Blepharis.] CIX. ACANTHACEX,. (C. B. Clarke.) 479 
Journ. Linn. Soc. ix. 500. B. maderaspatensis, Roth Nov. Sp. 320. Acan- 
thus maderaspatensis, Linn. Sp. Pl. 892; Roxb. Fl. Ind. ii. 33. A. 
ciliaris, Burm. Fl. Ind. 139, t. 42, fig. 9. - 
Deccan PENINSULA, from Mt. Aboo and Behar to Ceylon; common, PEGU ; 
Wallich, &.—Disrrrs, Ava, Tropical Africa. 
Prostrate, scabrous or puberulous. Leaves 13 by 4 in.,'acute at both ends; petiole 
jin. Spikes axillary or peduncled, 1- or few-fld.; bracts d in., ovate, bristle-ciliate ; 
bracteoles j-3 in. Calyx }-} in.; segments 4, oblong, unequal, nerved, subglabrous, 
one of the outer pair minutely emarginate. Corolla $ in., pink, purple or nearly 
white. Capsule 4-} in., ellipsoid, compressed, shining glabrous. Seeds densely 
covered with obtuse spines formed of tubes free at the vertex when moistened.— 
Wight depicts the ovary 2-ovulate, and no more can be found; nor does the capsule 
show (as 2-seeded capsules usually do) the papillz of the suppressed ovules; but Nees 
and Benth. in Gen. Pl. say the ovary is always 4-ovulate. 
3. B. molluginifolia, Pers. Syn. ii. 180; leaves usually 4 in a whorl 
oblong hairy or minutely scabrous, heads mostly l-fld. many of the outer 
bracts barren, bracteoles elliptic or oblong subsessile, capsule 2-seeded. 
Wall. Cat. 2514; Nees in Wall, Pl. As. Rar. ii. 97, and in DC. Prodr. 
x. 266; Dalz. & Gibs. Bomb. Fl.192; T. Anders. in Journ. Linn. Soe. ix. 
B. repens, Roth Nov. Sp. 391. Acanthus repens, Vahl Symb. ii. 76. 
A. maderaspatensis, Linn. Herb. partly. 
Deccan PENINSULA; common in the Carnatic, and from Delhi and Chota Nag- 
pore to CEYLON. . 
A wiry perennial; branches 3-6 in., prostrate, usually roughly hairy. Leaves 
4-1 in., subsessile, obtuse. Bracts and bracteoles bristle-ciliate ; bracts shorter than 
the bracteoles. Calyx and corolla nearly as of B. boerhaaviefolia, but much smaller ; 
corolla (including the larger lip) only 1-j in. Capsule and seeds as of B. boerhaavie- 
Jolia, but the seeds appear (even when dry) shaggy, from the numerous bundles of 
annular tubes being connected only at the base.—As in B. boerhaaviefolia, only 2- 
ovulate ovaries and 2-seeded capsules have been seen. 
. 4 B. sindica, Stocks; T. Anders. in Journ. Linn. Soc. ix. 500; leaves 
linear or narrowly oblong pubescent, heads few- or many-fid., bracteoles 
linear hairy shorter than the bracts, capsule 2-seeded. Acanthodium gros- 
sum, Wight Ic. tt. 1535, 1536, not of Nees. 
ScINDE; Stocks, Dalzell. PuNJAB; Stewart, Vicary, Aitchison. 
Stems 3-6 in., or very short. Zeaves 1-2 in., toothed or subspinescent. Heads 
few- or many-fid., 3—4 in. in fruit, quadrifarious ; bracts 1 in. or more, ovate with 
divaricate lanceolate tips, prickly, hairy within and without; bracteoles j in. Calyx 
softly hairy ; 2 outer segments 3 in., ovate; 2 inner j in. narrowly ovate. Corolla 
1n. Capsule } in., ellipsoid, compressed, shining brown. Seeds 3 in. ; appearing 
echinate, but the tufts of tubes (even in the dry state) have all their ends free. 
9. E. edulis, Pers. Syn. ii. 180; leaves elliptic or oblong glaucous or 
pubescent, heads few- or many-fid., bracteoles linear hairy shorter than the 
Tracts, capsule 2-seeded. T. Anders. in Journ. Linn. Soc. ix. 500; Boiss. 
Orient. iv. 590. Acanthus edulis, Forsk. Fl. ZEg.-Arab. 114. A. 
Delillii, Spreng. Syst. ii. 819. Ruellia persica, Burm. Fl. Ind. p. 135, t. 42, 
fig. 1. Acanthodium spicatum, Delile Fl. Eg. 97, t. 33, fig. 3; Nees in 
DC. Prodr. xi, 274, 
PUNJAB and Scrxpz (T. Anderson).—DıstRIB. S.W. Asia, N.E. Africa. | 
tems short or 1 foot M more, ned. Leaves often j in. broad, spinescent. 
Bracts longer and more spinous than in JB. sindica. Corolla 3 in, nd the 
iffers from B, sindica by the broader usually glabrous-glaucous — a t 
Ber flowers: no Indian specimens have been seen. Ruellia ciliaris, Linn. Mant. 
