COlfMELYN&ffl. 523 



long again as the bracts. — Habit of M. regia, Mart. (t. 95), but leaf-segments broader, little 

 tapering towards the eroded point. Leaves large, pale-green : segments 3'-3V long, 2" 

 broad, reduplicate, obliquely inserted at the double base, densely veiny with transverse veins : 

 sides of the rhachis flattish, 1" broad ; $ perigone l'"long: exterior leaflets deltoid, interior 

 much longer, ovate-oblong, blunt : filaments f '", anthers 5"'-3'" long ; V perigone 9'" loug, 

 ovate-oblong, cartilaginous, pale, glabrous : bracts 3, appressed, broadly ovate, imbricate : 

 exterior leaflets ovate, bluntish, as long as the interior, imbricate, interior ovate-oblong, 

 twice as long as the truncate capsule ; ovary slightly tomentose : style short, 3-partite ; 

 stigmas revolute. — Hab. S. Kitts !, Kew Museum ; Trinidad !, Cr. 



CXXXII. COMMELYNE/E. 



Flowers complete : calyx and corolla mostly 3-phyllous. Stamens 6, or fewer by abortion, 

 usually hypogynous. Ovary syncarpous: cells few-1 -ovulate : style simple. Capsule 

 usually loculicide. Albumen amylaceous, bearing the embryo in a special, peripherical 

 cavity, which is closed by an operculum. — Herbs; leaves entire: blade inserted into a 

 sheath. 



1. DICHORISANDRA, Mile. 



Calyx and corolla persistent. Stamens 6-5 ; anthers opening by a terminal pore. Ovary 

 3-celled ; cells few-ovulate. Capsule baccate, 3- valved. — Stem leafy ; flowers blue, fascicled 

 in a fiexuose raceme. 



1. D. Aubletiana, R. S. Trailing-diffuse, downy chiefly on the sheaths and pedicels ; 

 leaves oblong, pointleted, rounded at the base, glabrous, subciliolate ; raceme short, terminal ; 

 petals bluntly obovate, violet-blue; aril "orange-coloured." — Aubl. t. 12. — Commelyna 

 hexandra, Aubl. Tradescantia divaricata, V. — 3'-4' high ; leaves 5"-2" long, li"-J" 

 broad. — Hab. Trinidad!, Cr. ; [Venezuela to Brazil!]. 



2. CAMPELIA, Rich. 



Calyx unequal, succulent in fruit. Corolla persistent. Stamens 6. Ovary 3»celled : 

 cells 2-ovulate. Capsule 3-valved, included within the calyx. — Stem leafy ; peduncles axil- 

 lary, perforating the base of the sheath, terminated by a contracted umbel : involucre 2- 

 teaved ; flowers white. 



2. C. Zanonia, Rich. Leaves lanceolate-oblong, acuminate, downy beneath and at the 

 sheaths ; peduncles l^ng, exceeded by the leaves ; involucral leaves subcordate, acuminate. — 

 SI. 1. 147- /. 1.— Commelyna, L. Tradescantia, Sw.— 2'-4' high ; larger leaves 6"-7" long ; 

 umbels 6-10-flowered : pedicels thickish, short; filaments pilose. — Hab! Jamaica !, Pd., 

 March, in mountain -woods ; [Cuba ! and Mexico ! to Brazil !]. 



3. TRADESCANTIA, L. 



Calyx and corolla equal, persistent. Stamens 6(-3). Ovary 3-celled: cells 2- or 5-1- 

 ovulate. Capsule membranaceous, 3-valved. — Flowers in simple or branched umbels, ephe- 

 meral. 



§ 1. Involucre minute, membranaceous; umbels peduncled, cymose, or fascicled 

 (solitary J, often few -flowered. 



3. T. geniculata, Jacq. Diffuse, hairy ; leaves cordate-ovate or ovate-oblong, cuspi- 

 date : sheath pilose, loose ; umbels few-flowered, cymose, or paniculate ; sepals small, 

 glabrous, much shorter than the spreading pedicels ; petals white ; f laments equal, pilose : 

 anther-cells globose, distant. — Plum. Ed. Burm. 1. 116.y. 2. Jacq. Amer. Pict. t. 95. — - 

 Sepals 1"' long, equalling the petals. 



a. leaves cordate-ovate (l"-2" long), hairy. 



0. effusa, Mart. Leaves ovate-oblong (1 J"— 34" long), less hairy. — Mart. Pi. Bras. 15. 

 t. 34. — T. floribunda, Kth. Callisia umbellulata, Sieb. Mart, {non Lam) 



2 M 



