LXK, J!U1!1ACK.E. 585 



8. DENTELLA, Forst. 



A small prostrate herb. J^eaves small, opposite ; stipules short, 

 scarious, connate. Flowers minute, solitary, axillary and in the forits, 

 S(issile or sliortly pedicelled, white. Calyx-tube subglobose ; limb mem- 

 branous, tubular, 5-lid, persistent. Corolla inCuiulibuliform ; tube hairy 

 within ; lobes 5, induplicato-valvate, 2-3-toothed. Stamens 5, inserted 

 in the middle of the corolla-tube; filaments short; anthers linear. 

 Ovary 2-celled ; ovules numci'ous, on hemisplierie placentas ; style 

 short; sti<i;nias filiform. Fruit small, dry, globose, 2-celled, indehiscent, 

 many-seeded. Seeds minute, angled ; testa dotted ; albumen tlesliy. — 

 Djstrik. Asia, Tropical Australia and the Pacific Islands ; species 1. 



1. Dentella repens, Forst. Char. Gen. (1776) p. 20, t. 13. A 



slender prostrate herb ; stems long, slender, rooting at the noJes. 

 Jieaves fV~T\ '^^y T't)~^ ^^•' lanceolate or subspathulate, glabrous or with 

 a few bristly hairs on the margins ; petioles obscure; stipules scarious. 

 Flowers jV in., solitary, often in the forks of the stem, subsessile. 

 Calyx-tube subglobose ; limb persistent ; teeth acute. Corolla-lobes 

 ovate, acute, with a tooth on eac!i side. Filaments very short. Stigmas 

 2, filiform. Capsules xo~»" ^"- "^ diara., usually densely villous with 

 coarse hair, crowned by the persistent calyx-limb. Fl. 13. I. v. 3, p. 42; 

 Grab. Cat. p. 00 ; Dalz. & Gibs. p. 115 ; Trim. Fl. Ceyl. v. 2, p. 298; 

 K. Schum. in Engl. & Prantl, Pfianzenf. v. 4, part 4, p. 22, fig. 8, A ; 

 AVoodr. in Journ. Bomb. Nat. v. 11 (1S9S) p. G14. — Flowers : Apr.- 

 July. 



Common in moist situations, Dalzell cf Gibson. Konkajj : Bombay, Lata ! ; Salsette, 

 common, Graham ; Dharamtar, Woodmv ! Decc.VN : border of Parvati tank, Pooiirt, 

 Jidiiadel; Bijapur, JVondrowl S. M. Country: Badami, Cooke I Kvnar.v: Kiila 

 naddi, Ritchie, 421 I — Distrib. Tlirougliout India in moist places; Ceylon, Malay 

 Islands, China, N. Australia, Polynesia. 



9. ARGOSTEMMA, Wall. 



Low fleshy or membranous delicate herbs. Leaves opposite, the p lirs 

 equal or very unequal, or falsely whorled ; stipules interpetiolar, entire, 

 persistent or obsolete. Flowers white, in peduncled cymes or umbels. 

 Calyx-tube short ; lobes 5, rarely 3-7. Corolla rotate, 4-5-partite, 

 valvate. Stamens 4-5, inserted on the corolla-tube ; filaments short ; 

 anthers conniving or cohering, dehiscing by terminal pores. Ovary 2- 

 celled ; ovules numerous, on swollen placentas attached to the middle of 

 the septum ; style filiform ; stigma capitellate. Capsule coriaceous or 

 membranous, 2-celled, many-seeded, dehiscing by a torn apex or by the 

 top coming off operculately. Seeds minute, angled or compressed ; 

 testa granulate or reticulate ; embryo very minute, in dense fleshy 

 albumen. — Distuib. Mountains of India and the Indian Archipelago 

 except one African species (which is also Indian) ; species about 40. 



Flowers 4-merous 1- A. conrtallense. 



Flowers 5-merous 2. A. vcrticillatuin. 



1. Argostemma courtallense. Am. in Ann. Nat. Ilisl. v. 3(1839) 

 p. 22. A small herb 3-0 in. high with a tuberous root. Leaves very 

 variable iu size and shape, in whorls of 4, thiulv membranous, very un- 



2q 



