286 XC. SCROPnULAKIACE.E. 



pedicels |-1| n, loug, slender. Calyx glabrous, divided to the base; 

 upper sepal | by g-^ in., ovate, acute ; the other 4 sepals slightly 

 shorter than the upper ; the 2 inner lateral ones y^^ in. wide, lanceolate, 

 acute. Corolla pale-blue or almost white, ^ in. long ; lobes nearly equal, 

 rounded, spangled when fresh with shining dots. Anthers bluish -purple ; 

 pollen white. Capsules i in. long, ovoid, acute, pointed with the style- 

 base, glabrous. Beeds about 3^^ in. long, oblung, striate, pale. Hiern, 

 in Dyer, Fl. Capen. v. 4, Sec. 2 (1904) p. 355. Herpestis Monnieria^ 

 H. B. & K. Nov. Gen. & Sp. PL v. 2 (1817) p. 366; Benth. in DC. 

 Prodr. v. 10, p. 400 ; Trim. Fl. Ceyl. v. 3, p. 246. Herpestis Monniera, 

 Beuth. 8croph. Ind. p. 30 ; Hook." f. Fl. B. I. v. 4, p. 272; Grab. Cat. 

 p. 144 ; Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. JS'at. v. 12 (1898) p. 174 ; Watt, Diet. 

 Econ. Prod. v. 4, p. 225, Herpestes Ilonnieria, Dalz. & Gibs. p. 178. 

 Gratiola Monnieria, Linn. Cent. PI. ii. n. 120 in Amoen. Acad. v. 4 

 (1759) p. 306. — Flowers : Jan.-May. Vern. Barn ; Nira-hrdhmi. 



Throughout the Presidency in damp places. Konkan : Marmagao, Bhiva ! Deccan : 

 Woodrow ; Lanoli, Cooke\; Dongergaou near Ahmeduagar, Cookel; Mahableshwar, 

 Cooke ! ; Khandala, Kanitkar ! Sind : Woudrow ; Landhi, Cooke ! — Distrib. Through- 

 cut India in wet places; Oejloii and all warm countries. 



The stalks and leaves are used medicinally by the Hindus, who consider them 

 diuretic and aperient. According to Roxburgh, the expressed juice mixed with petro- 

 leum is used as an external ajjplication in rheumatism. It is also taken internally 

 as a nervine tonic. See Watt, Diet. Econ. Prod. 1. c. 



2. Moniera Hamiltoniana, T. Cooke. Erect or decumbent at 

 the base, stout, 3-10 in, high, glabrous ; stem simple or branched. 

 Leaves subsessile, \-\ by yo"! ^^v linear-lanceolate, acute, entire or 

 eubserrate, attenuated at the base ; nerves obsciu-e. Flowers se.«sile, 

 axillary, opposite, solitary ; bracteoles -^^ — ^ in. long, linear-subulate. 

 Calyx \ in. long ; upper sepal broadly ovate, acute, almost as broad as 

 long, reticulately veined; the 2 lateral sepals narrowly lanceolate, -^q in. 

 broad, membranous. Corolla bluish-pink with purple veins ; tube hemi- 

 spheric, attenuated upwards, scarcely exceeding the calyx ; limb sub- 

 bilabiate, the upper lip deeply emarginate. Anthers white (C. B. Clarice). 

 Capsules globose, g in. in diam., glabrous. Seeds narrowly oblong, 

 yellowish-brown, usually acute at one or both ends. Herpestis Hamil- 

 toniana, Benth. Scroph.'ind. (1835) p. 30 ; Hook. f. Fl. B. I. v. 4, p. 272; 

 Dalz. & Gibs. p. 178; Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. Nat. v. 12 (1898) 

 p. 174. 



Rare in the Bombay Presidency except at Malwan. Konkan ; Stocks !, Imw ! ; 

 Malwan, plentiful, DalzeW. — Distrib. India (Northern provinces, Panjdb, Bengal, 

 Assam, Silhet, W. Peninsula) ; Senegal. 



3. Moniera floribunda, T. Cool-e. Erect, 3-1 2 in. high ; stem 

 subquadrangular, slender, glabrous, more or less branched. Leaves 

 subsessile, 2^14 by -i^s ^"'t linear or linear-lanceolate, acute, entire, 

 finely punctate. Flowers numerous, 1-3 (commonly 2) together in an 

 axil ; bracteoles -^ in. long, subulate, inserted on the pedicel a little 

 below the calyx ; pedicels y^,y-^ in. long. Calyx puberulous ; upper 

 sepal X-\ by ^ in., ovate, subacute, reticulately veined ; the 2 lateral 

 sepals narrow, linear-lanceolate, acute, reticulately veined, membranous. 

 Corolla not seen. Capsules | in. long, subglobose or broadly ovoid. 

 Seeds -^ in. long, oblong, trun'^ate at both ends, brown. Herpistis 



