LXXl. COMPOSIT-T",. 11 



Leaves 2-31 by 1-1| in., lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, acute, coarsely 

 serrate, more or less pubescent on both sides, base tapering into the 

 petiole. Heads ^-| in. in diam., subcorymbose, many- (about 40-) 

 flowered, with a linear bract near the top of the peduncle. Outer 

 invol.-bracts linear, hairy, herbaceous, shorter than those of the inner 

 rows ; intermediate bracts with herbaceous haiiy tips, linear, acute or 

 subobtuse, often constricted at the base of the herbaceous part, equalHng 

 or shorter (rarely longer) than the innermost ; innermost bracts usually 

 the longest, linear, subacute, scarious, often tipped with purple. Pappus 

 reddish, the exterior row very short, subpaleaceous, persistent, the inner 

 hairs somewhat flattened, deciduous, much shorter than the glabrous 

 corollas. Achenes j\-^ in. long, oblong-cyliudric, 10-ribbed, pubescent. 

 n. B. I. V. 3, p. 236 ; Grab. Cat. p. 96; Dalz. & Gibs. p. 313 ; C. B. 

 Clarke, Comp. Ind. p. 10 ; Trim. El. Cevl. v. 3, p. 9 ; Woodr. in Journ. 

 Bomb. Nat. V. 11 (1898) p. 647; Watt, Diet. Econ. Prod. v. 6, part 4, 

 p. 229. — Elowers : Dec.-Eeb. Vern. Eadu-Tcdrld ; Kadu-jire. 



Common in the black soil of the Deccan. Deocan : Poena, Cooke \, Woodrow] 

 S. M. Country : Dharwar, Ritchie, 1806 ! Kanaka : Yellur, Ritchie, 1806 ! — Distrib. 

 Throughout India, often cultivated ; Ceylon. 



The achenes are largely used in native medicine. The plant roasted in a room or 

 powdered and thrown about the room is supposed to expel fleas; hence it is known as 

 the Purple Flea-Bane. See Watt, Diet. Econ. Prod. 1. c. 



4. Vernonia divergens, Edgeiv. in Joum. As. Soc. Beng. v. 21 (1853) 

 p. 172 (incorrectly printed Vernonia). Shrubby, perennial, 4-6 or some- 

 times 8 ft. high ; branches diverging, pubescent. Leaves 2-6 by 1-3 in., 

 elliptic, acute, serrate, scabrid above, pubescent or tomentose beneatli, 

 base tapering ; main nerves very prominent on the lower side, with 

 reticulate veins between ; petioles g-| in. long. Elowers purple, usually 

 in dense much-branched rounded corymbs. Heads small, 8-12-flowered, 

 usually clustered at the apices of the ultimate branches. Invol.-bracts 

 few, in few series, Mith greenish tips, oblong-obtuse (rarely subacute), 

 sometimes apiculate, the outer ovate, smaller than the inner, all nearly 

 glabrous or pubescent or sometimes clothed with white wool. Corolla 

 glabrous. Pappus reddish or dirty-white, the outer ring of hairs con- 

 sisting of very few, soon deciduous, Achenes ^ in. long, strongly 

 10-ribbed, glabrous or glandular between the ribs (not pilose), truncate 

 at the apex, tapering towards the base. El. B. I. v. 3, p. 1!34 ; C. B. 

 Clarke, Comp. Ind. p. 14; Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. Nat. v. 11 (1898) 

 p. 647. Eujiatorium diuergens, Dalz. & Gibs. p. 123. — Elouers : Dec.- 

 Eeb. Veen. Bundar. 



KoNKAN : Stocks !, Law ! ; Matheran, //. 31. Birdwood. Deccan : Khandala, Cooke I ; 

 Parghat, Graham; Mahableshwar, H. M. Birdwood. S. M. Country : hills east of 

 Belgaum, Ritchie, 1800 ! Kanara, Stocks !, Mrs. Ward ! ; Kala naddi, Ritchie, 1800 ! ; 

 Sir»i, Woodrow. Gujarat: Dangs, Woodroiu, 16! — Distrib. India (Behar, Central 

 India, W. Peninsula, Rangoon, Birma). 



Some of the Bombay specimens have densely woolly invol.-bi-acts, but I find the 

 character insufficiently constant to make a good variety. I have seen both woolly 

 and glabrous bi'acts on the same specimen. 



5. Vernonia indica, C. B. Clarke, Comji. Ind. (1876) p. 16. An 

 undershrub 3-6 ft, high ; stem erect, not much branched, the stem, 

 branches, underside of leaves, and inflorescence densely clothed with 

 soit woolly whitish toraentum. Leaves 4-6 by li-3| in. (the upper 



