done in mother beds in lines at 10 to 15 cm intervals after

that the beds are covered with straw/thatch and watering is done as and when

required. Germination is epigeous and starts after about 10 days of sowing.

Seedlings can be pricked out when they attain four-leaved stage. At initial stage

polythene bags with newly transplanted seedlings need to be kept under shade,

which can later be transferred to open beds. A heavy shade may result in etiolation

and development of poor seedlings. Previous experience shows that the direct

sowing in furrows made in the plantation areas after controlled burning gives good

result.