66 XTI. CAEYOPnYLLACE.T:. 



numerous, spreading from a centre, diffuse, Aviry, prostrate or ascending 

 Leaves \-^ iu. long, linear-oblong or spallmlate, acute or obtuse, pubes- 

 cent or glabrous ; stipules scarious, white. I'lowers small, in numerous, 

 usually dense, dichotomous cymes, either terminal or in the forks of the 

 branches ; pedicels stout, more or less pubescent ; bracts ovate, acute, 

 penieillate at the tip. Sepals ovate-oblong, acute, keeled on the back, 

 margins scarious. Petals small, shorter than the sepals, linear, trun- 

 cate, toothed at the apex. Capsules very thin, membranous, enclosed in 

 the sepals. Seeds numerous, subcylindric, rough, pale brown. Trim. 

 Fl. Ceyl. V. 1, p. 87 ; Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. Nat. v. 11 (1897) p. 125. 



Rare. Deccan : Lanoli, IVoodrotif ! ; Mabableshwar, Coo/lC ! S. M. Country : 

 Ritchie, 1019 ! Kanaka : Waguli, Biichie ! 



8. POLYCARP^A, Lamk. 



Annual or perennial herbs, usually erect. Leaves linear or rarely 

 ovate, often appearing whorled by the presence of secondary axillary 

 fascicles ; stipules scarious. Flowers in lax or contracted or capitate 

 cymes, often showy from the white, rosy or purple, scarious sepals. 

 Sepals 5, scarious, or rarely herbaceous and scarious at the margins only. 

 Petals 5, entire, 2-toothed or with the margins erose. Stamens 5, 

 slightly perigynous or subhypogynous, or cohering with the petals into 

 a ring or tube. Ovary 1-celled ; ovules many ; style elongate, 3-grooved, 

 3-fid or .3-dentate. Capsule 3-valved. Seeds obovoid or compressed ; 

 embrvo curved, rarely almost straight. — Distbib. In tropical or warm, 

 extratropical countries ; species 24. 



Leaves linear 1. P. cori/mhosa. 



Leaves obovate 2. P. spicata. 



1. Polycarpsea corymbosa, Lam. Tab. Encijc. el Method, v. 2 

 (1800) p. 129. An erect, annual herb, 6-18 in. high, sometimes woody 

 below, dichotomously branched ; branches slender terete, the young ones 

 hoary-pubescent. Leaves g-| in. long, narrow-linear, mucronate ; 

 stipules lanceolate, very acute, 1 -nerved. Flowers numerous, small, in 

 dense mucli-branched, terminal cymes, forming flat-topped heads ; 

 pedicels hoary-pubescent ; bracts g in. long, silvery white, bristle- 

 pointed. Sepals lanceolate, very acute, scarious, silvery-white or 

 colored, much exceeding the petals and capsule. Petals less than ^ 

 the length of ihe sepals. Capsules very small, shining, brown. Fl. B. L 

 y. 1, p. 245 ; AVight, Icon. t. 712 ; Dalz. & Gibs. p. 16 ; Trim. Fl. Cevl. 

 V. 1, p. 88 ; Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. iXat. v. 11 (1897) p. 125 ; Watt, 

 Diet. Econ. Prod. v. 6, part 1, p. 314. — Flowers : Oct .-Jan. 



Common tbrougbotit flic Presidency. IConkan : Dahell cf- Gibson. Deccan: 

 Poona, Woodrov ; Jimnar, Woodrow \ ; Kolapiir, Cooled S. M. Country: Belganni, 

 Ritchie, dAl \ ; Dbarvvar, Woodrnv. SiNn: Jemadar ka Landn, near Karaclii, (SYof/.s I 

 — DiSTRiB. Tropical Asia, Africa, America and Australia. 



Yxn. aurea. A smaller plant, very nuich branched from a woody 

 base ; branches hoary-tomeiitose. Flowers smalU'r, orange or brownish 

 red. Fl. B. I. v. 1, p. 245; Wight, 111. v. 2, t. 110. Pohjcarima 

 diffusa, Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. Nat. v. 11 (1897) p. ]25. 



KoNKAN : Stocks ! S. M. Country : Badami, Woodrow !, Cooke ! 



