25. Ophiorrhiza.] 77. KUBIACE^iJ. 



membrauous when dry, and slender-twljed white flowers 'S-'To long on 

 the branches of a corymbose pubescent cyme which has a long- 

 peduncle and long tapering linear persistent bracts on the branches. 

 i-Capsule comjjressed '-t" broad, side lobes almost Aving-like. 



On moist sliadj' Ijaiiks and ravines under trees. Neterhat 3000 ft. ! Fl. May- 

 Sept. Fv. Aug-.-Oci, 



L. thinly pubescent on the nerves beneath, somewhat acuminate and base 

 tapering- into the -o-l'o" long petiole. Sec. n. slightly arched, strong, about 12. 

 Stipules lanceolate and with a long filit'orui tip. Peduncle 2-3". Cyme branches 

 •5-"75'' pubescent. Bracts ^S-J^". Hypanthium much compressed with very short 

 sepals only reaching the top of the disc. Seeils many minute brown tetrahedral. 



Uistrib. : Sub-tropical Himalaj-a and Khasia Hills. 



26. HEDYOTIS, L. 



Shrubs, \indershrubs or herbs. Leaves occasionally ternately 

 ^vliorled, with usually conspicuous stipviles furnished with bristles, 

 sometimes combined into a sheath. Fls. Avhite or lilac, in axillary 

 clusters or capitate cymes, more rarely in lax axillary or terminal 

 cyme. Sepals 4. acute, persistent, their bases usually broad or 

 adjacent to one another {cp. Oldenlandia). Corolla funnel- or bell- 

 shaped, lobes 4, valvate. St. 4 in the tube or throat. Ovary with 

 iiliform style and 2-fid or 2-lobed stigma, ovules numerous on axile 

 placentae. Fruit small, indehiscent or capsular or of 2 cocci. Seeds 

 plano-convex or angled. Embryo clavate. 



Some authors now unite Hrdi/oth and Oldciiiaiidia. The more or less shrubby 

 species are distingui.shed by this habit, but some of the herbaceous species are 

 only separable by the more dilated stipules and the wider base of the sepals, which 

 characters are onlj- relative and not always evident. Both genera being large, 

 and to avoid multiplication of synonyms, however. I prefer to keep them distinct 

 as is done in the F.B.I., merely indicating the intermediate .species. 



I. Climbing shrub with tls. in lai'ge terminal cymes . . . .1. scaudeus. 

 II. Herb with .slender rhizomes. Cymes axillary lax. Fr. indehiscent 2. cesfifa. 

 III. Annual herbs. Capssule dehiscent loculicidal on top. 



Leaves ■2-'G" broad. Fruiting-calyx ■2-*2.>" S. hi^pida. 



Leaves under "l" broad. Fruiting calyx "12-'14" .... ^. pi hi folia. 



1. H. scandens, lloxb. Syn. Oldenlandia scandens, K. Schnan. 



A large scrambling shrub Avith green terete smooth branches 

 thickened at the nodes, opposite lanceolate or elliptic acuminate 

 leaves 2-5— i", pale and nerveless beneath and dense corjnnbose cymes 

 of small Avhite sweet-scented 4-5-merous flowers. Fruit sub-globose 

 •] 2-*] 5" long with top of capsule loculicidal j^roduced above rim of 

 hypanthium and sometimes exceeding the sepals. 



Riverain jungles, Purneah ! Fl. Sept.-.Jan. Fr. Dec.-Feb. 



L. glabrous, sometimes caudate, base narrowed, sec. n. very obscure but .slightly 

 raised above. Petiole •lo-'-l" connected by broad stipules which have a .short 

 acumen or are 2-cu.spidate when young. Corymbs about 1" diam. puberulous, 

 sometimes shortly panicled. Hypanthium "l" produced above the ovary in tlower, 

 .sepals distant lineai'-.^ubulate. Corolla-tube very short about one-fourth as long as 

 the linear-oblong '22' long petals which are villous at ba.se within. Filaments 

 flattened villous within, shorter than petal.s. Style hair^-, stigmas oblong. 



2. H. Yestita, Br. 



A diffuse herb from a slender twisted nodose tuberous rootstock 

 with pubescent hirsute or sub- villous branches, narrowly elliptic or 

 oblong soft pubescent leaves 1 5-3" by 'o-l" and small flowers in 

 axillary short 3-5-nate slender cymes on peduncles •12--3" long, once 



■144 



