Flora of the Malayan Peninsula^ 93 



ftTid abruptly acuminate or sub-acute, the base cuneate ; upper surface 

 very dark-brown and shining when dry, the lower paler and dull ; main- 

 nerves 6 or 7 pairs, spreading, slightly prominent on the lower surface 

 scarcely visible on the upper; length 3*5 to 55 in.; breadth 1 "35 to 

 2-5 in.; petioles '3 to '5 in.; stipules short, broad. Flowers '25 in, long, 

 on thick short axillary pedicels. Calyx-tuhe almost globular; the limb 

 cupular, as long as the tube, truncate. Fnoit '5 or "6 in. iu diam., pul- 

 py, globose or broadly depressed-pyriform with 4 pyrenes (one often 

 abortive). Kurz For. Flora Burm. II. 33 : Hook. fil. Fl. Br. Ind. III. 

 160. 



Malacca : Maingay (K.D.) 934. 



Pekak : Ridley; Wray 1156; King's Collector 5807.— DiSTRlB. 

 Andamaus, Nicobars. 



The Andaman specimens have darker narrower leaves than those from the Malay 

 Peninsula. 



45. Spermacoce, Linn. 



Herbs or small under-shrubs, usually with 4-angled branches. 

 Leaves membranous or coriaceous, penni-nerved or longitudinally nerved • 

 the stipules connate into a campanulafce tube with a truncate bristly 

 mouth. Flowers usually red or blueish, small or minute, solitary and 

 axillary, or In axillary or terminal fascicles, heads or cymes, sometimes 

 densely crowded. Calyx obovoid, or ovoid, the mouth with 2 or 4 per- 

 sistent teeth often with interposed bristles or processes. Corolla funnel- 

 or salver-shaped ; the mouth with 4 valvate lobes. Stamens 4, inserted 

 on the throat or tube of the corolla, filaments short or long. Anthers linear 

 or oblong, included or excluded. Disc tumid or absent. Ovary 2-celled • 

 each cell with a single ovule attached to the middle of the septum, 

 amphitropous. Style filiform ; stigma capitate or with 2 oblong arms. 

 Fruit coriaceous or crustaceous, mericarps dehiscing variously. Seeds 

 oblong or ovoid, grooved ventrally, the testa thin, embryo axile, coty- 

 ledons thin and broad.— Distrib. Species about 150, tropical and sub- 

 tropical. 



Leaves spafchnlate, obovafe or bluntly oblong, the base 



narrowed, main-nerves 3 pairs, faint, hispid ... ... 1. S. hispida. 



Leaves narrowly elliptic, tapering acutely to each end, 



main-nerves 3 or|4 pairs, very bold and prominent beneath 2. g. scaberrima. 



Leaves narrowly oblong-lanceolate, acute, pale beneath, 



main-nerves sub-obsolete ... ... .,, 3, S. stricta. 



1. Spermacoce hispida, Linn. Sp. PI. 102. Herbaceous, diffuse, 

 spreading or sub-erect ; stems half as thick as a goose-quill, acutely 

 4-angled and somewhat grooved when dry, sparsely and minutely 



J67 



