Altemanihera.'] AniarantacecB. 405 



Stem tall, 2-4 ft., thickened at nodes, slightly hairy, with 

 long opp. branches ; 1. 2-4 in., lanceolate, acute at base, 

 acuminate, acute, often finely undulate at margin, slightly 

 hairy on both sides ; fl. laxly reflexed, not crowded, spikes 

 slender, weak, pubescent, bracts short, linear, acute, deflexed, 

 bractlets entirely transformed into very sharp stiff spines with 

 2 minute rounded auricles at base ; per.-l. under \ in., very 

 acuminate; stam. 5, staminodes not fimbriate. 



Shady places in grass, common, especially in the lower montane zone. 

 Fl. Sept.-Jan.; greenish. 



Also in India, China, Japan, and Java. 



4. A. diandra, Roxb. FL J?td. {ed. Carey &^ Wa/L) ii. 504 (1824). 

 Centrostacliys diandra. Wall., Thw. Enum. 249. C. P. 2241. 

 Fl. B. Ind. iv. 731. Wight, Ic. t. 722. 



Annual, stems about 2 ft., very slender, slightly hairy; 1. 

 very shortly stalked, I2-3 in., linear or lanceolate-linear, acute 

 at both ends, slightly hairy on both sides; fl. deflexed, very 

 lax or distant, spikes extremely slender, slightly hairy, bracts 

 small, reflexed, bractlets transformed into slender sharp spines 

 nearly as long as fl., per.-l. scarcely \ in., very acute; stam. 2, 

 staminodes shortly fimbriate; fruit oblong, truncate. 



Dry region; common. Fl. January-March. 

 Endemic. 



I do not know who first detected this. Roxburgh simply gives 

 ' Ceylon ' as the locality. 



II. AXiTERNANTKERA, Forsk. 



Prostrate herb, 1. opp., fl. sessile in axillary sessile heads; 

 per.-leaves 5, slightly unequal, scarious; perfect stam. 3 (or 2) 

 and staminodes 2 (or 3), all united at base to form a short 

 cup, anth. i -celled ; ov. compressed, with a solitary ovule 

 pendulous from basal funicle; stigma sessile. — Sp. 16; 2 in 

 Fl. B. Ind. 



A. triandra, Lain. E?icy. Meth. i. 95 (1783). Mukunu- 

 wenna, S. 



Herm. Mus. 14. Burm. Thes. 17. Fl. Zeyl. n. 116. Illecebrum 

 sessile, L. Sp. PI. ed. 2, 300. Moon Cat. 19. A. sessih's, Br., Thw. Enum. 

 250. C. P. 2908. 



Fl. B. Ind. iv. 731 {A. sessilis). Burm. Thes. t. 4, f. 2. Wight, Ic. 

 t. 727. 



Stems numerous, 6-24 in., with long internodes, prostrate 

 or ascending, often rooting at lower nodes, sub-quadrangular, 

 glabrous, the younger ones with two opp. lines of hair, often 

 purple; 1. small, |-2 in., varying from linear to oblong-oval. 



