NEILGHERRY PLANTS. 7 
romous of different colours. The anthers also afford sectional characters, according as 
they are prolonged downwards forming a kind of tail, caudate or ecaudate; so also the 
receptacle, whether naked or chaffy (paliaceous) and the leaves, whether opposite or alter- 
nate, all of which as well as others not noticed are wanted in discriminating the genera of 
this large and very difficult tribe. 
Sub-tribe. Asterine, capitula homo or heterogamous usually radiate. Anthers 
ecaudate. Leaves almost always alternate. 
ERIGERON. 
Capitulum one flowered radiate, Ligule linear female, several series : disk flowers tubular, either ail 
bisexual or with the exterior ones female. Achwnia compressed beakless. Pappus one series.—Herbaceous or 
suffruticose plants: leaves alternate: capitula hemispherical: involucrum two or three series: receptacle 
naked foveolately punctuate : flowers of the ray white, blue or purple ; of the disk yellow. 
Of this large genus including nearly 100 species a few only, about 10, are natives of India and near- 
ly equally divided between the plains and mountains; but upon the whole it is an extratropical genus, the 
plurality of its species being natives of North and South America beyond the tropic and those found 
within these limits being, for the most part, alpine ; a few are found in Europe. The one here represented is 
very common on the Hills and to be met with at almost all seasons, but especially in the earlier months of the 
year, after the rains, in almost every moist pasture. DeCandolle has described another species as occurring on 
the hills under the name of E. Leschenaultii. The differences in the character of the two plants are so slight 
that I cannot divest myself of the belief that the two form but one species and that the differences indicated 
are referable rather to individual specimens, than distinct species. The specimen of E. Wightii sent to 
DeCandolle was an indifferent one, those of E. Leschenaulti might have been bitter, but a comparison of this 
plant with the original specimen of E. Wightit, leaves scarcely a doubt on my mind of these being scarcely 
varieties of the same species; and as this is the only one found on the Hills at all corresponding with 
DeCandoll’s character of E. Leschenaultii, presume that one of these names may be suppressed. The original 
specimen of Z. Wightii is somewhat more hispid and the peduncles shorter, but then it is clearly less luxuriant 
and had grown in a drier less fertile soil. Iam thus particular in directing attention to the circumstance of 
two nearly allied species being supposed natives of the hills in the hope that others, having better opportuni- 
ties, may be induced to examine the subject with the care necessary towards arriving at a correct conclusion. 
The flowers of E. Leschenaultit are said to be white of E. Wightii purple, an obvious mark which may 
materially assist the enquirer. 
Erictron WicHTII (D.C.) stem erect shortly On the sy sins not ig a in moist pas- 
ramous: leaves oblong, the price ones igure tures, flowering during the rainy season. Ligule pale 
- the base, subserrated, somewhat obtuse; superio ee na a ty branches hispid, ‘plant gevah 
es entire, nate all puberulous a eit ide es: capi- 
tas pedicelled phe racemose: scales e involu- 
crum rough on the back, linear schalaiag sausling the _ If there are Sure 2 species I now think, so far - 4 
igule ney slender, ee than the disk: can make out from description, that this of the 
ohsenil glabrous.—D. C.1. ¢. 5, 286. grees better with E. Les ulti than | Wight 
chena 
though it has the purple flowers of the latter 
MYRIACTIS. 
Capitulum heterogamous. Flowers of the ray two or many series female ; ligule very narrow: of 
the disk hermaphrodite. Achenia compressed beakless often glanduliferous at the apex. Pappus none— 
Ereet, dichotomously ramous herbs, with! alternate leaves: peduncles long 1-cephalous paniculate : capituala 
globose : involucrum 1-2 series: receptacle naked flowers white or yellow. 
This small genus of six species is exclusively of Asiatic origin, three species being found in India, two 
in Java, and one in Persia. Iam only acquainted with the present one, which is sufficiently common on the 
