both rows are sepals, the exterior calycine, the inte- 
rior petaloid. I do not object to the theory, but its 
practical application is sometimes rather inconvenient. 
In such cases I have adopted the old nomenclature, 
calling the outer series calyx or sepal and the inner 
petals. This departure from strictly philosophical 
language can lead to no inconvenience as the aspect 
of the parts fully justify the proceeding. 
2065. CommeLYNA BENGALENSIS (Linn.), stem 
ramous, creeping, pilose : leaves petioled, ovate, ellip- 
tic, subcordate at the base, acutish, puberulous on 
both sides, the hairs scattered and longer above; 
sheaths pilose, ciliate at the throat ; ciliæ long, brown- 
ish ; spathes short peduncled, cucullate (top-shaped,) 
acute, pubescent and pilose: peduncles paired, one 
incluse, 2-flowered, flowers hermaphrodite ; the other 
exserted, roughish, one-flowered ; flower male : sepals 
glanduloso-lineolate: the odd interior one (anterior 
petal) sessile, lanceolate. 
Common all over India—frequent about Coimba- 
tore. The plant selected for representation is an 
unusual form, the roots being apparently tuber-bear- 
ing. This, however, is in appearance only, the appa- 
rent tubers being in truth under ground flowers. 
The plants grew in a light soil and had been sev- 
eral times disturbed by the plough. On pulling up 
one, finding the roots covered with these tubers I exa- 
mined one and in place of a solid tuber found, on 
opening the enclosing spathe, that it contained a 
flower. This induced me to make the accompanying 
drawing, viewing the circumstance as a curious and 
unusual provision of nature to preserve a species 
which under its cireumstances was in a fair way of 
being destroyed. The figures in the accompanying 
analysis marked with a cross (4-) appertain to the 
root flowers. 
2066. CoMMELYNA POLYSPATHA (R. W.), herba- 
ceous, erect, leaves long lanceolate acuminate, glabrous 
on both sides, paler beneath, sheaths with a line of 
hairs on one side, setosely hairy on the margin and 
throat: spathes terminal, 4-8 together, collateral, 
turbinate, glabrous: pedicel solitary, enclosed, 4-5- 
flowered: capsule glabrous, 3-celled ; cells 1-seeded ; 
seed oval, obtuse at both ends ; hilum linear : embryo 
lateral. . 
` Bolamputty Mountains near Coimbatore, at an ele- 
vation of about 3000 feet, frequent, flowering in 
November. 
The flower of this species seems so exactly 'the 
same as that of C. Bengalensis, with the exception of 
a slight difference in size, that the one might almost 
be substituted for the other. The peduncle in this 
does not divide within the spathe, hence all the 
flowers seem to be hermaphrodite. 
HxrrRocamgPus. (R. W.) 
Gen. Cuar. Flowers irregular: Perianth six- 
parted : 3 exterior lobes calycine, 3 interior petaloid : 
anterior calycine lobes obovate, obtuse, connate to 
near the apex, much larger than the posterior: ante- 
rior petaloid lobesubsessile, obovate, spathulate, lateral 
ones unguiculate. is 6, filaments glabrous: 
3 anterior anthers polleniferous, the middle one some- 
what deformed—3 posterior sterile. Ovary 3-celled; 
2 posterior cells minute, empty, afterwards changing 
into a rigid curved podocarp, anterior larger one 
ovuled, capsule 1-celled, attached by a groove on the 
back to the podocarp, indehiscent. Seed one, oval, 
embryo lateral. 
; Diffuse, herbaceous, ramous plants. Leavessheath- 
ing, entire: peduncles springing from the sheaths, 
filiform, forked at the apex within the spathe : pos- 
terior branch much longer, exserted, bearing on the 
point a single male flower; anterior incluse, recurved, 
4-5-flowered. Spathes cordate, acuminate, folded, 
sub-coriaceous, ciliate. Flowers yellow. 
2067. HETEROCARPUS HIRSUTUS (R. W.), diffuse, 
everywhere pilose especially on the sheaths and un- 
der surfaces of the leaves: sheaths long : leaves linear 
lanceolate acute: spathe long acuminate, ciliate at 
the base.—The aspect of the plant apart from the 
inflorescence is much that of a hairy grass, 
Neilgherries, among bushes, flowering August and 
September. 
2067. HETEROCARPUS GLABER (R. W.), procum- 
bent, diffuse, rooting at the joints, glabrous, except 
decurrent lines of short hairs from the insertions of 
the leaves and slightly pilose sheaths, leaves lanceo- 
late obtuse, glabrous, sheaths short, pubescent: pe- 
duncles about the length or a little longer than the 
leaves, filiform, involucre cordate, acuminate, ciliate at 
the base.—Flowers deep orange yellow. 
Paulghaut jungles and Bolamputty Hills, in moist 
Soil, flowering October and November, 
I have endeavoured in vain to refer either of these 
plants to any described species of Commelyna, the 
only genus to which I think they could have been 
referred. 
2068. Acrisia INpicA (R. W.), stem erect, sim- 
ple, and with the panicle pubescent : leaves sheathing 
at the base, petioled, ovato-lanceolate, taperingly 
acuminate, acute, glabrous, except the petiol and 
sheath (10-12 inches long by two or 3 broad): pani- 
clelong peduncled, loose; branches racemose, spread- 
ing or slightly reflexed: petals obovato-orbicular, 
larger than the sepals: fruit globose, indehiscent, fra- 
gile, smooth, shining, pale blue, cells 8-seeded in two 
rows: seed flattened, depressed over the embryo, 
quadrangular. 
Malabar, Ceylon, Western slopes of the Neilgher- 
ries, flowering during the rainy season. 
This species seems very different from the only 
other known species of the genus, Á. scorzogonensis, 
from Lugon Island, and so far as I can judge from 
specimens in fruit only, is a very handsome plant. 
The flowering specimen is imperfect, most of the 
flowers having fallen off in drying. The little flower- 
ing branch is to some extent fictitious, a flower being 
supplied to each empty bract to show what it is 
when in full flower. 
Dictrosrrrmum. (R. W.) 
Gen. Cuar. Perianth six-parted, 3 exterior lobes 
calycine,the interior petaloid, all marcescent. Stamens 
3 (rarely 5) all fertile, the middle one opposite the 
odd petal, slightly dissimilar: when 5, two sterile 
opposite the lateral petals, ovary 3-celled, with 1 
ovule in each: ovule attached to the middle of the 
axis, horizontal ; style filiform, stigma capitate. Cap- 
sule 3-celled, 3-valved; valves septiferous. Seed 
solitary, oblong, somewhat convex, reticulate on the 
back. Embryo lateral (not opposite the hilum). 
H 
CJ 
