6 Composite. {Vernonia. 



Heads small or very small. 

 L. tapering to base. 



Bracts linear, murronate ; annual . 4. V. cinerea. 

 Bracts with a long soft arm; perennial 5. V. setigera. 

 Bracts oblong, obtuse . . . . 6. V. Hookeriana. 

 L. auriculate at Ijase . . . .11. V. zeylanica. 

 Tree 13. V. arborea. 



1. V. G-ardneri, Thw. Enum. 161 (i860), (excl. var. /3). 

 C. P. 27, 1745. 



Fl. B. Ind. iii. 230. 



Perennial herb, stem branched, finely pubescent, or nearly 

 glabrous, 1. rather crowded, 2-5 in., from lanceolate to linear, 

 tapering to both ends, very acute, sharply spinous-serrate, 

 glabrous, veins conspicuous beneath, petiole obscure ; heads 

 few, long-stalked, large, slightly nodding, inv.-bracts linear- 

 lanceolate, acuminate, very acute, glabrous, somewhat spread- 

 ing, the outermost much shorter ; achene cylindrical, pubes- 

 cent, pappus pale red. 



Moist region from 2000 to 6000 ft.; rather common. Peradeniya; 

 Deltota; Ambagamuwa; Ramboda; Adam's Peak. Fl. Jan., Feb.; pale 

 violet. 



Endemic. 



The leaves vary greatly in width. 



2. V. Thwaitesli, Clarke, Comp. Ind. 11 (1S76). 



V. Gard/ieri, var. nervosa, Thw. Enum. 161. C. P. 44. 

 Fl. B. Ind. iii. 231. 



Perennial herb, with a small woody rootstock, stem 9-18 

 in., erect, stiff, pubescent, slightly branched, 1. crowded on 

 lower part of stem, erect, 1-2 in., oval, acute at both ends, 

 sharply serrate, glabrous or slightly pubescent beneath, coria- 

 ceous, reticulate venation very prominent, petiole very short ; 

 heads smaller than in V. Gardneri, on very long peduncles, 

 few, erect, inv.-bracts oblong, suddenly mucronate, with narrow 

 membranous margins, slightly hairy, the outer ones short, 

 spreading, linear; achene lO-ribbed, with glands between the 

 ribs, pappus pale red, outer row very short. 



Upper montane zone; very rare. Adam's Peak ((rardner); on wet 

 rocks below Horton Plains towards Galagama, abundant. Fl. Feb.- 

 May; bright violet. 



Endemic. 



3. V. anceps, Clarke ex Hk. f. Fl. B. Ind. iii. 233. 

 V. Wightiana, \ar. /3, Thw. Enum. 160. C. P. 164. 

 Fl. B. Ind. iii. 233. 



Shrubby, stems slender, slightly branched, hairy when 

 young; 1. 1^-3 in., linear or lanceolate-linear, much tapering 



