ae os - . 
272 COMMELINACEZ. [ CoMMELINA. 
or rugose. Species about 100, in tropical and subtropical 
regions. 
Anterior pair of cells of ovary 2-ovuled ; post- 
erior cell l-ovuled or obsolete :— 
Capsule 3-celled, the two anterior cells 
loculicidally dehiscent and each usually 
2-seeded ; posterior cell keeled, 1-segded 
and deciduous at length dehiscent :— 
Leaves lanceolate; spathes complicate, 
the margins free, or connate only at the 
very base :— 
Seeds reticulate, cylindric; branches 
of cyme 1-3-fid.; pee sometimes . 
cordate at base : 1. C. nudiflora. 
Seeds smooth, truncate at one ie 
spathe always rounded at base :— 
Branches of cyme equal, 1-2 fid.; 
seeds appendaged, Bloke a at the 
unflattenedend . 2. C. salicifolia. 
Branches of cyme cane upper 
2-4 fid., lower 1-2 fid. ; seeds with 
out appendages, subacute at the 
unflattened end . : 2 . 3& C, Hasskarlit. 
Leaves elliptic-ovate ; spathe turbinate ; 
capsule always 5-seeded ; seedsrugose . 4. C. bengalensis, 
Capsule 1-celled, with 2 superposed seeds 
- truncate and appendaged at both ends, or 
with one subglobose seed ; leaves linear ; 
spathes deeply cordate at base : 5. C. attenuata. 
All the cells of the ovary 1-ovuled ; eae 
3-celled, subequally 3-valved ; seeds free in 
the cells ; spathe sessile or nearly SO; cap- 
sule 3-gonous-obovoid : . 6. C. obliqua. 
1. CG. nudifiora, Linn. Sp. Pl. 41; Clarke i in DC. Mon. ii, 144 ; 
F. B.I.v., 369; Watt E.D.; Prawn Beng. Pl. 1082 ; Cooke Fi. 
Bomb, 1, 781. C. ceespitosa, “Rozb, Fl. Ind. i, 174. 
Diffuse, nearly glabrous; root fibrous. Stems 2-3 ft. or more long- 
branching from the base; branches prostrate or subscandent, often 
rooting at the rather distant nodes. Leaves sessile, 13-3 in. lanceo- 
