COMPOSITiE. 225 



divided into short slender tails. Stylar arms flattened : 



achenes small with a single circle of slender caducous 



pappus hairs. 



Species about 60 in tropical and sub-tropical parts of Asia, 

 Africa and Australia, very common in India. 



A very difficult genus, the species being inconstant in leaves and other 

 respects. 



Blumca ncilgherrensis Hook. f. ; F.B.L iii 261, XXVI 



4. Strongly aromatic and woolly all over. Leaves 



obovate acute, from 3 to 4 by I J4 to 2 inches near the 



base to I by ^ inch near the flowering part, sharply 



dentate-serrate with teeth /^ to /^ inch apart. Heads 



numerous soft : involucral bracts very slender, woolly. 



Florets purple, pappus copious. 



On the open downs, flowers in June. Nilgiris : common. 

 Pulneys beyond the Observatory. 



Gen. Dist. South Indian hills, Nilgiris, Pulneys, Courtallum. 



Blumea (.?) barbata DC. ; F.B.L iii 262, XXVI 6. Stem 

 usually unbranched, 15 to 20 inches, softly hairy or 

 shaggy. Leaves up to 4 by 2 inches, elliptic, narrowed 

 to the base, sharply toothed with one or more smaller 

 teeth between the larger. Flower-heads in a compact 

 mass opening out in fruit to a panicle- Involucral bracts 

 linear, shaggy. Achenes small, ribbed. Pappus white. 



Pulneys: in Kodaikanal. Bourne 579, 2039. 



I have not collected this myself, nor verified the naming. F.B.I, 

 describes the plant and leaves as altogether smaller than the above, and the 

 achenes as minute, striate above ; which does not agree with Bourne's plant. 



Blumca hicracifolia DC; F.B.L iii 263, XXVI n. 

 Stem usually unbranched, erect, I to 2 feet. Leaves 

 mostly near the ground and forming a rosette, obovate 

 spathulate, serrate ; undersides woolly, as also the upper 

 parts of the stem and especially the involucres. Heads 

 close together in one or more compact masses, form- 

 ing elongate panicles : bracts narrow, hairy, the inner 

 15 



