394 Amarantacecs. {Ailmania. 



Dry region ; rather common, extending into intermediate districts. 

 Anuradhapura, abundant; Lagalla; Maturata. Fl. September-Decem- 

 ber; white. 



Also in S. India. 



3. C. polyg"onoides, Relz. Obs. Bot. ii. 12 (1781). 

 Thw. Enum. 247. C. P. 2240. 

 Fl. B. Ind. iv. 715. 



Perennial, stems from a woody rootstock, 1-2 ft., roughly 

 pubescent; 1. small, |-i in., broadly ovate, subcordate at base, 

 obtuse or acute, entire, glabrous above, pubescent on veins 

 beneath, petiole \ in., pubescent ; fl. 2 or 3 in small distant 

 clusters on erect, slender, terminal spikes, bracts small, in- 

 conspicuous ; per.-leaves lanceolate-oblong, acute, capsule 

 oblong-ovoid, topped with a large head ; seeds about 10, 

 black. 



Dry region ; very rare (or overlooked). Mannar (Gardner). 



Also in S. India. 



2. AI1X.BIANIA, Br. 



Annual, 1. alt., fl. bisexual, sessile, crowded in dense, axillary 

 (or apparently terminal), capitulate cymes, bracts scarious, 

 shorter than perianth, per.-leaves 5, narrow; stam. 5, fil. united 

 into a shallow cup at base, staminodes o; stigma shortly bifid, 

 ovule erect ; fruit membranous, with circumscissile dehiscence, 

 seed surrounded by a cupular aril, smooth. — Sp. 2 or 3; 2 in 

 FL B. Ind. 



A. nodlflora, Br. in Wall. Cat. n. 6890 (1828). Kumatiya, S. 



Herm. Mus. i. Burm. Thes. 16, 17. Fl. Zeyl. n. loi. Celosia nodi- 

 flora, L. Sp. PI. 205. Moon Cat. 19. Chamissoa nodiflora, Mant., Thw. 

 Enum. 247. C. P. 2726. 



Fl. B. Ind. iv. 716. Burm. Thes. t. 5, f. 2. Wight, Ic. t. 1770, 1771 

 {A. dic/ioloina), 1772 {A. aspcrd). 



Stems 1-3 ft., spreading, prostrate or ascending, much 

 branched, more or less pubescent; 1. numerous, 1-2^ in., very 

 variable, linear-oblong or broadly oval, tapering to base, 

 obtuse or acute, apiculate, glabrous or pubescent, nearly 

 sessile or petiole obscure; heads sessile or stalked, few- or 

 many-flowered, more or less globose, dense or lax, sometimes 

 drooping, bracts pubescent, per.-leaves acuminate, very acute, 

 shining, silvery; seed globose-compressed, dull black. 



Var. /3, long°epedunculata, Trim., Wight, Ic. t. 1769 {C/tamissoa 

 albida). 



Heads larger, often ovoid, on long peduncles. 



Low country (and up to 5000 ft. rarely), i)rincii)ally in the dry region ; 



