142 SAXIFRAGACE.E. 



The species differ very little in general appearance, though slightly in 

 regard to size, which is always an uncertain character. The main differences 

 lie in the shape of the staminodes, whether fimbriate, three-lobed, or club- 

 shaped, and of the petals, whether entire or cut. The staminodes end in 

 glistening drops of honey, or in some merely appear to do so, and thus 

 attract flies by whom cross-pollination is carried out. 



Petals fimbriate, white or pale yellow, ^ inch ; lobes of stami- 

 nodes three, cylindrical P. wightiana. 



Petals entire or nearly so, white, J^ inch ; lobes of staminodes 

 three, obscure and rounded P. mysorensis. 



Parnassia wightiana Wall ; KB. I. ii 402, VI 3 ; Grass 



of Parnassus of Ootacamund. Leaf-stalks 2 to 4 inches, 



blades % to I inch broad, deeply cordate, with five basal 



veins, the three inner curving forward to meet at the 



apex. Flowering stems 6 to 8 inches, or more, with a bract 



half way up nearly as large as the leaves, and similar to 



them, clasping the stem. Sepals H inch. Petals V^to^ 



inch, oblong obovate, fringed in the lower and narrower 



part with slender hair-like fimbriae, white or pale yellow- 



Staminodes as long as the stamens ending above in three 



oblong processes with globular glandular heads. Capsule 



rounded, obcordate ; seeds all near its base, ellipsoid 



with wrinkled coat. A,, B. staminodes of another plant 



(? same species). 



On the Ootacamund downs in swamps, common. Flowers 

 after the beginning of the rains. Not at Kodaikanal. Fyson 

 3070. Bourne 4.60S, ^211. 



Gen. Dist. On the southern and eastern Himalayas, Khasia, etc., 

 China and Yunan. Not northwards on these ghats, nor on the Himalayas 

 at Simla. 



Though placed in a different section of the genus because the stamin- 

 odes are less divided at the top, in general appearance this is remarkably 

 like the European species, P. pahcstris, Fr. Parnassie des marais, Ger. 

 Herzbluemchen. 



Parnassia mysorensis Heyne ; Herb. Rottler., Wall, Cat, 

 3754 ! ; not of F.B.I. ; VI 6^ ; Grass of Parnassus of Kodai- 

 kanal. Leaf-stalks, ^ to 2 inches : blades cordate, nearly 

 circular, thick, with five or seven veins curving forwards 

 to the apex but not conspicuous. Flower stems 5 to 8 



