2 DipsacaceCB. [Dipsacus. 



coppery-brown. The root has the strong characteristic scent of Valerian, 

 and could, doubtless, be employed as an efficient substitute for that of 

 V. officinalis. 



LXIX.— DIPSACACE.^. 



Perennial herbs, 1. opp., without stip. ; fl. regular, bisexual, 

 small, in dense heads, each bracteate and with a cal.-like 

 involucel surrounding the ov. and becoming adnate to it in 

 fruit; cal.-tube adnate to ov., limb cup-shaped, segm. 4; cor.- 

 tube funnel-shaped, lobes 4; stam. 4, inserted on cor.-tube, 

 anth. distinct; ov. inferior, i -celled, with one pendulous ovule; 

 fruit dry, indehiscent (an achene), included in the involucel; 

 seed solitary with scanty endosperm. 



A small Order confined to temperate parts of Europe, Asia, and 

 Africa; our single species is in the hills. 



DXPSACUS, L. 



For characters, see Order. — Sp. 12; 6 in Fl. B. Ind. 



D. Walkeri, Ar7i. Pug. 26 (1834). 



Thw. Enum. 421. D. Leschenaultii, Thw. Enum. 160 ij. Coult.)- C. P. 

 2404. 



Fl. B. Ind. iii. 218. Wight, Ic. t. 1166. 



A stout perennial herb, stem 2-5 ft., erect, stiff, branched 

 above, furrowed, glabrous below, more or less hairy above, 

 usually with short scattered yellow prickles at the angles, 

 hollow; radical and lower caulinc 1. large, deeply pinnatisect, 

 on long more or less hairy petioles dilated at base, segm. 

 oblong or oblong-oval, obtuse or acute, decurrcnt, more or 

 less coarsely and bluntly serrate, hairy on both sides, upper 

 cauline ones sessile, often nearly entire; fl. very numerous, 

 closely packed, sessile, head i-ii in. diam., nearly globose, on 

 very long peduncles, with small ovate acute pubescent bracts 

 at base, floral bracts oblong, with a terminal, stiff, very acute 

 and sharp-pointed appendage which is pubescent and usually 

 strongly ciliate, floral involucel with 4 lanceolate segm. ; cal.- 

 segm. obtuse, ciliate with long white hairs, usually deciduous 

 in fruit ; cor.-tube hairy without and within, lobes oblong, 

 obtuse ; stam. exscrted ; fruit (with adherent involucelj 

 oblong-linear, 4-angled, glabrous. 



