NEILGHERRY PLANTS. 5 
This genus is very nearly allied to the following, which is distinguished by the pappus of this being 
in a double series in that a single one with 10 ribbed achenium. Whether generic value ought to attach to 
points of such apparently small importance may be questionable, but still as they provide the means of some- 
what reducing an overgrown genus they“are not likely to be objected to in this instance whatever may be the 
case, in others where the necessity of employing such is less urgent. 
VERNONIA PECTENIFORMIS (D. C.) shrubby, therefore infer one of them must bereduced. Under 
branches a younger ones angled, pu- these circumstances I ought, oe sa to have adopt- 
bescen short petioled, ovate lanceolate, acu- ed the Neilgherry name, V. pectenata, but was induc- 
minated, pe aia taly. an and deeply serrated, membrana- ed wrongly, I now fear, to adopt ax other, partly on 
ceous ; glabrous s above pilose Dhara cymes: termi- account of eager it being the older of the two by 
n. e, naked : capitula lon many 2 years, but itn cipally _— _ having compare 
flowered, ov ae: scales of the Hing Doce ry glab- it with an hentic specimen of pecteniformis I 
rous, ¢ ciliated, ren gag obtuse or subacute,muc- found them, T ‘think. iden tical aa feeling therefore 
ronate, tipped with bro pretty sure that the specimen figured is yt 
plant whose name it bears, I eee further con- 
Neilgherries not unfrequent inclumps of Jungle. te at the ri geriek adopt ted i It was = 
ore than ear after, when arranging t 
Decandolle defines what he core to be two prey soaehelele for this oct i that I was led to i Ph 
nearly allied species under the s V. pectenata the matter and now think that Tt have erred in pre- 
and pecteniformis the one from the e Neigherse is serving ree shag reas which . menos on the 
other from the Pulney oe. pi oes other. e plan ciently common about the 
from both stations and after wal conan cs con- outskirts of * scholahs” eapecially white the soil is 
fess Iam unable to discover apes differences : and somewhat humid. 
DECANEURUM. 
Capitulum many flowered. Achenia usually glabrous marked with ten prominent ribs. Pappus 
one series, bristles thick, rigid, densely barbellate. Herbaceous or suffrutieose plants, leaves alternate : in- 
volucrum imbricated many series often surrounded with foliacious bracts : capitula usually solitary terminal : 
receptacle flat alveolate : flowers regular 5 cleft, purplish. 
This as compared with the last is a small genus including only 14 or 15 species, all of tropical origin 
and for the most part Indian. Four however of those deseribed by DeCandolle are from Africa, two Continen- 
tal, one from Madagascar and one from the Island of Bourbon. The Moluceas furnish one and Ceylon two. 
Judging from the wide geographical range which this small genus occupies, it seems probable that further 
researches in Africa will bring many more to light. The Indian peninsula produces two in addition to 
those known to DeCandolle from this region, one new, which I have figured in my Icones under the name of 
D. Courtallense, and another, which may also be new, but which I consider D. Silhetense D. C., and have pub- 
lished, in the same work, under that name. The Neilgherries furnished two or probably three species. The one 
selected to represent the genus though not a showy plant is not altogether unornamental, and probably under 
cultivation might be improved were it not that it is almost aquatic in its habits, being always found in wet or 
even marshy ground. Of the properties of the genus nothing is yet known. It was first established in 1833 
by DeCandolle and published in my “Contributions to Indian Botany :” recently the priority of the name has 
been disputed in favour of another, which claims to be of older date, which it would appear had been overlooked 
by the professor when naming this genus, a circumstance the more remarkable as it also belongs to a composite 
plant. ) 
ap ha da meget engi (D. C.) stem suffruti- over the hills, i in sect Eo nearly naam the egg: se 
cose, erect, ram » every where rough with bristly in greatest perfecti 
: leaves seta: a ovate, mucronate, and mucro- hon 2 to 4 Meet high flowers tthe, 
nately sub dentate ; see oneal Lowers whitish to- 
. mentose beneath ; nerves and veins scabrous reticula- The specific name is fesse of the under surface 
ted : peduncles few, oxilinry a terminal capitula of the leaves which is very pale or w — eee is all 
closely embraced by numerous foliacious ts; inte- over with darker coloured veins, very conspicuous in 
rior scales of the involucrum scariose, glabrous, longer the specimen, the state in which it so seen Shen 
than the bracteas.—D. C. Prod. 5 p. 866. nam The generic so ansagie are well developed in 
this species which the a favourabe one for 
Neilgherries, frequent on the banks of streams all studying them. 
