322 XCIXI. GESXKllIACE.E. 



Woodr. ill Joiirn. Bomb. Nat. v. 12 (189S) p. 176. jEschynantlius 

 ceylanica, "Wight, Icon. t. 1347. ^. grandijlorus. Grab. Cat. p. 146 

 (not of Spreng.). — Flowers : Oct.-Jan. 



KoNKAN : Gliats, Talhot. Deccan : ICoina valley, below Mahablesliwar, Cooke !, 

 Wooclrow\ S. M. CouNTiiY : Parva Ghat, Stocks \, DulscH\; Ramgluit, Ritchie, 1861! 

 Kanaka : on trees in evei-green forests of N. Kanara G hats, common on the Niikund 

 Ghat, Talhot. — Distuih. India (W. Peninsula). 



I have included in the above tlie vars. malaharira and planicidmis (C. B. Clarke, in 

 DC. Prodr. I. c). The former is said to differ in tlie leaves which are acute at the base 

 (the bases of the type being rounded) and in a shorter calyx. But I have found on 

 the same plant leaves with acute and rounded bases, while the length of the calyx in 

 plants whose leaves are acute at the base has often reached f in. Dalzell & Gibson 

 (Bo. Fl. p. 135) describe the leaves of the JEschynanthm uf Parwar (now Parva) Ghat 

 (not Panoar as entered by error in DC. Monogr. 1. c. p. 26 and in Fl. B. I. 1. c. p. 3-10) 

 as rather ohtiiae at the base. 



The var. planiculmi^ (DC. Monogr. 1. c. p. 26) (plafyculmis in Hook. f. Fl. B. I. 

 V. 4, p. 3i0) is distinguished by its flattened branches, a condition not uncommon in 

 epipiiytic plants and depending on the force with which the young stems have been 

 pressed against the supporting tree, as well perhaps as on the time of year in which 

 the specimens were collected. The succulent branches of epiphytes are often swollen 

 in the rainy season and dry up much in the hot weather. 



It seems probable that the species jE. ceylanica (Gard. in Calc. Journ. Nat. Hist. 

 V. 6 (1846) p. 474), which differs from M. Perottetii by a slightly shorter corolla, 

 should be included in that species. The chief distinctive character on which Gardner 

 (/. c.) relies, viz. the difference in the length of the capsule, does not exist. 



2. CHIRITA, Buch.-Ham. 



Herbs or low luulersbrubs. Leaves opposite, often unequal (some- 

 times whorled or alternate), elliptic or ovate (rarely lanceolate). Flowers 

 in many- or few-flowered axillary cymes, sometimes reduced to a single 

 flower ; bracts free or connate, deciduous. Calyx 5-fid or 5-parlite ; 

 lobes acute. Corolla infundibuliform ; tube elongate, straight or in- 

 curved ; limb 2-lipped, the lobes 5, rounded. Stamens inserted on the 

 corolla -tube, 2 perfect, 2-3 barren; filaments flattened, geniculate; 

 anthers usually applied to the stigma, the cells 2, divaricate, often con- 

 fluent. Ovary linear, 1-celled ; placentas intruded as far as the axis, 

 then reflexed, bearing many ovules on their margins; style short or 

 long ; stigma when young obliciuo, ])eltate, notched on the lower margin, 

 in age the upper )nargiu usually produced, oblong, bitid. Capsule elongate, 

 linear, sessile, opening loculicidally to the base; valves 2-partite the 

 following season. Seeds ellipsoid, smooth, sometimes minutely um- 

 bonate ; testa often striate, reticulate. — Uisteib. Chiefly Indian ; a few 

 ^ . Malayan and Chinese ; species about 35. 



1. Chirita hamosa, B. Br. in Benn. PI. Jav. liar. (1833-1852) 

 p. 117. Annual ; stem S-20 in. high, erect, s|)arsely hairy. Leaves 

 opposite, suhcqual, 3-*! by 2-4 in., ovate or elhptic, acute, obscurely 

 crenulate, thin, sparsely hairy on both sides, ba'<e rounded or sub- 

 cordate; petioles ^-f i'l- long. Peduncles adnate to the petiole; 

 pedicels \-\ in. long, hairy. Calyx ^ in. long, divided almost to the 

 base, hairy ; tube -^^ in. long; segments linear, subacute. Corolla h in. 

 long ; tube slender, nearly white ; limb pale blue or somewhat rosy. 

 Stigma 2-fid, elongate after flowering. Capsides 1]-3J in. long, linear, 

 acute, often much curved, slender, pubescent. Seeds about ^'^ in. long, 



