312 THE JOURNAL OF INDIAN BOTANY. 



gray. Floral bracts acute, cilate, entirely hidden when these are 

 fully out by the very large protruding male petals. Receptacle hour- 

 glass shape. Plate 29. 



South India ; Nilgiris 5—6,000 ft. 



Var. b. caulescens. Hook. f. and Thorns. F.B.I, vi, 572, No. 5 ; 

 Ruhl. as E. atratum var. major No. 74. 



Stem 3-10 in. branched, the lower parts covered with leaf-bases 

 Leaves narrowed above the broad base, and then 1/4 in. wide or less 

 by 3-6 in. Scapes 6-25 in. Involucre black. Plate 30. 



Ceylon : Ilorton Plain. Adam's Peak. 

 There is no real difference except in the stem and its branching from 

 E. robust am. A piece of the Ceylon plant is indistinguishable from a not 

 very robust Nilgiri one. I have therefore no hesitation in uniting this as a 

 variety to E. robustovi, though Hooker founded a new species for it, and 

 Ruhland followed Thwaites in calling it var major of E. atratum. The fresh 

 flower heads have the scent of a Chrysanthemum. 



33. E. cristatUUl Mart., F.B.I, vi, 574 ; Ruhl. No. 118, stom 

 short, or up to 1 ia. Leaves linear to 6 in. by 1/6 in., many nerved, 

 not much enlarged at the base. Scapes 6-15 in. Heads 1/3 in. In- 

 volucre black or white. Floral bracts deltoid. Receptacle not very 

 hairy. Plato 31. 



Assam ; Khasia ; Bengal. 

 Some of the heads have a fringe of protruding male petals as in E. longi- 

 cuspis, but because of the broad leaf-bases I am inclined to regard this as 

 more nearly related to E. ceylanicum. 



V. SEARIOSAE 



Both involucral and floral bracts scarious without any trace of 

 dark colour, and tending to become hairy and acuminate. Receptacle 

 villous. Flowers perfect or more often very small and reduced by 

 omission of one or more parts. Stem in all disciform and leaves 

 glabrous. Involucre hairy. 



Key 



Heads 1/3 in., conical ; floral bracts acu- 

 minate ; female sepals 3. (Nepal to Pegu) ... 34 E. oryzetorum. 



Heads 1/8 in, to 1/6 in., conical ; floral 

 bracts acute ; female sepals 2 (Assam to Tavoy 

 and Wostern Ghats) ... 35 E. Hamiltonianum; 



Heads 1/6 in. globose ; female sepals 2, 

 petals 2 or o ; involucral bracts longer than 

 the head (Sikkim to Chota Nagpur) ... 36 E. Edwardii. 



34. E. oryzetorum Mart. (Wall. Cat. 6069 in Herb. Calc. !) 

 F.B.I, vi, 579, No. 25 in part; Ruhl. No. 126. Annual (Mart.) 



