220 LXX. RUBIACED (HIERN). [ Geophila. 
64. GEOPHILA, D. Don; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. ii. p. 127. 
Calyx-tube small, campanulate; limb 4—6-toothed or -partite, 
often irregular, persistent. Corolla membranous, funnel-shaped, 
longer than the calyx; throat densely bearded ; limb usually 5-partite, 
spreading, lobes ovate, valvate in estivation. Stamens usually 5, 
inserted at the throat of the corolla, exserted or included ; anthers 
linear, dorsifixed above the base; filaments slender. Disk elevated, 
glabrous. Ovary 2-celled ; style slender, with 2 branches, included or 
exserted ; ovules solitary, erect ; placentas inconspicuous. Fruit fleshy, 
pisiform, costate or smooth ; pyrenes 2, crustaceous, ]-seeded. Seeds 
with horny albumen ; embryo minute, radicle inferior.—Small slender 
creeping rooting perennial herbs with opposite cordate petiolate leaves, 
interpetiolar entire or cleft stipules, and small terminal or lateral flowers 
bracteate at the base or enclosed a few together in cup-shaped or hem1- 
spherical involucres. 
A genus of a few species scattered over the tropics ; absent from Australia. 
Flowers bracteate at the base but not enclosed in cup-shaped 
involucres, 
Peduncles bearing more than 1 flower. 
Glabrous or somewhat pubescent. Peduncles 2-3- 
flowered, 4-14 in. long. Leaves reniform or nearly 
orbicular . . 2. . 1. ew we ww ew) LG. reniformis. 
Hirsute. Peduncles bearing several flowers, very ab- ; 
breviated. Leaves ovate oroval . . . . . . 2. G. hirsuta. 
Peduncles 1-flowered. . 
Peduncles lateral from the prostrate stems. Stipules 
lanceolate, bipartite : 
toe ee ee ee BG, Lancistipula. 
Peduncles terminating short erect leaf-bearing branches. 
oo 
Stipules ovate or rounded, entire . . 2 ee 4 G uniflora. 
Flowers enclosed in cup-shaped or hemispherical involucres. 
Calyx-lobes subulate. 
Stipules bifid. Tnvolucres shortly pubescent. Flowers . 
bracteolate 2. 2... . . ww. 8 G, Afeelii. 
Stipules entire. Involucres glabrous. Flowers ebrac- 
teolate. 2 2... wee ew ee 6 G. obvallata. 
Calyx-segments obovate . . . . ° . 7. G. involucrata. 
1. G. reniformis (2), D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal. p. 186. Stems 
glabrous or puberulous. Leaves reniform or nearly orbicular, rounded 
or nearly so or retuse at the apex, deeply cordate at the base, glabrous 
or nearly so, more or less cbartaceous, 1-2 in. long, rather paler be- 
neath ; petiole ranging from 1 to 4 in. long, shortly hairy ; stipules 
ovate, ull or mostly bipartite or geminate ?, about zy in. long, glabrous. 
Flowers 2 or few together, lateral ones sessile or subsessile ; commo2 
peduncle solitary, glabrous or nearly so, terminating short erect leaf- 
bearing branches, 3-1} in. long ; bracts subulate-setaceous from a bro 
base, {-} in. long. Calyx } in. long; segments 5, subulate-setaceous- 
—Benth. in Hook. Niger Fl. p. 422. 
Upper Guinea. On the Nun River, Th, Vogel! Island of St. Thomas, G. Don! 
? Niger Expedition, at Brass (leafy stem without flowers), Barter / i 
Differs from the American and from most Indian specimens, that have been bd 
ferred to this species, by the divided stipules ; it may constitute a separate species: 
