408 TETRANDKIA MONOGYNIA. Cissus. 



This plant is one of the most common over every part of 

 India ; blossoms during- the rains; and ripens its seed in the 

 cool season. 



Root fibrous. Stem and branches perennial, scandent, and 

 often of very great leng 1 ti, smooth, succulent, jointed, con- 

 tracted at the joints, four-winged, wings large, and sharp, 

 young parts succulent, tender, and very smooth. These are 

 very generally eaten by the natives in their curries. Leaves 

 alternate, one at each joint, short-pctioled, rouiform, cordate, 

 serrulate-dentate, smooth on both sides, an inch or an inch 

 and a half each way. Stipules lunulate, entire. Tendrils so- 

 litary, simple, leaf-opposed. Umbels solitary, opposite to the 

 leaves, occupying the place on which the tendril would other- 

 wise grow, compound. Umbell.ets generally three or four, 

 sub-globular. Involucre and involucels scarcely any. Q <rm 

 ovate, immersed in the nectary, two-celled, with two ovula 

 in each, attached to the bottom of the partition ; style short. 

 Stigma simple. Berry round, size of a small pea, smooth, 

 red, succulent, one-celled. Seed solitary, obovate, covered 

 with a double, dark brown, spongy integument. Perisperm 

 conform to the seed, a double, dark-coloured fissure runs 

 down the middle. .Embryo small, erect, lodged on one side 

 of the bottom of the double fissure just mentioned. Cotyle- 

 dons with minute points. Radicle oblong, inferior. 



6. C. pentagona. R. 



Young shoots lucid, with five rounded angles and groov- 

 ed sides. Leaves cordate, rarely sub-locate, serrulate, acu- 

 minate, smooth. 



An extensive perennial climber, a native of the forests of 

 Chittagong. 



7. C. angustifolia. R. 



Dioicous. Leaves ternafe; leaflets lanceolate, serrate, 

 smooth. Stipules ovate, acute. Cymes shorter than the pe- 

 tioles. Berries spherical, one or two-seeded. 



