186 ACANTSACE^. [ Hygrophila. 



A small much-braxichel procumbent herb, branching and rooting near the 

 base. Leaves subsessile, \-l% in. long, narrowly oblong to ovate, sub- 

 obtuse at the apex and tapering to the base, entire or almost so, usually 

 glabrous- Flowers in dense terminal oblong spikes 1-4 in. long ; bracts 

 5-3 in., elliptic-oblong, obtuse, hairy on both sides, mid -nerve prominent ; 

 bracteoles i in., linear. Calyx £ in. long, pubesecnt ; teeth linear, with 

 scarious ciliate margins. Corolla \ in. long, pale-blue or white, pube- 

 scent Fertile Stamens 2, the upper reduced to teeth. Capsule f in. 

 long, narrowly oblong, glabrous. Seeds 20-30. 



Tery common in most parts of the area in wet places, flowering during 

 the rains. Distbib. Throughout India, ascending to 4,000 ft. on the 

 Himalaya ; extending to Afghanistan, Malacca and Tonkin. 



2. H. Serpyllum, T. Anders, in Journ. Linn. 80c. ix. 456; F. B. I. iv, 406; 

 Train Beng. PI. 801 ; Cooke Fl. Bomb, ii, 354. 



Eootstockwoody. Stems procumbent, 4-15 in. long, glabrous or slightly 

 hairy. Leaves f-l-j in. long, elliptic or suborbicular, entire, more or less 

 hairy on both sides, petioles of the basal leaves up to 1 in. long. Flowers 

 in dense or rather lax spikes ; bracts £ in, long, elliptic, subacute, hairy ; 

 bracteoles 5 in. long, oblong or oblong-lanceolate. Calyx £-j in. long ; 

 lobes linear, densely ciliate, Corolla | in. long ; upper lip shorter than 

 lower, with 2 short obtuse lobes ; lower bullate, shortly 3-lobed. Fertile 

 stamens 4. anthers of the 2 lower larger. Capsule 5 in. long, pointed 

 glabrous, 8-10 seeded. 



Bundelkhand and Malwa (Edgeworth), recorded also from Guna in C. India 

 (King) and from Saugor (Jerdon). Flowers during the cold season. 

 Distrib. From Behar and C. Provinces to W. and S. India. 



3. H. angustifolia, R. Br. Prod, 479; Cooke Fl. Bomh. ii, 354. H salici- 

 folia. Nees ; F. B. I. iv. 407, Watt E. D. : Prain Beng. PL 804. Ruellia 

 salicifolia, Vahl ; Roxb, Fl. Ind. Hi, 50. 



A much-branched erect herb, 1-3 ft. high. Stems bluntly 4-angular, 

 nearly glabrous, Leaves sessile or shortly petioled. glabrous, f-3 in. 

 long ; lower obovate or oblong, upper lanceolate, Flowers in dense 

 rather distant axillary whorls ; bracts ^ in. long, ovate or oblong, 

 subobtuse, hairy ; bracteoles about half as long as the calyx, lanceolate, 

 acute, hairy. Calyx J-| in. long, divided \ way down in flower ; teeth 

 linear from a broad base, acute, hairy ; margins hispid, ciliate. Corolla 

 i-£ in. long, pale-purple, hairy outside ; tube abruptly swollen 

 above, hairy inside at the base of the stamens, Stamens 4, all fertile. 

 Style pubescent, Capsule longer than calyx, narrow, sub quadrangular, 

 20-28,-seeded. 



•Common in wet ground in most parts of the area. Distbib. Through- 

 out the greater part of India and in Ceylon, extending to China and 

 Japan. The leaves are sometimes eaten by natives as a pot-herb. 



