312 AcanthaceCE. {Strobllanthes. 



from obscure or very short to i^ in.; fl. rather large, heads 

 ih-2^ in., broadly ovoid, cone-like, drooping but becoming 

 erect in fruit, solitary on short axillary peduncle-like branches 

 often with a pair of 1. below bend, bracts large, nearly i in., 

 orbicular, much imbricated, entire (or the lowest ones slightly 

 denticulate), glabrous (the lowest ones ciliate), veiny, bractlets 

 f in., oblong-lanceolate or spathulate, acute ; sep. as long as 

 bractlets, lanceolate, acute ; cor. glabrous, tube over h in., 

 narrow base short, rest campanulate, lobes broader than long, 

 emarginate ; stam. slightly exserted ; capsule h in., oblong, 

 pointed ; seeds 4, glabrous. 



Forests of upper montane zone above 6000 ft. ; common, grej^arious. 

 Nuwara Eliya ; Hakgala; Horton Plains, abundant. Fl. Aug.-February ; 

 lemon-yellow, straw-coloured, or pale green, bracts white or greenish-white. 



Endemic. 



Dries black. Inflorescence very hop-like. 



23. S. laxus, And. in Tlnu. Eniim. 228 (i860). 

 C. P. 2010. 



Fl. B. Ind. iv. 450. Bedd. Ic. PI. Ind. Or. t. 223 (not good). 



Stems 4-6 ft. or more, very stout, swollen above nodes, 

 cylindrical, glabrous and shining, purple, 1. 4-6 in., ovate, 

 cordate at base, acuminate, acute, shallowly serrate-dentate, 

 glabrous but lineolate above, pubescent on veins beneath, 

 petiole ii-2-| in., slender, glabrous ; fl. moderate -sized, 

 numerous, spikes 2-6 in., dense, on usually very short axillary 

 peduncles, either solitary or in large panicled clusters from the 

 axils of fallen 1. on lower part of stem, bracts over h in., im- 

 bricate, rotundate-oval, acute, entire, pubescent, pinnately 

 veined, bractlets linear-lanceolate, ciliate ; sep. nearly -^ in., 

 as long as bractlets, lanceolate, acuminate, ciliate; cor. nearly 

 glabrous, tube i in., campanulate-funnel-shaped, lobes § in., 

 narrowly triangular, very acute, reflexed, veined ; stam. much 

 exserted ; capsule under | in., oblong-ovoid ; seeds 4, glabrous. 



Montane zone, 4000-6000 ft. ; rather rare, gregarious. Nuwara Eliya 

 (dardner;; Hantane; Hewahette. Fl. December- F'eb.; dull orange- 

 yellow, fil. black. 



Endemic. 



A very distinct species. 



24. S. zeylanicus, And. in Thin. Erium. 227 (i860). 

 .V. ca/losus, Nces, 1. c. 185 (part). C. P. 3552. 



Fl. B. Ind. iv. 451. Bedd. Ic. PI. Ind. Or. t. 224. 



Stems 3-5 ft., quadrangular, glabrous; 1. large 4-10 in., 

 o\-al, tapering to base, acuminate, acute, finely crenate- 

 dcnticulate, margin slightly recurved, finely scabrous on both 

 sides, densely lineolate, petiole ^-liin. ; fl. few, rather large, 

 heads \-2 in. long, ovoid or oblong-ovoid, dense, very com- 



