Sphcerafit/nts^ CoillpOSltcU . 2 5 



rigid, sharply acuminate, glabrous, the outer ones somewhat 

 spreading; achene glabrous, quite without pappus. 



In damp places chiefly on or near the coast, especially in the dry 

 region ; common. Fl. Sept-March ; purple. 



Also in India, Burma, Java, China. 



Very variable in size and appearance; the leaves become fleshy in 

 maritime situations. Fruit is produced only by the fem. ray-fl., the 

 bisexual disk-fl. are barren. Root bitter and astringent, used as a tonic. 



14. SPKSIRANTHirS, L. 



Annuals, divaricately branched, 1. alt., decurrent ; heads 

 small, very numerous, sessile, ' crowded on a large, ovoid, 

 common receptacle into more or less globose, terminal, com- 

 pound heads, with or without a general involucre of empty 

 bracts at base, true involucre narrow, bracts few, lax, in i row, 

 acute or acuminate, unequal, chafif-like, all fl. tubular, outer 

 ones female, 3-toothed, disk fl. i or very few, bisexual, larger, 

 5-toothed (often barren); anth.-bases sagittate; style-arms 

 filiform, often connate ; achene oblong-ovoid, pappus o. — 

 Sp. 8 ; 4 in Fl. B. Ind. 



Bracts of compound head imbricate, spinous . i. S. amaranthoides. 

 Bracts of compound head neither imbricate nor 

 spinous. 



Wings of stem sharply toothed . . . 2. S. INDICUS. 



Wings of stem entire 3. S. africanus. 



I. S. amaranthoides, Biirm. f. Fl. Ind. 186 (1768). Chiva- 

 charantai, T. 



Thw. Enum. 162. C. P. 1768. 



Fl. B. Ind. iii. 274. Wight, Ic. t. 1149 {JDligolepis). 



Erect, 6-12 in., stem very stout, with many ascending 

 branches, glabrous, purple; 1. numerous, 3-3^ in., sessile and 

 slightly decurrent, strap-shaped, somewhat tapering to base, 

 obtuse, faintly serrate, glabrous, pale green ; compound heads 

 large, h-\ in. long, sessile or shortly stalked, terminal (often 

 apparently axillary), ovate-ovoid, completely covered by the 

 close, imbricate, ovate-lanceolate, rigid, spinous, glabrous 

 bracts, which exceed the fl. heads ; outer fl. stalked, disk fl. 

 solitary. 



Shallow pools chiefly near the coast in the dry region : rather rare. 

 Jaffna; Illupai-kadavai; Mannar; Kurunegala. Fl. Feb., August; pale 

 purple. 



Also in S. India. 



The plant has a very strong smell of mint when bruised. 



