Bubiacece.'] cetlon plants. 145 



Hab. IN'ot uncommon In t]ie liotfcer parts of the island, in and near 

 the gardens of the Cinghalese, who employ the roots as a dye. Norn, 

 vulg. "Ahoo-gass." 



Some fresli specimens of this plant, now before me, agree perfectly with Wight's 

 figure of M. hracteata^ whilst they so closely resemble too the figure in ' Hortus 

 Malabaricus/ vol. i, t. 52, quoted for Jf, citrifolia, L., that I can scarcely believe 

 our plant to be other than a form of the latter. Some of the capitula are vvithout 

 the bract-like appendage of the calyces, and the anthers are quite esserted in the 

 flowers now under examination. 



(W 



c.p. 1668. 



Hab. Jaffna, Gardner. BaduUa District, J, Jiailey, Esq^, Nom, 

 vulg. " Ahoo-gass.'* 



3, M. umbellata, Linn. (W. et A., L c. p. 420, cum syn.) — ilT. scan- 

 dens, Eoxb. Fl. Ind. i, p. 548. — c.p. 1669. 



Hab. Very common up to an elevation of 4000 feet. Nom. vulg. 

 "Kirri-walla." 



. The tough stems of this plant are used, instead of ropes, by the Cinghalese for 

 . tying fences. 



13. MEPHITIDIA, Eeinw. 



LasiantJiHSj Jack^ Wight. 



1. M. Moonii, Wight, in Calc. Journ, of Nat, Hist, vi. p. 504; 



Walp. Ann. ii. p. 760.— c.p. 92. 



Hab. Abundant in the Saffragam District- 



Trutex hispidus, parce ramosus. Folia superne glabra hispidulave. Capitula 

 pedanculata vel sessilia. Corolla alba, 3 lin. in exp. ; iabo brevi, Bacca hispidula, 

 polposa, rubra, subsphscrica, cerasi magnitudine. 



2. M[. Qardneri, Thw. ; fruticosa ; ramidis eompressis petiolisque 

 Btrigoais vel hispidulis; foliis oblongo-lanceolatis, acaminatis, basi 

 acutis, superne glabris, subtus pilosulis, venosis, venis seoundariis 

 numerosia parallolis ; stipulis parvis, triangularibua, acutis, strigosis ; 

 capituUs sessilibus, pilosis; seg mentis calycinis lanccolatis, acutis; 

 corolla externe pilosula, interne villosa ; tuho brevi, — c.p. 348 (1723). 



Hab. Newera Ellia and Adam's Peak, Gardner. 



Folia 3-8 poll, longa, li-2J poll, lata, petiolo 2-5 lin. longo, 



3. M. tomentosa, Thw, ; fruticosa; ramulis teretibus, vix eompressis 

 petiolisque tomentosia; foliis coriaceis, lanceolatis, longe acuminatis, 

 basi acutis, superne glabris, subtus pra^cipue ad nervos tomentosis, 

 venis secundariis paucis subparallelis ; caj}itulis pilosis, paucifloris, 

 Bessilibus; segmentis calycinis lanceolatis, acutis; corolla externe pi- 

 losa; ^ttio brevi.— c.p. 2711. 



, Hab. Ambagamowa District, at an elevation of 3000 feet. 



Folia 2-4 poll, longa, i-1 poll, lata, petiolo 3 lin. longo. Corolla albida. Bacca 

 pisi magnitudine, nigrse. 



Closely allied to, and possibly a form of, the preceding species. 



4. M. rhizopHylla^ Thw.; fruticosa; ramulis tenuibus, eompressis, 

 scabridis; foliis membranaceis, glabris, nitidis, delicatule venosis, lan- 

 ceolatis, longe acuminatis, basi acutis, petiolatis ; capltuUs ^aucifloris, 

 fiesailibus ; caluce piloso; segmentis lineari-lanceolatis, longiusculis, — 

 c.p. 361. 



Hab. Adam's Pealc, Gardver. 



V 



