GENTIANACEiE. 29I 



the upper, and often soon falling. Stem 6 to 18 inches, 

 roundish, but with four ridges decurrent from the edges 

 of the leaves, sparingly branched except in the 

 flowering region. Leaves obovate, sessile, acute or not, 

 strongly three-nerved : lower I by J4 inch, upper narrower 

 and shorter. Flowering branches in the upper axils, 

 two to five pairs, often branched again more than once 

 so as to form a terminal cymose corymb 3 to 8 inches 

 across : uppermost divisions short so that the flowers are 

 crowded in umbel-like manner. Sepals narrow, H to 

 Ys inch. Petals longer, white or very pale blue with 

 darker veins : pocket at the base of each covered by a 

 scale. Stamens with broad bases attached to the very 

 short corolla tube. t. 194. Wight Ic. tt. 1329, 1330. 



On the open downs, very common after the first rains. 

 Fyson 2010, 2156, 437, 371- Bourne 310. 



Three varieties are given in F.B.I. , but I am unable to distinguish 

 them. Difference in the size of the plants and the length of the internodes, 

 making the corymbs contracted or open, appear to be due rather to situa- 

 tion and growth than to an inherited difference. There may be some 

 difference between my Nilgiri and my Pulney specimens, but I am unable 

 to define it with any confidence. 



HALENIA. F.B.I. 97 xiii. 



Branched and leafy herbs with the characteristics of 

 the family and distinguished from all others by a short 

 spur behind and at the base of each petal (really an 

 enlarged honey gland cf. SWERTIA), and from SWERTIA 

 also by the petals overlapping to the left. Ovary 

 one-celled. 



Species 25 to 30 on the mountains of Asia and America. 



Halenia pcrrottctii Gr, ; RBJ. iv 130, XIII 2. Stem 

 slender, annual, glabrous, obscurely winged. Leaves 

 ovate, about i by V2 inch, with three main basal nerves 

 and an outer fainter pair. Flowers at the ends or near 

 the ends of the quite numerous branches. Sepals i/s 

 inch, narrowly obovate-obtuse. Petals Vs inch, more or 

 19-A 



