474 SaiitalacecB. [Osyn's, 



Branches elongated, very slender, cylindrical (striate when 

 dried), glabrous, joints long, each with a sheath-like scale; 1. 

 1-3 in., linear, usual more or less spathulate, much tapering 

 to base, rounded at apex, obscurely 3-nerved ; fl. sessile, in 

 distant opp. pairs in very slender opp. glabrous spikes, pet. 

 rather large, oval, acute ; fruit (? ripe) oblong-ovoid, about 

 J in., topped with persistent pet., red (i*). 



Moist region extending into montane zone, very rare. Adam's Peak 

 (Gardner, Thwaites) ; between Hanwella and Labugama (Ferguson). 

 Endemic. 



CXVI 1 1.— SANTALACE/E. 



Shrubs or trees, 1. alt., entire, without stip., fl. small, poly- 

 gamous, axillary, regular; per.-tube adnate to ov., segm. 3 or 

 5, each with a tuft of hair on upper surface, valvate; stam. 

 3 or 5, opp. per.-segm. ; ov. inferior, sunk in per.-tube, i-celled, 

 ovules 2 or 3 on a central free placenta ; fruit indehiscent, 

 seed solitary, embryo in axis of copious fleshy endosperm. 



Fl. 3-merous, in clusters or solitary . i. Osyris. 



Fl. 5-merous, in dense spikes . . 2. Scleropyrum. 



I. OSVRZS, L. 



A shrub, 1. alt., numerous, fl. small, polygamous (male and 

 bisexual), axillary, male in clusters, bisexual solitary; per.- 

 tube short in male, long solid and adnate to ov. in bisexual fl., 

 segm. 3, valvate ; stam. 3, inserted at base of per.-segm. ; ov. 

 inferior and sunk in solid perianth tube, placenta central, 

 style short, stigmas 3 ; fruit indehiscent, seed solitary, embryo 

 central in copious endosperm. — Sp. 5 or 6 ; i in F/. B. Ind. 



O. arborea, Wall. Cat. n. 4035 (1828). 



Thw. Enum. 251. C. P. 53. 



Fl. B. Ind. V. 232. Wight, Ic. t. 1853 {0. Wightiana). 



A shrub, branches numerous, stiff, virgate, young ones 

 angular, glabrous, 1. rather crowded, 4-1^- in., lanceolate, acute 

 at base, obtuse but sharply apiculate, entire, glabrous, pale 

 green, petiole very short; male fl. on short ped., bisexual ones- 



