128 xxvT. sterculiace.t:. 



the apex ; lobes often unequal. Petals 5, equal, or somewhat 2-lipped, 

 with long claws which sometimes have ear-shaped appendages. Staminal- 

 column elongate, adnate to the gynophore, 5-toothod or o-lobed at the 

 apex ; anthei's in groups at the top of the column between its teeth ; 

 cells divergent, sometimes confluent. Ovary at the top of the column, 

 5-lobed, o-celled ; ovules many in each cell ; styles 5, subulate, more or 

 less united, slightly thickened and stigmatose at the tips. Follicles 

 spirally twisted or straight. Seeds tubercled ; albumen scanty ; coty- 

 ledons Ifafy, folded round the radicle which is next the hilum. — Uisteiu. 

 Warmer regions of both hemispheres, chiefly America ; species about 30, 



1. Helicteres Isora, fAnn. Sj>. PI. (1753) p. 963. A shrub or 

 small tree ; young shoots clothed with stellate hairs. Leaves bifarious, 

 3-5 by 2-4 in., oblong, obovate or roundish, cordate, suddenly and 

 shortly acuminate, closely dotted on both surfaces with stellate hairs, 

 more or less irregularly crenate-serrate ; petioles ^g in. long ; stipules 

 subulate, \ in. long. Flowers 1-1 1 in. long, distinctly bilabiate, in 

 axillary clusters of 2-6 together ; pedicels very short, stellately tomen- 

 tose ; bracts small, subulate, hairy. Calyx tubular, | in. long, somewhat- 

 2-lipped, stellately pubescent without, curved, laterally compressed, 

 mouth wide ; teeth triangular, unequal. Petals red at first, fading to 

 lead-color, very unequal, closely reflexed on the calyx, separate but with 

 the claws closely hooked together. Stamiual-column fused with the 

 gynophore, much exserted, suddenly deflexed ; anthers 10, in a ring 

 round the ovary. Ovary conical, on a curved gynophore 14 in. long ; 

 style as long as the ovary, deflexed. Follicles 5, beaked, 2-2.| in. long, 

 linear, twisted together into the form of a screwy stellately tomentose. 

 Seeds numerous, angular ; testa loose, wrinkled. Fl. B. I. v. 1, p. 365 ; 

 Grab. Cat. p. 16 ; Dalz. & Gibs. p. 22 ; Trim. Fl. Ceyl. v. 1, p. 168 ; Pierre, 

 Fl. For. Cochinch. t. 208, b ; Talb. Trees, Bomb. p. 23 ; Woodr. in 

 Journ. Bomb. Nat. v. 11 (1897) p. 129 ; AVatt, Diet. Econ. Prod. v. 4, 

 p, 212. — Flowers: July-Dec. Veun. Murudsenc] ; Kewan. 



Abundant in hilly jungles throughout tlie Presidency. Konkan : Latv '. ; Salsette, 

 Jucqutm., 9411; Koina valley, Cooke\. Woodrow \ DeccAn : iiilly \YAvi9, Dahell ^• 

 (llhsoii. Gujarat: widely, W'uudrow. Kanara : abundant in iiilly jungles, Talbot. 

 S. M. Country : Bclgauiu Glints, llitchie, G9 I ; Londa, CooJa' !, Wuodruw \ ; Castlerock, 

 Cooke ! 



A strong fibre has been extracted from the bark and the follicles have been employed 

 medicinally among the natives, but arc of doubtful therapeutic value. 



5. PTEROSPERMUM, Schreb. 



Trees or shrubs, scaly or stellately tomentose. Leaves coriaceous, 

 often oblique, entire or more or less angled or toothed above, penni- 

 nerved. Peduncles axillary, short, 1- or few-flowered. Flowers often 

 very long ; bracts usually 3, entire, laciniate, or 0. Calyx tabular, 5-fid 

 or 5-parlile, deciduous. Petals 5, obovate, oblong or linear, deciduous. 

 Staminal-cokimn adnate to the gynophore, bearing 15 fertile stamens 

 and 5 staminodes, the fertile; stamens in groups of 3 between the 

 staun'nodes ; anthers stipitate, linear, erect, cells parallel. Ovary 

 inserted within the apex of the column, 5-celled ; ovules many in each 

 cell ; style entire ; stigma 5-furrowed. Capsule woody or coriaceous, 

 ovoid or oblong, terete or angled, lociilicidally 5-valved. Seeds ascend- 

 ing, produced above into a wing ; albumen thin or ; cotyledons 



