4S0 c. nyctaginace.t:, 



1. Boerhaavia diffusa, Linn. Sp. PI. (1753) p. 3. Herbaceous, 

 diffuse ; root large, fusiform ; stems prostrate or ascending, reacliing 

 2-3 ft. long, divaricately branched, slender, cylindric, tliickened ab the 

 nodes, minutely pubescent or nearly glabrous, often purplish. Leaves 

 at each node in unequal pairs, the larger 1-1 i in., the smaller ^f in. 

 long, both nearly as broad as long, broadly ovate or suborbicular, rounded 

 at the apex, green and glabrous above, usually white with minute scales 

 beneath, the margins entire, often colored pink, somewhat undulate, 

 base rounded or subcordate ; petioles nearly as long as the blade, slender, 

 riowers very small, shortly stalked or nearly sessile, 4-10 together, in 

 small umbels arranged in slender long-stalked coi'ymbose, axillary and 

 terminal panicles; bracteoles small, lanceolate, acute. Perianth g in. long; 

 ovarial part of tube ^V in. long, contracted above the ovary, glandular- 

 viscid ; limb funnel-shaped, dark-pink, with 5 narrow vertical bands 

 outside. Stamens 2 or 3, slightly exserted. Fruit l in. long, clavate, 

 rounded, broadly and bluntly 5-ribbed, very glandular. Dalz. & Gibs, 

 p. 213; Trim. Fl. Ceyl. v. 3, p. 390; Watt, Diet. Econ. Prod. v. 1, 

 p. 485. Boerhaavia repens, Linn. Sp. PI. (1753) p. 3; Hook. f. Fl. B. I. 

 V. 4, p. 709 ; Dalz. & Gibs. p. 213 ; Woodr. in Jouru. Bomb. Nat. v. 12 

 (1899) p. 363 ; Prain, Beng. PI. p. 862. B. repens, vars. diffusa & 

 procimihens. Hook. f. Fl. B. I. v. 4, p. 709. B. procumhens, Eoxb. Fl. 

 Ind. v. I, p. 146 ; Grab. Cat. p. 167 ; Wight, Icon. t. 874. — Flowers : 

 Nov. Vern. Vasu ; Ghetuli. 



A troublesome weed, very abundant tbroughout the Presidency especially in llie 

 Deccan and Gujarat. It is a Protean plant changing its ajipearancc according to soil 

 and situation. — DiSTunt. Throughout India ; Ceylon; Tropical and Subtropical Asia, 

 Africa and America. 



The leaves are eaten as a pot-herb and the root is emploj^ed iu medicine. See Watt, 

 Diet. Econ. Prod. 1. c. 



2. Boerhaavia repanda, Willd. Sp. PI. v. 1 (1797) p. 22. A 

 diffuse subscandent glabrous or pubescent herb ; branches 3-6 ft. long, 

 with long internodes, cvlindric, glabrous or nearly so. Leaves 1y-2|- by 

 1^-2 in., deltoid-ovate, acute or acuminate, repand-sinuate, glabrous 

 above, pubescent beneath, the opposite nearly equal, base usually cordate 

 or truncate ; petioles f -Ij in. long, slender. Flowers iu 3-8-flowered 

 umbels on long slender peduncles 1-2^ in. long; bracteoles beneath 

 the umbels -jV"^ iu. long, lanceolate, acute ; pedicels ^-f in. long, very 

 slender. Perianth pink, rather less than 4 in. long; ovarial part of the 

 tube J- in. long, the petaloid portion narrow below ; lobes of the limb 

 emarginate. Stamens 4 or 5, much exserted. Fruit -i in. long, clavate, 

 faintly ribbed, rough with glandular knobs. Fl. B. 1. v. 4, p. 709 ; 

 Dalz. & Gibs. p. 213; Wight, Icon. t. 17G6; Trim. Fl. Ceyl. v. 3, 

 p. 390; Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. Nat. v. 12 (1899) p. 363; Prain, 

 Beng. PI. p. 862. — Flowers : Oct. -Dec. or more or less throughout the 

 year. Vekn. Punamavd ; Punyali. 



XoNKA N : Stocksl Deccan: WooJroir ; Dongergnou near Ahmednagar, CooJ,:c\ 

 Or.JAuAT : in hedges at Sui'at, Dalzcllc^- Gibson. — Distuib. Throughout India; Ccyluu, 

 Bcluchistan. 



3. Boerhaavia verticlllata, Pnr. Enci/c. Method, v. 5 (ISO i) p. 50. 

 Decumbent or cliinbinLr amonj; bushes; branches long, pale, terete, 

 glabrous. Leaves thick, l.j-2', in. long, nearly as broad or sometimes 



