326 ENUKEEATioN OF IDioscoreacecB. 



Hab, Very abundaut in the warmer parts of tlie island. Nom, vulg, 

 " Kattoo-wella." 



The tuberous roots of this and of the following species, excepting J), dul&ifera, 

 arc eaten hy the Cinghalese. 



2. I>- tomentosa, Koenig. (Eoxb. FI. Ind. iii. p. 805.) — Ilelmia? 

 tomentosa, Kth. 1. c, p. 439 ; Wiglit, Ic. t. 815.— c.P. 2304 



Hab. Commoa up to an elevation of 2000 feet. Nom, vulg. 

 " Oojala." 



y 



3. D, bulbifera, Lian. (WiUd. Sp. PI. iv. p. 793, cum syn. ; WigM, 

 Ic. t, 878.) — Ilelmia hulhifera, Ktli, 1, c. p. 435, cum sya. — c.P. 2977. 



Hab. Very common on the banks of rivers and streams up to an 

 elevation of 2000 feet. JNTom. vuli^. " Pannoo-CondoL 



The tuhcrs of this species arc employed hy the Cinghalese for attracting fish to 

 certain spots where they can be easily caught. The tubers are broken into pieces 

 and thrown into the water daily for some time. 



4. D. oppositifolia, Linn. (Eoxb. I.e. p. 804 ; Wight, Ic. t. 813,) 

 c.P. 2303. 



Hab. Abundant in the hotter parts of the island. Nom. vulg. 

 *' Hirri-talla." 



Tota planta plus minus villosula, fuliis dcnique subglahris. * 



5. I>. intermedia, Th\\\ ; glaberrima, inermis ; caule tereti ; fbUis 



oppositis vel alteruis, ellipticis oblongisve, acuminatis, mucronatis, 3- 



nerviis ; newts lateraUhus margine aubparallelis et exinde costa distan- 



tibus; spicis Yo^^. : solitariis, simplicibus, folio subsequilongis ; masc: 



folio brevioribus, fasciculatis vel longiuscule paniculatis. — c.p. 2870, 

 3032, ^. 



Hab. Hotter parts of the island, not very common. 



Folia circiter 3 poll, longa, \~l\ poll, lata, petiolo \-\ poll, longo. Spic(S mascida 

 poUicares vel parnm ultra. Flores 6-andrL 



Allied to the preceding, but differs in being entirely glabrous, in the leaves having 



their lateral nervures more distant from the costa, and iu the male flowers being less 



crowded and on somewhat longer spikes. The present is well distinguished from the 



following species, some forms of which it closely resembles, by its shorter and more 



numerous spikes of male flowers, and the more diverging lateral nervures of its 

 leaves. 



6. D. spicata, Eoth. PI. Nov. p. 571 ? a ; foliis basi acutis.— C.P. 

 2871, ^ ; folih basi rotundatis, cordatis vel etiam profunde cordatis. 

 —c.P. 2872, 3119. 



Hab. Very common in the Central Province, up to an elevation of 

 4000 feet. 



Glabra, inermis. Folia alterna vel opposita, elliptica vel oblouga, acuminata, 

 mucroaata, 3-5 vel rarius 7-iiervia, proinincutiai reticulata, 'peiiolo ^-f po^h lopg*^- 

 Spica sparsifiorse, sicpius valde elongatie ; fcem. solitarise ; masc. solitaries vel bina^, 

 aliquando parce ramosse. Flor. m^sc. G-audri. rLOH. fceM. j/eyzw£2^/^?^^snbsessilibus, 

 parvis, simplicibus, reflexis : staminihus sierilibus iinearibus, apice eraarginatis. 



Dioscorea safiva, Linn, (nom. vulg. " Kattoo-tootoolala," " Jaa-w^aal,")j -^' ^^^^^^' 

 Linn. (nom. vulg. " Kirri-koudol," " Kahata-koudol/' ** Lingoorella "), and D. pur- 

 purea, Roxb., are cultivated in native gardens. 



