Strobilanthes.l AcantJiacecE. 309 



Stalks, but often 5-9, peduncles stiff, slightly hairy, axillary 

 with leafy bracts at the branches, floral bracts large, about 

 \ in. (the lowest ones often smaller, loose, empty), broadly 

 oval or rotundate, acute or apiculate, much imbricated, con- 

 cave, usually glabrous, pinnately veined, lineolate, bractlets 

 like the bracts but thinner and obtuse (none according to 

 Fl, B. Ind.) ; cal. very small, under \ in., segm. very deep, 

 oblong, obtuse ; cor.-tube f in., very narrow at base, cam- 

 panulate-funnel-shaped, lobes rounded ; capsule | in., oblong- 

 ovoid pointed ; seeds ' hairy on margin.' 



Moist region up to 6000 ft.; rather common, gregarious. Hiniduma; 

 Singhe Raja Forest ; Ambagamuwa ; Ramboda ; Nuwara Eliya ; Lagalla. 

 Fl. Dec-April ; pale purple, the bracts white tinged with green or pink. 



Endemic. 



An abundant species in some of the hill-forests. It is to this that the 

 name StrobilantJies is particularly appropriate, the heads being very hop- 

 like in appearance. Exceedingly variable in foliage and inflorescence. 

 Requires careful comparison with the S. Indian species, with one of which 

 it is probably con-specific. 



17. S. trifidus, Nees in DC. Prod. xi. 185 (1847). 



Thw. Enum. 228 (part). S. liipuliniis., And. in Journ. Linn. Soc. ix, 

 469 (part). C. P. 254 (part). 

 Fl. B. Ind. iv. 443. 



Smaller and more slender than .S". lupidiiius, 1. smaller, 

 thinner, usually glabrous or nearly so ; heads smaller, solitary 

 or in threes, fl. similar ; capsule \ in., obovate-ovoid, pointed, 

 seeds 4, with a ring of dense elastic hygrometric hair on 

 margin, retinacula large, straight. 



Moist low country below 2000 ft.; rather common. Hiniduma; 

 Karawita Kande; Sitawaka ; Avisawella; Hewesse. Fl. Sept.-Nov.; 

 pink or purple, the bracts green tinged with purple. 



Endemic. 



I do not find myself able to decide as to many specimens whether 

 they should be referred to this or the last, and believe the species should 

 be combined as indistinguishable (as was done by Anderson). Some 

 specimens from Hiniduma have the bracts covered with long glandular 

 hair {S. lupulzjttes, Nees (?). 



18. S. ezsertus, Clarke ifi Fl. B. Ind. iv. 445 (1184). 

 Stenosipho7iium zeylanicwn^ And. in Thw. Enum. 225. C. P. 3577. 

 Fl. B. Ind. iv. 445. 



Stems 12-18 in., prostrate and rooting at lower nodes, 

 cylindrical, pubescent or hispid; 1. i|-2| in., oval, attenuate 

 at base and decurrent on petiole, shortly acuminate, subacute, 

 dentate-serrate, scabrous with prickly hairs on both sides, 

 copiously lineolate, petiole \-\ in., obscure ; fl. 4 or 5, heads 

 small, under \ in., very dense, flat on top, solitary, on coarsely 

 hairy leafy axillary peduncles (or branchlets), outer bracts 2, 

 leafy, floral bracts \ i"-> spathulate-oval, obtuse, hispid-hairy, 



