ANEILEMA.] COMMELINACE. 277 
A dwarf annual, with fibrous roots, branching from the base ; branches 
6-10 in., decumbent and rooting below. Leaves sessile, the lower 
ones broadly linear-lanceolate ; the upper oblong ; cordate, amplexi- 
cant, 4-1 in. long, acute; sheaths very short. Flowers about $+ in. 
across, in dichotomously branched few-fld. panicles ; peduncles 
terminal and from the upper axils ; pedicels longer than the capsules ; 
bracts minute, ovate, amplexicaul, persistent. Stamens 3, perfect ; 
anthers blue, filaments bearded ; staminodes 3, shorter than stamens, 
usually naked. Ovary 3-celled, cells many-ovuled. Capsule 3- 
gonous, the cells 3-7-seeded. Seeds 1-seriate, minute, pale. 
Banda (Edgeworth, under Commelina nana). Distr. : Throughout 
India and in Ceylon, extending to Malaya and China, flowering 
during the rains. This plant will probably be found in other local- 
ities within the area of this flora. It appears to be common in Bengal - 
as a field weed. 
8 A. nudifiorum, R. Br. Prod. 271 (in note); Clarke in DC. 
Mon. wi, 210; F. B. I. vi, 378; Collett Fl. Siml. 538 ; Prain 
Beng. Pl. 1084 ; Cooke Fl. Bomb. ii, 788. A. radicans, Don Prod. 
45 (in part). Commelina nudiflora, L. Mant. 177 (not of Sp. Pl.) ; 
Roxb. Fl. Ind. i, 173. 
Roots fibrous. Siem simple or branched from the base; branches 
6-12 in., procumbent and often rooting at the nodes. Leaves’ 2-5 
in. long, linear-oblong or lanceolate, acute or acuminate, flat, gla- 
brous or sparingly villous, base cordate rounded or narrowed into 
the sheath ; sheaths hairy, the margins and mouth strongly ciliate. 
Flowers in subglobose or subcorymbose cymes at the ends of the 
branches of a terminal (rarely axillary) panicle; pedicels 4-4 in, 
long ; bracts boat-shaped, caducous. Sepals } in. long, oblong, 
obtuse. Petals equal, suborbicular, blue or purple. Stamens 2 
perfect, 2-4 sterile; filaments or perfect stamens only or all beardeld 
with moniliform blue hairs. Ovary 3-celled ; cells 2-ovuled. Capsule 
4 in. long, subglobose, mucronate, 3-celled, with 3 seeds in each cell. 
Seeds |-seriate, tuberculate, dark brown, truncate at one end, rounded 
at the other ; inner face angular, outer face convex. 
Dehra Dun and Saharanpur districts; Bundelkhand (Edgeworth), 
flowering during the rains. Distrre.: Throughout India and on 
the W. Himalaya up to 6,000 ft.; Khasia Hills and Burma, and 
from Bengal and Bombay southwards to Ceylon, extending to China 
and the Malay Islands. 
4, A. Hamiltoniana, Wall. Cot. 5222; F. B. I. vi, 380; Prain 
Beng. Pi: 1084 ; Dichespermum Blumei, Hassk ; Clarke Comm. 
and Cyrt. Beng. t. 27. 
