366 CLIX. XYRIDEX. (J. G. Baker.) [Xyris. 
Leaves 3-8 in., rarely } in. broad, strongly nerved, scaberulous on the surface or 
margin or neither. Spike }—} in. long and broad, rarely ovoid. Lateral bracteoles 
oblanceolate, acuminate, keeled, hyaline, quite glabrous.—Part of Wallich’s 6083 D 
is Fimbristylis tetragona, Br. Small specimens with small spikes resemble X. 
bancana, and there are Mergui specimens collected by Griffith and Lobb with leaves 
6-10 by 3—} in. and scape 6-24 in. 
7. X. bancana, Mig. Fl. Ind. Bat. Suppl. 608 ; dwarf, leaves 1-2 in. 
filiform smooth flexuous rigid much shorter than the filiform flexuous 
smooth compressed scape, spike very small ovoid, bracts few obovate 
obtuse. ; 
Matacca, in sandy places near the sea, Griffith, Maingay ; Pahang, Ridley.— 
Distris. Banca. . 
Resembles a small form of X. pauciflora, but much more slender and rigid, 
filiform scape. Leaves , in. broad, grooved. Spike j-i in.; bracts pale, inner 
hardly exceeding the outer. Lateral bracteoles linear-lanceolate, strongly ciliate, 
keel toothed. 
gid, with 
DOUBTFUL SPECIES. 
8. X. LAPPACEA, Herb. Heyne ew Mart. in Wall. Pl. As. Rar. iii, 30; Wall. Cat. 
6085; Kunth Enum. iv. 16; Steud. Syn. Pl. Cyp. 287.—There is no specimen m 
Wallich’s Herbarium, only the empty sheet, with his number anda ticket of Heyne š 
inscribed “ Xyris capensis, Restiac. 28,” across which Wallich has written “ Return. 
—The inference is that the specimen was lent to Martius with the others of the 
genus and possibly never returned. The reference to capensis makes me suspect 
that it is X. anceps, which strongly resembles and may be the same as a Cape 
species. 
OrpeR CLX. COMMELINACEJE. 
Herbs, rarely climbing or undershrubs. Leaves costate, bases sheathing» 
nerves parallel, Inflorescence various. Flowers usually bisexual, more de 
less irregular. Perianth inferior, 6-partite ; 3 outer segments herbaceot! 
often persistent, 3 inner petaloid, free or united in a tube below, marcesceno 
spreading. Stamens 6, inserted on the base of the segments, all anther, 
ferous or 2 or more reduced to staminodes, filaments often bearded Wé 
jointed hairs; anthers oblong or globose, often dissimilar. Ovary ` a 
2-3-celled; style terminal, stigma small; ovules l or few in theinner ang d 
of the cells, orthotropous. Capsule loculicidal or iudehiscent. wen 
angled, testa smooth or rugose, albumen floury ; embryo minute, far iro 
the hilum.— Genera 25, species about 300, tropical and subtropical. 
The specific characters, synonyms, &c , are drawn up, with permission, fop 
C. B. Clarke's careful and exhaustive ** Monograph of this Order" MS the 
of A. de Candolle’s Monographs (p. 113 and seq.), 1881. I have add f the 
diagnoses a few subsidiary characters that may aid in the recognition 9 
species, 
Tribe I. Portex. Fruit indehiscent, crustaceous. 
Panicle terminal, of scorpioid cymes . . . . . . . . . 1. POLIA. 
with 
Tribe II. Commetinrx. Capsule loculicidal. Stamens 3 perfect, 
1-3 stamincdes. 
