432 ERIOCAULACEiE. 



Eriocaulon geoffrcyi Fyson ; I 47. Scapes solitary, 

 very slender, 2 to 5 inches : sheath ^ inch, with scarious 

 bifid mouth. Leaves ^ to iK inches, flat, acute, about 

 nine-nerved, often recurved. Heads % inch, white with 

 the hairs of the male petals. Involucral bracts black, 

 glabrous. Receptacle glabrous. Floral bracts obovate- 

 cuspidate, black with thick white hairs on the back and 

 upper margin. Male flowers : — Sepals black, united into 

 a spathe, split down the front. Corolla tube slender 

 tapering downwards, enlarged above and cup-shaped ; 

 petals subequal with long thick white hairs and large 

 black glands. Anthers black. Female flowers : — Sepals 

 boat-shaped. Petals oblanceolate with fine long white 

 hairs nearly to the base. t. 277. 



On damp ground. Pulney hills. South India 7,500 feet. 

 Fyson 2165, 2085. 



Not known elsewhere. 



The solitary scapes and stiff often recurved leaves are very 

 characteristic. 



Eriocaulon mariaB Fyson ; I 48. Scapes several, i to 

 2 inches, slender : sheath Yz inch : mouth single, very 

 acute, slightly enlarged. Leaves Yz to ^4 inch by 1/12 

 to 1/8 inch, strongly ribbed, glabrous. Heads ^ to ^ 

 inch : involucral bracts light brown, glabrous. Floral 

 bracts acute, black with tufts of white hairs. Villi of 

 receptacle very long and copious. Male flowers : — Sepal 

 1/25 inch united in a spathe split in front. Corolla tube 

 and lobes very small, glands large. Female flowers 1/16 

 inch : petals divided almost to the base into a number 

 of fine hairs, t. 277. 



Fyson 2086. Pulneys : at 7,500 feet, in a marsh on the 

 downs above Kodaikanal. 



Not known elsewhere. 



The very dwarf habit, yet broad leaves, and the remarkably 

 divided female petals make this distinct from any other, 



