2 2 8 Convolvulacea. [Cuscuta. 



velvcty-tomentosc beneath, petiole 1-2 in., tomentose ; fl. 

 rather large, on long tomentose ped., 3-9, bracts oblong, 

 tomentose, peduncle stout, much longer than petiole ; sep. 

 oval, acute, tomentose, outer ones leafy ; cor. widely funnel- 

 shaped, ih in. long, hairy outside, 2 in. diam. ; capsule de- 

 pressed-globose, rather over ^ in., glabrous, surrounded by 

 enlarged concave scp., seeds glabrous, dull black. 



Moist low country ; rather rare. Kalutara (Moon) ; Colombo; Galle;. 

 Fl. Dec; pure white. 



Also in S. India, E. Bengal, and Malaya. 



Linnasus's Co7tvolin(liis tiialabariciis was founded on Rheede, Hort. 

 Malab. xi. t. 51, a doubtful plant which Choisy refers to Argyrda, and it 

 appears as A. inalabarica^ Chois. in Fl. B. Ind. iv. 189. Moon may, 

 however, have more correctly referred it to the present species. 



10. CRESSA, L. 



Erect dwarf shrub, 1. very small, sessile, fl. very small^ 

 sessile, axillary; sep. 5, equal, not enlarged in fruit; cor.-tube 

 funnel-shaped, lobes 5, reflexed; stam. 5, exserted; ov. 2-celled 

 with 2 ovules in each cell, styles 2, simple, stigmas globose ;, 

 capsule 2-4-valved, 1-4-seedcd. — Monotypic. 



C. cretica, L. Sp. PL 223 (1753). Panittanki, T. 



Evolviilus capiiatus. Moon Cat. 23. Thw. Enum. 213. C. P. 1925. 

 Fl. B. Ind. iv. 225. Lam. 111. Gen. t. 183. 



Stem 3-9 in. high, erect, slender, very much branched, very 

 hairy; 1. numerous, \-\ in., narrowly ovate, rounded at base, 

 acute, densely covered with grey pubescence mixed with 

 longer hairs ; fl. sessile, in the axils of upper 1., forming short 

 close spikes ; sep. lanceolate, acute, pubescent ; cor.-tube -^ in.,, 

 glabrous, lobes oblong-lanceolate, acute, slightly hairy. 



Sandy seacoast in the dry region ; rather common. Jaffna; Mannar; 

 Trincomalie. Fl. Feb.-April ; white tipped with pink. 



Throughout the warmer regions of the world. 



Our plant is C. indica, Retz., but I have not been able to get ripe 

 capsules to determine the number of seeds. 



II. CUSCUTA, Z. 



Leafless twining annuals, parasitic on stems and 1. of other 

 plants by disks, fl. small in lateral clusters; scp. 5, distinct or 

 connate, equal ; cor. more or less campanulate, with 5 scales 

 within; stam. 5, inserted in throat of cor.-tube; ov. 2-celled, 

 with 2 ovules in each cell, style solitary or 2, stigmas oblong 

 or capitate; fruit a capsule, often somewhat fleshy, dehiscent 

 by a ring near the base, 2-4-seeded ; seed with a filiform 



