Pollia.] Co7nmelmac€CE . 299 



dissimilar; ov. 3-celled, cells i- few-ovuled, style terminal, 



■often bearded, stigma small, or style enlarged at or below the 



summit, ovules orthotropous ; capsule loculicidal (indehiscent 



in Pollia) ; seeds various, testa smooth or rugose, embryo 



minute, immersed in floury endosperm. 



The specific characters of this Order here given have been for the 

 most part collated with Mr. Clarke's excellent monograph of Com- 

 melinaceEE in Alph. Dc. Monog. Phanerog. vol. iii.). These having been 

 very carefully drawn up from specimens collected over the greater part 

 ■of India, afford some characters which may .lOt be present in the iiitherto 

 collected Ceylon forms, but which may be found tu occur when the latter 

 .are better known. 



Fr. indehiscent, crustaceous i. PoLLIA. 



Capsule loculicidal. 



Stamens, 3 perfect, with 2-3 imperfect (staminodes). 



Cymes enclosed in a spathe, fil. glabrous . . 2. Commelina. 



Cyme: panicled, fil. bearded 3. Aneilema. 



Stamens, 6 perfect. 



Cymes scorpioid, of imbricating bracteoles (except 



C. axillaris) 4. CvANOTIS. 



Fl. in a terminal panicle 5. Floscopa, 



I. POIjZiIA, Thimb. 

 Tall, erect, sparingly branched, leafy herbs ; 1. lanceolate, 

 base narrowed, sheathing ; fl. in terminal, pubescent panicles, 

 bracts at the axils of the branches deciduous, bracteoles per- 

 sistent ; sep. 3, subpetaloid, concave, accrescent, persistent ; 

 pet. 3, free, deciduous ; stam. 3, with 3 staminodes, fil. naked, 

 anth.-cells parallel, staminodes as long as the stam ; ov. ovoid, 

 3-celled, cells many-ovuled, style slender, curved, stigma 

 3-lobed ; fr. globose, indehiscent, many-seeded ; seeds trapezi- 

 form, closely packed, and immersed in a central receptacle, — 

 Sp. 14 ; 5 in /7. B. Ind. 



I. P. sorzog-onensis,-^ Endl. ex Miq. Fl. Ind. Bat. iii. 541 (1855). 



P. indica, Thw. Enum. 323. C. P. 2327. 



Fl. B. Ind. vi. 367. Wight, Ic. t. 2068 {Aclinia indica). 

 Stem 2-3 ft., stout, terete, glabrous or puberulous, viscid ; 

 1. sessile or petioled, 4-12 by 2-3 in., oblong-lanceolate, finely 

 acuminate, glabrous on both surfaces, base acute, petiole 

 O-i in., .sheath smooth, mouth truncate ; ped. short or long, 

 pubescent with spreading and deflexed hairs, carrying one or 

 two small amplexicaul 1.; panicle erect, 1-5 in. long, viscidly 

 pubescent, branches alternate, decurved, spiciform, bracts 

 oblong, bracteoles minute, ochreate ; fl. \ in. broad ; sep. 



* Sorzogon is on the coast of Luzon. 



