2 MONANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Plirijnium. 



Capsule three-celled, three-valved. Seeds solitary, arilled 

 at the base. Embryo uncinate, and furnished with a peri- 

 sperm. 



1. P. dk'lwtomum. R. 



Shrubby, dichotomous. Leaves cordate. 



Thalia cannaformis. Linn, sp.pl. ed. Willd. 1. 16. 



Arundastrum. Tonchat seytain. Rumph. Amb. 4. p. 22. 

 t.7. 



Donax Arundastrum. Lourier. Cochin Ch. 15. 



Sans. Vula, Godtmika, Bhwdro, Bhwdroiubmee, Slwra- 

 kasthika, Kidyaninee, Bhwdr«-b?d«, Ghata, Patee, Vulahwa. 



Beng. Moocta-patee, Pattee-patee,* or Madar-patee. 



This elegant shrub, is a native of Bengal, as well as of 

 various other parts of India, &c. Flowering time the hot 

 season ; seeds ripen in the rains. 



Root ramous, woody, perennial. Stems straight, tapering 

 and simple to the branches, about as thick as a man's thumb, 

 and from three to five, or six feet high, of a beautiful, high- 

 ly polished green colour. Branches numerous, dichotomous, 

 spreading in every direction, smooth like the stem, but joint- 

 ed at every division. Leaves alternate, petioled, ovate-cor- 

 date, smooth, entire, acute, from tour to eight inches long; 

 veins numerous, very fine and parallel. Petioles sheathing, 

 except a small portion, one-tenth, or less, at the apex, which 

 is round, and may be called the proper petiole. Racemes 

 terminal, generally solitary, jointed, a little flexuous. Bractes 

 glumaceous, in pairs on the joints of the raceme, each pair 



* " Mats made of the split stems of this plant, being smooth, 

 " and particularly cool, and refreshing, are termed in Hindi SitaU 

 " pati, which signifies a cool mat, whence the plant itself is said to 

 " bear the same name. Suspecting, however, this to be a misap- 

 " propriation of the term, I have enquired of natives of the eastern 

 " parts of Bengal, who assure me, that the plant is named Mucta- 

 "pata, or Patti-pata, and the mat only is called Sital-pati." — Cole- 

 brooke. 



