2(6 ACANTHACFM. [ Eceolium. 



21. ECBOLIUM, Kurz.; Fl. Brit. Ind. iv, 544. 



Glabrous or hairy shrubs. Leaves entire. Flowers in dense termi- 

 nal spikes ; bracts large, imbricate ; bracteoles small, linear or lanceo- 

 late. Calyx 5-partite, segments linear. Corolla 2 -lipped ; tube 

 (in the Indian species) long, linear ; upper lip entire or 2-fid., 

 3-lobed. Stamens 2, staminodes none ; anthers 2-celled ; cells 

 parallel, sabequal, not spurred at the base. Ovary glabrous or 

 hairy, ovules 2 in each cell, style filiform, stigma shortly 2-fid. 

 Fruit an ovoid compressed capsule, with a solid stalk, usually 

 2«seeded, placentas not rising elastically from the base of the valves, 

 Seeds (in the Indian species) large, ovoid or orbicular, compressed, 

 tubercular-scabrous, not hairy. — Species 12, one in India, the rest 

 in Africa, Madagascar and Arabia. 



This genus is distinguished from Justicia by having the anther-cells at 

 about the same level ; and its alliance with that genus is through 

 J. Adhatoda, in which the anther-cells are not spurred. 



E. Linneanum Kurz, vak dentata, C. B. Clarke in F. B. I.iv,545 ; 

 Prain Beng. PI. 816. Justicia Ecbolium, Linn.; Roxb. Fl. Ind. i, 114. 



A small glabrescent undershrub. Stems swollen above the nodes- 

 Leaves up to 6 in. long, ovate or lanceolate, acute or subobtuse, tapering 

 at the base into a short petiole, dark-green above, paler beneath. 

 Spikes dense, 2-6 in. long ; bracts about f in. long, ob ovate -rhomboid 

 acute or subacuminate, pubescent or puberulous, pale-green ; margin 

 more or less toothed, ciliate. Calyx-segments £ in. long, linear-lanceo- 

 late, acnte Corolla bluish-green, hairy outside. Capsule f-1 in. long 

 pnberulous ; seed bearing portion broad, acute at the apex ; stalk j-J in. 

 long, solid. 



Gorakhpnr district, in the fire-exposed tracts (Duthie). Flowers in March 

 and April. Distbib. E. Bengal and Assam, extending to Trop« Africa 

 and Madagascar. The Gorakhpur specimensi owing to local conditions 

 are considerably dwarfed, and the main roots are developed into hard 

 fusiform tubers similar to those of Ruellia sufiruticosa and of other 

 perennial plants inhabiting fire-exposed ground. 



22. JUSTICIA' Linn.; Fl. Brit. Ind. iv, 52 i. 



Herbs or shrubs. Leaves opposite, entire. Flowers sessile or nearly 

 so, in spikes or panicles, rarely solitarv ; bracts usually small ; 

 bracteoles narrow, obsolete or none. Calyx 5-or 4-partite, segment 

 narrow. Corolla 2-lipped, tube equalling or shorter than the limb 

 . upper lip 2-lobed or subentire ; lower 3-lobed, lobes imbricate in bud. 

 Stamens 2, attached to the upper part of the corolla-tube ; 



