148 THE JOURNAL OF INDIAN BOTANY. 



Normal — of the flower — Sepals in the male united into a calyx split at 

 the back ; in the female 3, equal and similar. Corolla of 

 male trumpet-shaped with 3 lobes ; of female 3 oblanceo- 

 late free petals. Stamens 6, anthers black. Ovary 3 celled. 



Eriocaulon Linn. 

 Linn. Gen. Ed. II 35 (1743). 



Scapigerous herbs, aquatic or on marshy, rarely dry ground. 

 Stem usually very short and disui-form, but in some species elongate 

 and branched. Leaves narrow. Scape slender, with 4 to 7 ribs, twisted 

 usually, and eaclosed at the base in a sheath with oblique mouth. 

 Flowers minute, eachj in the axil of a bract, in involucrate heads ; 

 unisexual, nearly always monoecious ; perianth inferior. Male 

 flower : — Sepals 2 or 3, usually, but not always, connate into a calyx 

 split on the ad-axial side. Corolla mono-petalous, funnel-shaped ; 

 lobes 3, small, usually ciliate and each with a large black gland. 

 Stamens 6, attached to the corolla ; anthers black or pale yellow. 

 Female Flower : — Sepals 2 or 3 flat, boat-shaped or crested, equal or 

 unequal. Petals 3 to free, linear, oblanceolate or spathulate, ciliate, 

 each with a black gland near the upper margin. Ovary three-celled ; 

 style with 3 short branches. Carpels in fruit globose opening down 

 the back to let out the one seed. Seeds translucent yellowish or 

 brown, often with darker markings. Embryo minute, outside the 

 horny endosperm. 



Species about 190 in the tropics and rarely in temperate regions. 



The above diagnosis is for the normal 3-merous flower. In one Indian 

 species, the flowers may be dimerous with 4 stamens or a 2-celled ovary. 

 But in the majority of species there are 6 stamens or a 3-celIed ovary, even 

 though the sepals or petals may be reduced to 2 or 0. 



Scheme of Sections. 



[Note the female flower may have no petals in groups II, V, VI and VIII.] 



A. Anthers black. 



* Submerged plants with and linear leaves. 



I. Setace^j. — Stems to over a foot in length. Leaves 3-6 in. 

 Head 1/8—1/5 in. 



* * Terrestial or swamp plants, or if submerged the stem not more 



than an inch long. Male sepals usually but not always united 



into a calyx split on the side. 

 i Female sepals free, boat-shaped or flat, except in VII. 

 1 Floral bracts usually black with white hairs on the back. 



Receptacle villous except in II a. 



