87 



The nearest ally of lliis is uo doubt P. acerifolium, Willd., to wliich 

 it has been reduced by Dr. Masters. But (having had living ti'ees of 

 both under observation in the Botanic Garden, Calcutta, for many years) 



1 have no hesitation in saying tliat the two species are quite distinct. 

 P. aceroides has entire, not lobed, leaves ; much smaller flowers (less than 



2 in. long) which expand during December and Januai'y : while those 

 of P. acerifolium measure '6 in. length and open in March or April. The 

 capsule of P. aceroides is moreover only 2 to 2"5 in. long and quite 

 glabrous; while that oi P. acerifolium is 4: to 6 in. long, with a rough 

 densely stellate tomentose exterior. 



7. Melochia, Linn. 



Herbs or undershrubs, moi'e or less downy. Leaves simple. Floivers 

 small, clustered or loosely panicled. Sepals 5, connate below. Petals 5, 

 sjjathulate, marcescent. Stamens 5, opposite to the petals, connate 

 below into a tube ; anthers extrorse, 2-lobed, lobes parallel. Ovary 

 sessile, 5-celled ; cells opposite tiae petals, 2-ovuled ; styles 5, free or 

 connate at the base. Capsule loculicidally 5-valved. (Seed!* ascending, 

 albuminous ; embryo straight, cotyledons flat, radicle next the hiluin. — 

 Distrib. Species about 50, natives of the warmer regions of both 

 hemisi)heres. 



1. M. CORCHORTFOLIA, Linn. sp. 944. A pubescent, branching herb 

 or undershrub. Leaves membranous, variable, broadly ovate, to ovate- 

 oblong or lanceolate, acute, serrate or obscurely lobed ; the base rounded, 

 truncate or sub-hastate, 5-nerved, often plaited ; petiole from "4 to I in. ; 

 stipules linear, minute. Flowers "2 in. in diam., in crowded terminal or 

 axillary heads with many villous bracteoles intermixed. Sepals lanceo- 

 late, acuminate, ascending. Petals obovate. Ovary villous ; styles 

 glabrous. Gapsule pisiform, pubescent, exceeding the calyx. Willd. 

 Sp. PI. iii. 604; Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 139; Wall. Cat. 1196, in part; 

 Mast, in Hook. PI. Br. Ind. i. 374. M. truncata, Willd. Sp. PI. iii. 601. 

 M. supina, L. Sp. PI. 944. M. afjlnis, Wall. Cat. 1198. M. pauciflora, 

 Wall. Cat. 1199. Biedleia corchorifolia, DC. Prodr. i. 491; W. & A. 

 Prodr. i. 66; Miq. Fl. Ind. Bat. i. pt. 2, 188. Ji!. truncata, W. & A. 1. c. 

 QQ. B. supina, DC. Prodr. i. 491. B. concateyiata, DC. Prodr. i. 492. 

 Visenia corchorifolia, Spreng. Syst. iii. 30. V. concatenana, Spreug. 

 Syst. iii. 30. V. supina, Spreng, Syst. iii. 31. Melochia concatenata. 

 Wall. Cat. 1197. Sida ctmeifoUa, Roxb. Hort. Beng. 50, 



In all the provinces, a common weed. Distrib. The Tropics 

 generally. 



196 



