Cleistaftthus.'l Etiphorbiacecs. XI 



2. B. nXoonli, Thw. Enuin. 279 (1861). Pat-kala, S. 



Muell. Arg. in DC. Prod. xv. 2, 497. Cluytia rettisa, Moon, Cat. 71 

 (non L.). 



Fl. B. Ind. V. 268. 



Characters those of B. retusa, but 1. usually larger, 4-6 in., 

 more acuminate, with fewer (11-15 pair) lat. veins, and less 

 white, and not so minutely reticulate beneath ; fl. 'monoecious' 

 (? always), in axillary clusters only; fr. about -3 in., ovoid, 

 tapering to both ends, acute at apex. 



Moist low country, up to 2000 ft. ; common. Fl. June. 



Endemic. 



I doubt if this be distinct from B. retusa, but the shape of the fruit 

 appears to characterise it, and the ultimate venation of the leaves is 

 different. 



[In a drawing (in Herb. Peradin.) some of the leaves are as rounded 

 at the apex as in B. retusa, and the berries, i| in. long, are rounded at 

 both ends, the pyrenes rugose. — J. D. H.] 



3. B. scandens, Wtlld. SJ>. PL iv. 979 (1805). 

 C. P. 3932. 



Fl. B, Ind. v. 270 {B. stipularis). Roxb. Cor. PI. t. 173. 



A scandent shrub; young branches long, slender, twigs 

 slightly pubescent; 1. 1-2 in., on very short petioles, oblong- 

 oval, subacute, very shallowly crenate, glabrous above, pale 

 and slightly pubescent beneath, lat. veins 5 or 6 pair; fl. 

 * monoecious ' in small, very dense axillary clusters ; cal. very 

 hairy outside, segm. narrow, acute; fr. 'oblong, nearly | in. 

 long, obtuse, smooth, bluish-black.' 



Moist low country ; very rare. Below Alagalla (Ferguson). Fl. 

 Dec. ; pale green. 



India, Malaya, Philippine Is., Tropical Africa. 



I have seen only the C. P. specimens, which are poor and have no 

 fruit. 



4. CXiEISTANTKUS, Hk.f. 



Small trees; fl. in axillary clusters, rarely in spikes, 

 monoecious (sometimes dioecious?); cal. -segm. 4-6, valvate; 

 pet. very small, often bifid ; male fl. : — disk broad ; stam. 5, fil. 

 more or less connate below in a column ; pistillode small, 

 terminating column; fem. fl. : — disk large, lobed; ov. 3-cellcd, 

 with 2 ovules in each cell; styles 3, bifid; fruit dry, 3-lobed; 

 seeds exarillate, endosperm copious or scanty, cotyledons thin 

 or fleshy, flat or folded. — Sp. about 30; 28 in Fl. B. Ind. 



