164 XVI. CARYOPiiYLLE.E. [FoJycarpcea. 



nial herbs, erect or diffuse. Leaves iiarrow-Hiiear or rarely ovate, often clus- 

 tered in tlie axils so as to appear verticillate. Stipules scarious. Tlowcrs 

 usually numerous, in terminal cymes, sometimes loose and paniculate, some- 

 times dense and capitate, often remarkable for tlie wlilte, pink or purple sea- 

 rious sepals and bracts. 



The gciui3 is dispersed over the trojncal and suLtrupical regions of the Old ^^ orld, one, 

 the cnmnioiicst species, cxtciuling niso hito tropical ATiien'ca. The 9 Australian species are 

 all tropical ; out' is the ahove-inciitioricd common one, another, P. spicata, is also Asiatic, the 

 7 others are endemic. 



Skct. 1. Planchonia, J. G:ij.— Petals and stamens imitedin a cup ci'tuhe, wU/ioul 



stauihiodia. 



w * 



Stems hard and almost woody at the base, the radical leaves soon dis- 

 appearing. Leaves all narrow. Flowers 3 to 4 Hues. 

 Stem tall, pubescent. Corolla-tiibe shorter than the free part. 



Stamens the length of the petals. Capsule short, obtuse , . 1. P. long^fora. 

 Stems short, glabrous. Corplla-tuhe longer than the free part. 

 Stamens much longer than the petals. Capsule oblong, tapering 



at the top 2. P. sfiroslyhs. 



Stems herbaceous, several from a rosette of oblong or obovate radical 



leaves. Stem-leaves narrow. Flowers 14 to 3 lines .... 3. P, synandra, 



Sfxt. 2. Aylmeria, Mart. — Petals and stamens free or nearly sOy with 5 short stamt- 

 nodia inside the petals and opposite to tliem. 



Sepals purple, glabrous, nearly 3 lines long. Stamens and petals 



slightly perigynonq ♦ . . 4. P. violacea. 



Sepals white or yellowish, hairy, about 2 lines long. Stamens and 



petals very perigynous 5. P. staminodina. 



Sect. 3. Polycarpia. — Petals and stamens free or united in a ri}ig at the base, tcith- 

 oni staminodia* 



Stems simple or hard and woody at the base. Eadical leaves soon 



disappearing. 

 Flowers \\ lines. Petals rounded and very obtuse. Capsule much 



shorter thnn the sepals *, 6. P. corpnbosa. 



Flowers less than 1 line. Petals oval-oblong, acute, or toothed at 



the top. Capsule rather shorter or longer thaTi the sepals . . 7^ P, breoijtora. 

 Stems herbaceous, several fi-om a rosette of oblong or obovate radical 



leaves. * 



Flower-heads pedunculate, with scarious bracts ...... 8. P.spicata, 



Flower-heads closely sessile, surrounded by herbaceous floral leaves 9. P. involucrata. 



Section 1. Planchonia, /. Ga?/, in Herb, TTook. — Petals and stamens 

 imitcd in a cup or tuLe without staininodia. Sepals very scarious, often rather 

 large, 



1. P. longiflora, F. MuelL in Rep. Bahh, Exped, 8. Pubescent, erect 

 and rigid, 1 to 2 ft. high, divided at the base into several erect branches. 

 Leaves naiTOw-linoar, acute or ending in a hair-like point, rigid, silky-hairy, 

 often a])ove | in. long, with smaller ones clustered in their axils; the upper 

 ones small and distant. Flowers large, brown red or purple, shortly pedicel- 

 late in dense terminal corymbose cymes or heads. Sepals ftdly 3 lines long, 

 scarious, with a prominent midrib, the inner ones narrower, more acute and 

 more deeply coloured than the out 

 stamens in a campanulate tube not 1 line long,'fheir free p 



er. Petals hyqiogynons, united with the 

 t 1 line long, their free parts considerably 





