426 ERIOCAULACE^. 



finely striate, arching well over the mouth. Spadix 



elongate and projecting out of and above the spathe in a 



long rat-tail like appendage, t. 270. Wight Ic. t. 788 



Nilgiris : on the borders of one area, Pykara at 6,500 feet, 

 Kotagiri, Coonoor. Not at the higher levels. Pulneys : not 

 seen above Shembaganur. Fyson. Bourne. 



Gen. Dist. Mountains of India from Simla southwards. 



Arisaema leschenaultii ^/«w^; F.B.I, vi 504, IV 25 . 



common Cobra-flower. Very variable in size. Stem 

 ij^ to 4 feet, pale or greenish, mottled with brownish 

 purple markings : lower part with a few sheaths. Leaf 

 solitary, with stalk of 4 to 12 inches, above the sheathing 

 base. Leaflets seven to thirteen, 4 to 7 by I to 2 inches, 

 elliptic-oblanceolate or obovate, acuminate, all equally 

 separate : midrib strong ; nerves numerous, and meeting 

 in a well deflned nerve inside the margin. Spathe, male 

 or female, carried on its stalk to just below the hori- 

 zontally spreading leaflets : tubular below, widening out 

 to the broad limb of about the same length, which is 

 sharply bent over and extends horizontally covering the 

 spadix. Spadix quite straight, erect, with flowers only 

 on the lowest, contracted, one-third part ; above thicker 

 then narrowed slightly to the rounded tip. Female 

 spadix with hair-like projections above the flowers. 

 Fruiting mass 6 inches by 3 inches, conical, the indivi 

 dual berries ^ inch across green and red. t. 271, 



Very common in shady cool places. Pulneys : in Kodaikanal 

 on shaded road-sides, in woods, etc. Nilgiris : Coonoor. 



Gen. Dist. Western Ghats. 



ERIOCAULACE/E 



Flowers unisexual, very small and massed in a head 

 with an involucre of bracts below. Sepals three. Petals 

 three. Stamens three or six. Ovary of two or three 

 cells, with one erect ovule in each. 



