522 CV. PODOSTEMONACE.I. 



Fruit small, stalked or sessile, smooth or 8-12-ribbed. Seeds numerous. 

 — DiSTRiB, India and Ceylon ; species 5. 



1. Hydrobryum lichenoides, Kurz, in Journ. As. Soc. Beng. 

 V. 42, part 2 (1873) p. 103. Thallus ribbon-like, regularly branched. 

 Stamens 2 (rarely 1), long or short. Stigmas ovate to subulate or 

 obcuneate, iisually toothed. Fruit 8-ribbed, unequally lobed. Willis, 

 Podost. in Ann. Eoy. Gard. Peradeniya, p. 242. Podostemon acumlnatus, 

 Wedd. in DC. Prodr. v. 17 (1873) p. 75 ; Hook. f. Fl. B. 1. v, 5, p. 6t>. 



Vab. 1. Ihandalensis, "Willis, Podost. in Ann. Eoy. Bot. Gard. 

 Peradeniya, v. 1 (1901-1902) p. 245. Pedicels -^~} in. long ; capsules 

 Yj-yn in! long, the ribs confluent below the apex. Stamens as long as 

 the ovary and stigmas. 



Deccan : Kbaudala, common, Willis. 



Var. 2. hhorensis, Willis, 1. c. Pedicels i-i in. long; capsules 

 ^^-^ in. long, the ribs confluent below the apex, shallow ; buds more 

 or less erect ; stamens as long as the ovary and stigmas. 



Deccan : on the Bhore Ghat near Khandala, Willis. 



Oedeb CVL ARISTOLOCHIACEiE. 



Herbs or shrubs often climbing, usually more or less fa^tid. Leaves 

 alternate, entire or lobed ; stipules 0. Flowers hermaphrodite, often 

 large, usually lurid, terminal, axillary or lateral, solitary, racemose or 

 cymose, bracteate or not. Perianth simple, more or less adnate below 

 to the ovary, regular or irregular, 3-lobed or tubular; lobes valvate. 

 Stamens 6 or more, adnate in 1 or 2 series to the top of the ovary or 

 round the style; anthers erect with parallel cells, dehiscing dorsally. 

 Ovary 4-6-celled ; placentas parietal, free or meeting in the axis ; 

 ovules numerous, anatropous ; style columnar; stigma lobed. Fruit 

 capsular or baccate. Seeds numerous ; albumen copious, fleshy ; embryo 

 minute. — Distrib. Genera 5 ; species about 200, chiefly tropical. 



Shrubs ; perianth campanulate, equally 3-lobed ; capsule 



septicidallj 4-valved 1. Bragantia. 



Perennial herbs ; perianth tubular, irregular, 2-lipped ; capsule 



eepticidally 6-valvcd 2. Ahistolochia. 



1. BRAGANTIA, Lour. 



Shrubs or undershrubs. Leaves petiolate, 3-5-nerved ; veins closely 

 reticulate beneath; stipules 0. Flowers in axillary cymes, bracteate. 

 Perianth shortly campanulate, equally 3-lobed, deciduous, valvate. 

 Stamens 6-12 (usually 9 and connate in threes opposite the peiianth- 

 segmeuts). Ovary inferior, 4-celled ; ovuh s numerous, 2-seriate ; style 

 short; stigmas 3 or more, linear. Capsule elongate, 4-gonous, septi- 

 cidally 4-valved, the valves separating from a placeiUifi-rous column. 

 Seeds" 3-gonous, rugose or deeply pittetl, often coated with the remains 

 of the placenta; albumen fleshy, copious; embryo minute. — Distbib. 

 Species 4 or 5, Indian and IMalayan. 



