NEILGHERRY PLANTS. 91 
ous dehiscent at the apex; the cells when 5 opposite the lobes of the calyx. Seeds numerous, minute. Herbace- 
ous annuals, sometimes perennials, or even shrubby, most abundant in the Southern hemisphere, especially 
about the Cape of Good Hope. Leaves alternate, congested toward the base. Peduncles terminal and axillary, 
often elongated, forked, Pedicels long slender terminal or leaf opposed ; flowers drooping ; capsules erect. 
This genus, as it now stands in DeCandolle’s Prodromus, includes 100 species, only 9 of which are 
natives of India. Three or probably 4 of these are found in the Peninsula ; the remainder are from the Hima- 
layas 
1175. WAHLENBERGIA AGERSTIS. (Alph. D. C.) 1176. WAHLENBERGIA INDICA ? (Al. D. C.) stem 
stem erect, ramous from the base, pilose below: lower ramous below and like the leaves pilose: leaves linear 
leaves approximated, narrow linear, nearly entire, un- entire acuminate: peduncles 1 flowered glabrous : 
dulated on the margin; peduncles usually dichotomous calyx glabrous, tube ovoid, lobes narrow acute: 
with very short bracts: tube of the calyx glabrous corolla tubular about a half longer than the calyx, 
es: co- ca acon C. Prod, 7,434. 
rolla funnel shaped about a twice the length of the eilgherries in moist pasture land. In the opera- 
lobes of the calyx: capsule obovoid.—D. C. Pred7. tion of transfer this figure has been represented too 
. 434. hairy, in the original it was fin ilose. On this ac- 
Neilgherries frequent, in flower at nearly all seasons, count it would probably have been better to have sup- 
rs pale blue. am not quite sure that this is pressed the figure, but it is hoped this explanation will 
identical with the Nepaul plant or rather, whether I suffice to correct the error of the existence of which I 
ot t viewed this as W. Indicarather was not aware until the whole impression had been 
than the following which isas much less common plant printed off. 
on the hills and is perhaps a new species. Ifhowever Since the above was printed I have examined seve- 
this is W. Indica, then it seems probable the two ral additional specimens and now feel satisfied that 
species ought to be united, as this corresponds well different specimens vary in their hairiness and that this 
with the character in all points, except in the station. is not materially in excess. 
CAMPANULA. 
Calyx 5-cleft. Corolla slightly 5-lobed or 5-cleft usually campanulate. Stamens 5 free, filaments broad 
membranaceous at the base. Style during flowering covered, except at the base, with collecting hairs. Stig- 
mas 3 or 6 filiform. Capsule 3-5 celled, valves 3-5 dehiscing laterally. Seed ovate flattened or ovoid. Herbs usu- 
ally perennial, sometimes low and pressed to the ground sometimes two or three feet high, erect, many flower- 
ed, with the cauline leaves often differing from the radical ones, All natives of the northern hemisphere. 
This is a very large genus including, with the more recent additions, above 200 species and all from 
the Northern hemisphere. Alph. D.C. in his monagraph of the order divided it into two sections the one 
having and the other wanting reflexed appendages in the clifts of the calyx. These primary sections, are fur- 
ther divided according to the number of cells of the capsule the position of the dehiscing pores, &c., all the 
Indian species belong to the second section “ sinus calycis non obtecti, capsula 3 locularis” and the two first of 
the following species to the sub-section “ eapsula nutans, pedicellata, valvis adbasin sitis dehiscens.” This 
mode of dihescence by means of valves situated on the sides or near the base of the capsule is peculiar to this 
genus and readily distinguishes it from all the others of the order. Itis thus familiarly explained by Dr. 
Lindley in the work already quoted, Lady’s Botany. “ But how are the dust-like seeds to find their way out of 
this lidless box or penetrate its tough sides? Considering what happens in so many other plants we should nata- 
rally expect that it would take place by a separation of the edges of the three carpels into valves, near their 
points; but upon looking at the top of the ovary between the sepals, we find that part still to ’ er than its 
sides and without the slightest appearance of opening. It is by rending the thinnest part of the mies of the 
fruit in the fork of the three principal ribs that these valves are produced and that nature provides for the 
escape of the seeds. The rending takes place by the final drying of the sides of the fruit ben every part 
becomes stretched so tight, that any weak portion must of necessity give way. As the stretching takes place 
with uniformity, and as the skin at the forks is always more tender than any other part, the Spans. of the 
valves will consequently occur with the same invariable certainty as the formation of the seeds. The valves 
thus described are seen in the magnified figures of the capsules in the three species figured, while by the posi- 
tion in which they are placed, another fact is illustrated, namely that in two of them the tapetle droops or 
hangs down at the period of maturity while in the third it remains erect, circumstances which have not been 
overlooked in grouping the species into sections for facilitating their determination, the two first belonging to 
the section “ Capsula nutans” the third to the one “ capsula erecta.” 
G 
