Wtthama.'\ Solafiacece. 2^1 



thin, petiole nearly as long as 1.; fl. on very slender, nodding,, 

 pubescent ped., leaf-opposed or in the forks of the branches ; 

 segm. short, triangular; cor. under | in. diam. ; berry \ in.,, 

 inflated cal. nearly globose, | in. diam., pointed with the con- 

 nivent segm., membranous, reticulated. 



Low country, in waste and cultivated ground, very common. Fl.. 

 Feb., March ; pale yellow. 



Throughout the Tropics of the Old World. 



This weed looks like an introduction to Ceylon, but does not seem to 

 be American. 



P. mtgulata, L., is also an occasional weed in cultivated ground, li 

 is Fl. Zeyl. n. 97, and there are specimens in Herb. Hermann and C. P. 

 1898; but it is probably introduced. 



P. peruviana, L., is the 'Cape Gooseberry' of the English; a native 

 of Trop. America. Not uncommon in waste ground about Nuwara Eliya 

 and elsewhere in the montane zone, especially in Haputale. The fruit is. 

 not much appreciated here. 



3. WITKANIA, Pauq. 



Perennial herb, 1. alt. but often in unequal pairs, fl. in 

 sessile, axillary, umbellate cymes; cal. campanulate, much 

 enlarged and inflated in fruit, segm. 5, long; cor. campanulate, 

 lobes 5, valvate ; stam. 5, inserted at base of cor.-tube, exserted; 

 ov. 2-celled, with numerous ovules, stigma globose ; fruit a 

 small berry, enclosed in the loose inflated cal., i -celled; seeds 

 numerous, compressed, faintly reticulate, embryo curved round 

 endosperm. — Sp. 4; 2 in Fl. B. Ind. 



*W. somnifera, Dun. in DC. Prod. xiii. i, 542 (1852). Amuk- 

 kara, S. Amukkiray, T. 



Herm. Mus. 58. Burm. Thes. 10. Fl. Zeyl. n. 96. Physalis somni- 

 /era., L. Sp. PI. 182. P. Jlextiosa, L., Moon Cat. 15. Thw. Enum. 217. 

 C. P. 3651. 



Fl. B. Ind. iv. 239. Wight, Ic. t. 853. 



Often semi-shrubby at base, root long, tapering, stems 

 branched, covered with fine mealy stellate pubescence; 1. 2-2,^ 

 in., ovate, suddenly tapering to base, subacute, entire, shining- 

 and apparently glabrous, but really with minute stellate or 

 scaly hair, rather thick, veins pellucid; fl. rather small, on 

 short pubescent ped., usually about 5 in umbellate cyme ; cal. 

 stellate-pubescent, segm. linear-triangular, recurved at apex; 

 cor. I in. long, lobes lanceolate, erect, but recurved in upper 

 part, pubescent outside; ov. glabrous, style as long as stam.; 

 berry \ in. diam., fruiting cal. over | in., globose, slightly 

 5-angled, pointed with connivent segm., scurfy-pubescent. 



