782 CXXXV. COMAIELTKACE.T.. 



lobes, glabrous, scabrid, or hispid ; peduncles 4-1 in. long. Flowers in 

 pubescent cymes, the upper branch 2-4- the lower l-2-flo\vered. Cap- 

 sules I in. long, quadrate, subtruncate, apiculate, membranous. Seeds 

 -V-A in. long, cylindric, truncate at one end, subacute or rounded at the 

 other, without an appendage. Fl. B. I. v. 6, p. 370 ; Clarke, in DC. 

 Monog. Phan. v. 3 (1881) p. 157 ; Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. Nat. v. 12 

 (1899) p. 524 ; Prain, Beng. PI. p. 1082.— llovvers : Aug.-Nov. 



Not common. Konkan : Law ! Deccan : Cooke ! ; Poona, Woodrow. — Distrib. 

 India (Upper Qangetic Plain, Bengal, Assam, Malwa, W. Peninsula). 



5. Commelina benghalensis, Linn. Sp. PI. (1753) p. 41. Stem 

 2-3 ft. long, slender, dichotomously branched from the base upwards ; 

 branches diffuse, glabrous or pubescent, creeping and rooting below. 

 Leaves 1-3 by ^-Ig in., ovate or oblong, obtuse, sessile or shortly 

 petiolate, pubescent or villous on both surfaces, base unequal-sided, 

 rounded, cuneate or cordate ; nerves 7-11 pairs ; sheaths short or long, 

 pubescent or villous, the margins eiliate or sometimes bearded \\itl) 

 rufous hairs. Spatbes 1-3 together, funnel-shaped or turbinate, auricled 

 on one side, pubescent or hirsute ; peduncles very short or 0. Upper 

 branch of cyme 2-3-flowered ; the lower 1-2-flowered, not uncommonly 

 depauperate or obsolete. Sepals small, oblong, pubescent. Petals blue ; 

 larger petals orbicular or transversely oblong. Anthers oblong. Ovary 

 3-celled, 2 cells 2-ovulate, 1 cell 1-ovulate. Capsules | in. long, pyri- 

 form, membranous, 5-seeded. Seeds oblong, closely pitted. PI. B. I. 

 V. 6, p. 370 ; Grab. Cat. p. 223 ; Dalz. & Gibs. p. 253 ; Wight, Icon, 

 t. 2065; Clarke, in DC. Monog. Phan. v. 3 (1881) p. 159; Trim. Fl. 

 Ceyl. V. 4, p. 301 ; AVoodr. in Journ. Bomb. Nat. v. 12 (1899) p. 524 ; 

 Prain, Beng. PI. p. 1082; Watt, Diet. Econ. Prod. v. 2, p. 515.— 

 Flowers : Aug.-Dec. 



Konkan : Bombaj-, Stocks !, Balzell ! Deccan : Cooke \ ; Deccan hill?, Stockii ! ; 

 Poona, Woodrow. S. M. Country : Belgaum, Ritchie, 752! G-ujakat •. Baruda, 

 Woodrow. 



From the lower nodes sometimes leafless underground branches proceed, bearing 

 much depauperated scapes containing flowers wliite in color and smaller than the 

 blue flowers produced in liglit. These flowers mature abnormal papery, 1-2-celled, 

 1-2-seeded capsules with abundance of usually abnormal unequal, large seeds, which 

 ripen underground and arc perfect, whereas perfect seeds are often wanting in the 

 aerial flowers. — Distuib. Throughout India; Ceylon, China, Tropical Asia and 

 Africa. 



6. Commelina hirsuta, Clarl-e, in DC. Monog. Phan. v. 3 (1881) 

 p. 163 (not of Br.). A low usually hirsute herb ; stems erect, branched 

 from the base, 6-12 in. long. Leaves 2-3^ by ^-^ in-, linear-lanceolate, 

 obtuse, acute, or acuminate, more or less hirsute on both surfaces ; 

 sheaths ^-^ in. long, villous, striate. Spatbes |-1:| in. long, acuininate, 

 hirsute or villous, eiliate, b.ise cordate ; peduncles .|-2 in. long, hirsute. 

 Flowers yellow, drying deep blue (C. B. Clarke). Sepals small, ovate, 

 obtuse, speckled with brown spots. Petiils 3, the two larger orbicular 

 with crenulato margins and a long claw, the smaller petal almost as 

 large as the others, sessile. Stamens 3 fertile ; filaments long, slender, 

 spirally twisted; staminodes 2. Ovary hairy; style long, filiform; 

 stigma simple. Capsules ^ in. long, w ith the lateral cells empty ; lateral 

 valves linear ; dorsal ellipsoid, subrugose. Seed ellipsoid, Fl. B. 1. v. 6, 



