332 MELASTOMACE X. OsBECKIA. 
three of the ribs forming the angles, the other three on sides.— Wight / cat. 
n. 1142. Courtallum. ; 
We have another species (S. Zeylanica, W. & A.) very closely allied, per- 
haps a variety, from Ceylon, in which the stems are shorter but also 4-angled 
and glabrous; the leaves 3-5-nerved, considerably smaller, and on much 
Shorter petioles; racemes axillary as well as terminal, and almost or quite 
sessile ; and petals ovate, pointed: thus seeming to connect the present spe- 
cies with S. grandiflora. 
993. (4) S. grandiflora (Brown:) erect?, glabrous: leaves elliptic, atte- 
nuated at both ends, bristle-serrated, 3-nerved at the base: peduncle termi- 
nal (always ?), about the length of the leaves, flattened at the apex and there 
bearing a slightly curved raceme of several unilateral large flowers: petals 
ovate, pointed : style as long as the stamens: stigma simple: capsule glabrous, 
3-sided, scarcely the length of the pedicel—Waill.! L. n. 4099.——Neel- 
gherries ; Noton. 
II. OSBECKIA. Linn.; Lam. ill. t. 283. 
Calyx-tube ovate, usually covered with stellate bristles or pubescence; 
limb 4-5-cleft, with appendages between the lobes springing from the out- 
side. Petals 4-5. Stamens 8-10: filaments glabrous: anthers nearly equal 
and similar to each other, shortly rostrate or very rarely truncated, opening 
by a single terminal pore; the connectivum with 2 short auricles at the 
base. Ovary covered with bristles at the apex. Capsule 4—5-celled. Seeds 
cochleate: hilum orbicular, at the base.—Herbaceous or usually shrubby 
plants. Flowers terminal. 
994. (1) O. Zeylanica (Linn. :) herbaceous, annual : stem and branches te- 
tragonal, the angles clothed with adpressed bristles: leaves spreading or re- 
flexed, oval-lanceolate, strigose, quite entire, bristle-ciliated, 3-nerved : flow- 
ers very shortly peduncled, axillary and solitary, or 1-7 together and termi- 
nal: calyx tubular, covered with spreading long bristles that are palmately 
divided from the very base ; segments of the limb 4, deciduous; appen 
deciduous, pretty long, erowned with stellate bristles: anthers 8, with a fine 
subulate beak: ovary crowned with 16-20 bristles.—2 C. prod. 3. p. 141; 
Spr. syst. 2. p. 312 ; Roxb. fl. Ind.2. p. 223 ; in E. I. C. mus. tab. 1233 ; Wall.. 
L. n. 4069 ; Wight! cat. n. 1143.—Pluk. t. 173. f. 4—-Courtallum, V 
lore, &c. 
995. Q O. truncata (Don! mst.:) herbaceous, annual: stems slightly 
branched, 4-angled ; the angles clothed with adpressed and afterwards spread- 
ing or deflexed hairs : leaves spreading or deflexed, ovate, strigose, quite en- 
tire, ciliated, 3-nerved, the four upper ones approximated and forming @ kind 
of involucre under the flowers: flowers (very small) terminal, nearly k: 
aggregated: calyx urceolate, covered with spreading simple or palmate lo 
bristles ; segments 4, deciduous: appendages deciduous, shortish, crown 
with bristles: anthers 8, truncated (without any beak!): ovary crowned 
with 16-20 bristles.— Wight! cat. n. 1144.—0. coronata, Don ! mst. 
+996, (3) O. Leschenaultiana (DC.:) shrubby: branches 4-angled, beset 
with stiff hairs: leaves sessile, ovate, somewhat acute, approximate, 5-nervec» 
villous on both sides: flowers sessile, bracteated, about 3 together, NM 
calyx-tube globose, covered with palmately ciliated short scales; segmen™ 
4, lanceolate.— DC. prod. 3. p. 142. — — Neelgherries. Ti MB BR 
So far as the character goes, this agrees perfectly with our next pisi 
all points except the number of calyx-segments, and meer ieri ; 
mens. Perhaps the specimens were imperfect, and De Candolle may "^*^" 
overlooked the other lobe. QU 
