74 XIX. ELATINACB^E. 



3. Bergia capensis ^, Linn. Mantiss. (1771) p. 241. A glabrous 

 succulent herb, 5-I it. high ; steins pink, branched, rooting from the 

 lower joints. Leaves i-1^ by i-g in., elHptic-laneeolate, narrowed at 

 each end, acute or subobtuse, serrate, glabrous ; petioles short ; stipules 

 triangular-acute, caducous. Flowers in sessile or subsessile, few or 

 many-flowered, axilhiry clusters. Sepals 5, lanceolate, acuminate. 

 Petals 5, ovate-oblong. Stamens 10. Capsules globose, valves 5, broad, 

 apiculate. Styles short. Seeds minute, cylindric, slightly curved and 

 transversely rugose, dark brown. Berr/ia verticillata, Willd. Sp. PI. 

 (1799) V. 2, p. 770 ; Fl. B. I. v. 1, p. 252; Dalz. & Gibs. p. 14 ; Oliver, 

 Fl. Trop. Afr. v. 1, p. 1.'32 ; Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. Nat. v. 11 (1897) 

 p. 125. Elatine vertkillata, W. & A. Prodr. p. 41 ; Grab. Cat. p. 12. 

 Bergia aquatica, Eoxb. Corom. PI. v. 2, p. 22, t. 142 ; Boiss. Fl. Orient, 

 p. 782. — Flowers : Oct. 



Margins of tanks and in rice-fields in the Konkan and Deccau. Koxkax : Dasgaou, 

 in rice-fields, Wovdrow. — Distrib. Trop. Africa, Egypt. 



Order XX. HYPERICACE^. 



Herbs or shrubs, rarely trees. Leaves opposite (rarely verticill.ite), 

 often glandular-dotted, entire or toothed, exstipulate. Flowers herma- 

 phrodite, regular, solitary or cymose, terminal (rarely axillary). Sepals 

 and petals 5 (rarely 4), distinct imbricate. Stamens usually indefinite, 

 usually in bundles of 3 or 5, rarely free or all connate; anthers versatile. 

 Ovary of 3-5 carpels, 1- or 3-5-celled ; ovules few or numerous on 

 parietal or axile }>lacentas, anatropous ; raphe lateral or superior ; styles 

 as many as the carpels, filiform, free or rarely united. Fruit capsular or 

 baccate. Seeds straight or variously curved, exarillate ; embryo straight 

 or curved. — Distrib. Temperate and warm regions ; species 210. 



1 . HYPERICUM, Linn. 



Herbs or shrubs. Leaves usually sessile. Flowers yellow (rarely 

 white), solitary, cymose or paniculate. Sepals 5. Petals 5, not hairy 

 within. Stamens free or connate at the base into 3-8 bundles. Ovary 

 1-celled, witli 3-5 more or less prominent parietal placentas or imper- 

 fectly or perfectly 3-5-celled ; ovules many (rarely few) ; styles distinct 

 (rarely united). Capsule septicidal or dehiscing at the placentas ; 

 placentas adhering to the axis or the margins of the valves. Seeds not 

 winged ; embryo straight (rarely curved), oblong or cylindric ; cotyledons 

 shorter than the radicle, sometimes very short. — Distrib. In temperate 

 regions chiefly of the N. hemisphere, and in mountains in the tropics ; 

 species about 1 GO. 



A shrub; flowers large and s-liowy 1. H. mysorcnse. 



An iierb ; (lowers small 2. H.jcqyonicum. 



1. Hypericum mysorense. Wall. Cat. (1828) 4808 {Herb. 

 Madr.). A much-branched, glabrous shrub, 4-8 ft. high ; very youug 

 branches obscurely 4-angled. Leaves numerous, decussate, 1-1^ by 



* Following tlic ' Index Kewensis,' I have restored Linnscus's original name {B. capen- 

 sis), whicli was changed by Willdenow (/. c.) on the ground tiuU the plant was not a 

 native of tlie Cape. 



