Commelina.] Commelinacecs. 



0^3 



brous ; ov. 2-celled, cells 2-ovuled ; capsule \ in. long, qua- 

 drately oblong, compressed, constricted in the middle, shortly 

 beaked, valves coriaceous, cells 2-seeded ; seeds \ in. long, 

 oblong, deeply pitted, pale brown. 



Low country; apparently rare. Maturata, Sept. 1853 (Thwaites). 

 Fl. Sept. 



Endemic. 



Referred by Trimen in Herb. Peraden. to C. atiemiata, Vahl. The 

 pitted seeds of this species are distinctive. The fl. are too imperfect for 

 description. 



6. C. attenuata, Vahl, Enum. ii. 168 (1806). 



Clarke, Monogr. 172. 



Fl. B. Ind. vi. yji. Clarke, Comm. Beng. t. 7 (C rajmahalensis). 



Stem 1-2 ft., very slender, much branched, glabrous or 

 sparsely hairy ; 1. sessile, 2-4 by \-\ in., erect, striate, linear, 

 acute, costate, veins few, glabrous, or with a few long white 

 hairs on the upper surface, sheath very short, hardly distinct 

 from the base of the 1., margin ciliate; spathes long-peduncled, 

 \-\\ in. long, narrowly ovate-lanceolate, caudate-acuminate, 

 glabrous, base sagittately cordate, lobes obtuse, ped. ^-i in., 

 very slender, pubescent along the upper surface ; ov. 2-celled, 

 cells 2-ovuled ; capsule yV i^^- long, obovoid or oblong, com- 

 pressed, membranous, 2-celled, cells 1-2-seeded ; seeds large 

 when solitary, \ in. long, oblong, smooth, compressed, testa 

 pale yellow-brown, thickened and white at either end, when 2 

 in a cell the lower seed is much smaller. 



Uva (Trimen). Fl. Jan. (U 



Central and Southern India. 



The very short 1. -sheaths, and sagittately cordate base of the spathe 

 are characteristic of this amongst the Ceylon species. Indian specimens 

 vary greatly in size, habit, and foliage. 



7. C. obliqua, Ham. in Dofi, Prodr. 45 (1825). 



Thw. Enum. 322. Clarke, Mon. 178. C. P. 2326. 



Fl. B. Ind. vi. 372. Wight, Ic. t. 2066 {C. polyspatha). 

 Stem 2-3 ft, stout, branched, glabrous, branches widely 

 creeping below ; 1. 4-7 by 1-2 in., sessile or petioled, lanceolate 

 or ovate-lanceolate, finely acuminate or caudate, membranous, 

 glabrous, scabrous or villous, sheath |-i in., mouth ciliate with 

 long hairs ; spathes sessile or very shortly peduncled, f-i in. 

 broad and long, solitary or crowded, turbinately funnel-shaperi, 

 cuspidate, glabrous ; fl. | in. across, clawed pets, orbicular ; 

 ov. 3-celled, cells i-ovuled ; capsule \ in. long, obovoid or 

 oblong, trigonous, 3-celled, 3-valved, 3-seeded ; seeds \ in. 

 long, oblong or ellipsoid, smooth, puberulous, lead-col'd. 



Moist low country, above 1000 ft. ; rare. Matale and Maturata 

 (Thwaites). Fl. Jan., Feb.; bright blue. 



India and the Malay Is. 



