134 XXVI. sterculiacBjE. 



Flowers in terminal 2-3-flo\vered peduucled cymes ; pedicels j— ^ in. 

 long, softly pubescent ; involueral bracts ^ in. long, ovate, acuminate, 

 tomentose, shorter than the sepals. Sepals | in. long, narrow-lanceolate, 

 cuspidate, tomentose. Petals exceeding the sepals. Capsules subglobose, 

 silky-villous, shorter than the sepals. Seeds angled, muriculate. 

 Gujarat: near Deesa, <SYoc7i\s ! Sind : DalzdV., Cookcl, Woodrowl 



•i. Melhania Denhamii, B. Br. in Dcnli. c|- Clapp. Tniv. (1826) 

 App. p. 232. A small shrub ; young parts hoary-pubescent. Leaves 

 |-1^ by i-| in., elliptic, stellately hairy above, hoary-pubescent beneath, 

 crenate-serrate, apiculate, 5-nerved at the base; petioles -i--| in. long; 

 stipules -f\ in., subulate, hairy. Flowers in axillai'y peduncled race- 

 mose cymes ; pedicels very short ; involueral bracts greatly enlarged, up 

 to f in. broad in fruit, reniform, broader than long, membranous, veined, 

 apiculate, completely enclosing the capsule. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, 

 pubescent. Petals about equalling the sepals, yellow. Style as long as 

 the ovaiy. Capsules globose, densely pubescent, the size of a pea. Seeds 

 smooth, angled. 2Ielhania Denhami, Masters, in Oliv. El. Trop. Afr. 

 V. 1, p. 230 ; Fl. B. I. V. 1, p. 373 ; K. Schum. in Engl. & Prantl, 

 Pflanzenf. v. 3, part 6, p. 77, fig. 40, G, h ; AVoodr. in Journ. Bomb. 

 Nat. v. 11 (1897) p. 129, Melhania bracteosa, Boiss. FI. Orient, v. 1, 

 p. 841.— Flowers: Nov.-Dec. 



Sind: Stocks], Cooke] ; hills near Kai'aclii, Strachan] — Distrib. Baluchistan, 

 tropical Africa and Arabia. 



8. MELOCHIA, Linn. 



Herbs or shrubs, rarely trees, stellately pubescent, the stellate mixed 

 with simple hairs. Leaves usually serrate. Flowers usually small, 

 clustered or panicled. Calyx 5-fid or 5-toothed, campanulate or inflated. 

 Petals 5, spathulate or oblong, marcescent. Stamens 5, opposite the 

 petals, connate at the base or beyond tiie middle ; staminodes U, or 

 (rarely) minute and dentiform ; anther-cells parallel. Ovary sessile or 

 shortly stalked, 5-celled ; ovules 2 in each cell ; styles 5, free or united 

 at the base, stigmatose and usually thickened above. Capsule loculi- 

 cidally 5-valved. Seeds ascending, more or less albuminous ; embryo 

 straight ; cotyledons flat ; radicle next the hilum. — Distuib. Warmer 

 regions of both hemispheres ; species about 50. 



A brauched herb 1. M. corcJiorifolia. 



A small tree 2. M. velutina. 



1. Melochia corchorifolia, Linn. Sp. PI. (1753) p. 675. Au 

 erect branched herb; steins and branches nearly glabrous. Leaves very 

 variable in size and shape, 1-3 by 4-U in., ovate-oblong, acute, serrate, 

 sometimes obscurely lobed, glabrous on both surfaces or with a few 

 scattered stellate hairs, base acute, rounded or truncate ; petioles 

 ^-1 in. long, slender; stipules lanceolate, j.' in. long, ciliate. Flowers 

 small, pink, sub.sessile, densely crowded in terminal clusters ; involueral 

 bracts lanceolate-subulate, hairy. Sepals lanceolate, ciliate, \ in. long. 

 Petals I in. long, thin, oblong-cuneate, truncate. Capsules depressed- 

 globose; valves sparingly hairy. Seeds angular, mottled black and grey. 

 Fl. B. I. V. 1, p. 374; Trim. Fl. Ceyl. v. 1, p. 170; Woodr, in Journ. 



