46. ONAGBACEM. 



1. Trapa, L. 



1. T. bispinosa, Roxif, Singhara, R., K. The Water- 

 cbestnnt. 



A pretty floating berb with pinnati -partite- submerged 

 leaves, and a rosette of long : petioled rhomboidal floating leaves. 

 Fls. solitary axillary, pure white, f" diam. Ovary 2-celled, 

 half -inferior. Ovule 1 in each cell. Fruit hard spinescent. 



Tanks. Fls. Aug.-Sept. Fr. Nov.-Dec. 



Segments of submerged leaves capillary. Petiole swollen in the middle, 

 vill oris above. Blade H-2'' diam. sharply dentate on the two anterior 

 margins, villous beneath. 



The kernel of the fruit is largely eaten. 



Jussiea suffruticosa, L. Dak' ichak', 8. ; Parsati (Jaspur, Wood); 

 is an'erect herb_2r4i ft. high, common in wet places. It has lanceolate 

 leaves about 3' long and yellow flowers. Wood says that a decoction of 

 the root is drunk for fever. 



J. repens, L. is a smaller prostrate plant with 5-6 petals, also 

 common. 



Fam. 47. MELA8TOMACE/E. 



Su b-f am . — Melas tomeae. 



Herbs or shrubs. L. opp. entire with basal nerves 

 exstipulate. Fls. regular or slightly zygomorphous. 2-sexuaL 

 Calyx-tube or hypanthium united by vertical walls to the 

 ovary? with 4-7 usually deciduoas sepals. Petals as many 

 as the sepals. Stamens perigynous as many or twice as many 

 as the petals, a nthers opening by pores and, connective o< ten 

 appendaged. Ocary 3-7- celled. Style simple. Ovules., very 

 many, axile. Fruit capsular or berried. Seeds minute, Very 

 many, albumen 0. 



Shrubs. Alternate anthers unequal and dissimilar . .1. Melastoma 

 Shrubs or herbs. Stamens equal or sub-equal, all similar 2. Osbeckia. 



357 



