4. Pitaiidium.] 79- ACANTHACJ2JE. [5. Ruellia. 



(abbreviated lateral branches). Leaves (very few at time of 

 flowering) 2-4" ovate toothed or crenulate, acuminate, some- 

 times attaining 6'' by 4". 



Singbhum, in Sal jungles (Bera forest, Ankna forest, etc.); Hazaribagh 

 (Chorparan, Kodernia, etc.) ; Parasnath, Anders. Palamau, Gamble I 



5. Parganahs. Fls. Feby.-April Fr. April Mearly deciduous March-' 

 April. 



Twigs straw-coloured. L. puberulous suddenly decurrent on. the 1-2' 

 long petiole. 



Readily recognised by the large green-reined pairs of bracteoles f 

 long, strongly ribbed lower lip of corolla and the long fulvous hairs 

 within it. Anbhs. 4, with long spurs. Capsule £". 



5. Ruellia, L. 



Herbs or undershrubs with sessile or sub-sessile, solitary 

 or clustered, large or m. s. flowers subtended by two leaf -like 

 bracteoles, with tubular- ventricose more or less oblique 

 corolla. St. 4 didynamous. Anther-cells muticous, glabrous. 

 Ovary-cells 3-1 0-ovuled. Stigmas simple. Capsule clavate 

 ellipsoid with solid base. Seeds imbricate, hairy. 



Stems prostrate or rambling, L. ovate, not very 



Uneolate . ' . . . . . . . .1. prostrata. 



Stems erect, or sometimes in suffruticosa. L. very 

 lineolate. 



L. oblong-lanceolate, acuminate. Fls. 1^-2" • 2. cernua, 



L. elliptic acute. Fls. 3'' 3. Beddomeu 



L. oblong or elliptic obtuse. Fls. 2'' t long • • 4. sujfruticosa. 



1. R. prostrata. Lamk. 



Creeping or rambling, often rooting at the nodes, scarcely 

 shrubby, with ovate leaves 1" by f" to If" by 1" (or up to 3" in 

 var. dejecta) and axillary solitary purple flowers f" diam. 

 and about l v long. 



Shady banks, common. Fla. July-Bept. 



Sterna nearly glabrous except at the nodes. L. obtuse or sub-acute (or 

 acute in var. dejecta) slightly hispid or hairy above, more so on the veins 

 beneath, with 6 prs. distinct oblique nerves. Fls. caducous, falling before 

 mid-day, very shortly pedicelled, tube about 3''. Sepals linear, ciliate. 

 Ovary downy with about 6 ovules in each cell. Stigma tongue-like. 



460 



