712 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXV 



Forma a. spicata. — Stem stout, 10-20 cm. high, quadrangular, not much 

 branched, erect or ascendhig, rooting at the lower nodes. Leaves large, 

 up to 15 X 8 mm., broadly obovate, attenuate at the base, penninerved, 

 nerves prominent beneath, tip obtuse, or rounded. Flowers densely 

 crowded in axillary spikes which generally are of the length of the leaves. 

 Bracts elliptic-lanceolate, up to 0x2 mm. Otherwise as form b. axillaru. 



This is the common Western India form ; it has been found in the follow- 

 ing localities : — 



Bombay Pres. 



(1) Condita, Salsette. 

 (2^ Andheri, ,, 



(3 Bhandup, ,, 



(4) Kalyan, Konkan . . 



(5) Penn, Colaba Dist. 



(6) Khandala, near tank 



(7) Igatpuri, rice fields , 



XII, 1916, Blatt. & Hall. No. 3258 ! 

 XII, 1916 „ 



XI, 1916 



XI, 1916 „ „ 



II, 1917 



(8) Mt. Abu, 3,900' . . llajputana . 



(9) Cambam, Madura 



Madras Pres. 



. Bombay Pres. 



Distr 



(10) Surat 



(11) Chikhalee, Surat . 



(12) Castle Rock 



III, 1917 



I, 1917 



XI, 1916 



V, 1917 



3259! 

 3260! 

 3261! 

 3262- 

 3264! 

 3266- 

 3266 ! 

 3267- 

 3269! 

 3270! 



3271! 



Kanitkar ! 

 II, 1891,Bhiwa ! 

 X, 1902, Gammie, No. 15720 ! 



ad (5) No. 3264 has spikes about twice the length of the leaves. 



ad (6) Spikes 2-4-times the length of the leaves; flowers less approximate. 



ad (12) This specimen is intermediary between (2) of form a. and (2) un- 

 der form *5». ,.but has no axillary flowers. 



Forma b. axillaris. — Stem G cm. high, sharply quadrangular, with several 

 pairs of branches, rooting at the lower nodes. Internodes on stem and lower 

 part of branches almost equal in length (5-10 mm). Leaves on main stem 12 

 X5 mm., elliptic obovate, obtuse, those on the branches about 10x3 mm., 

 elliptic or oblong, acute, attenuate at the base. Flowers remote, 

 axillary, sessile, not on axillary spikes. Bracteoles subulate, not overtop- 

 ping the calyx. Calyx narrowly quadrangnlar-campanulate, the four trian- 

 gular acuminate teeth much shorter than the tube, erect, tube with 8 faint 

 nerves, slic^htly striate. Petals minute, elliptic-acute, ^ the length of thi^ 

 calyx-teeth, pink. Stamens reaching tips of petals, inserted near base of 

 calyx-tube. Style about the length of capsule; stigma reaching tips of 

 calyx-teeth. Capsule and seeds as usual. 



Igatpuri (Bombay Pres.) Jan. 1917, (Blatt. and Hall. 32741). 



We have a specimen from the same locality (No. 3273 !) on which axillary 

 spikes with approximate flowers begin to appear, but the bracteoles are not 

 much smaller than the leaves. Also strictly axillary flowers occur. 



Forma c. elonyata. — Stem stout, quadrangular, creeping on the ground, up 

 to 50 cm. long, the top ascen<Hng. Most of the nodes rooting. Internodes 

 about 25 mm. Primary branches slender, tufted, profusely flowering, 

 much divided, about 15 cm. in length, leaves on the main stem caducous, 

 broad-elliptic, up to 15mm. long, tip obtuse or rounded, on the branches 

 smaller, about 7x2*5mm., elliptic, acute, narrowed into a petiole. They 

 subtend either a flower (usually in the lower part of the branch), or a 

 slender, up to 10 cm. long, subspicate secondary branch, which may again 

 divide. Leaves on these branches similar to those of the primary ones, 

 but getting smaller upwards, always subtending a flower, when not a 

 anchlet. Flowers in slender spikes, generally remote ; bracteoles 2, 



