;s. coMPosn\E. 



Flowers yellowish- white 1" diaiii. iiiubellate on the branches of 3- 

 chotomous cymes 1-8" long-. Corolhi hispid with 5-6 recurved petals. 

 Fruit globose fleshy •12--i7" diam. or didymoiis. 



Higher Mts. ol: the Central Area. Neterhat, :3000 ft.! Para.-<nath 4000 ft.! Fl., 

 Fr. Oct.- Jan. 



The root o-ives a dj'e (madder) and is also used in Indian Medicine. The plant 

 is very variable and onlj' the local form is described above. 



2. R. angustissima, Wall. 



A weak very scabrid branched scrambler superficially resembling" 

 an Asparag-us with ridged branches and numerous close Avhorls of 

 linear- acicular leaves 1-1-8" long. Fls. very small cream-coloured, 

 at the ends of axillary ribbed pedicels or on two-bracteate peduncles 

 or (/. F.B.I.) in 3-5-fld. cymes on the peduncle. Fruit globose -2". 



Sandstone Hills of X. Champaran ! Fl.. Fr. Nov.-Jan. 



Stems polished. L. mostly 8 in a whorl, Oo-'OS" broad, scabrid with strong mid- 

 rib beneath, flat or gronveil above. Pedicels shorter or longer than the sulrtending 

 leaves. Corolla subglobose '05" with .5 lanceolate petals much longer than the very 

 short tube. 



FAM. 78. COMPOSITE. 



Shrubs or usually herbs, very rarely trees. L. alternate or some- 

 times opposite, usvially simple without stipules, base of leaf or petiole 

 sometimes sheathing. Flowers (florets) sessile in a dense head on a 

 common receptacle, each head suirounded by a calyx-like involucre 

 of bracts (connate into a 2-celled iitricle in Xanthium) and resem- 

 bling a single flower, heads with their i-espective involucres sometimes 

 again combined into heads of a higher order (compound heads) and 

 then sometimes redviced to a single flower each. Florets all alike in 

 sex (homogamous) and similar in form, or dissimilar in sex (lietero- 

 gamous) or in form; when dissimilar the outer florets are either 1- or 

 several-seiiate and more slender than the inner or furnished Avith a 

 strap-shaped or linear appendage (lig'ule) to the corolla, when ligulate 

 the outer florets constitute the ray- (heads radiate) and the inner 

 florets constitute the (^?isc-fls. Calyx superior, reduced to scales, hairs 

 or 0, and in fruit constituting the pajjpus. Corolla tubular or some- 

 what funnel-shaped, 2-5-toothed or cleft or ligulate or somewhat 

 bilabiate. Stamens 5 (rarely 4) inserted in the corolla tube, anthers 

 usually connate in a tube, pollen spinulose or verrueose. Ovary 

 inferior 1-celled with 1 basal anatropous ovule with one integument. 

 Style 2-fid. or arms connate in barren florets, furnished with a 

 pubescence or hairiness (brush-hairs) distinct from the stigmatic 

 lines or areas. Fruit (cypsele) dry indehiscent, closely investing the 

 exalbuminous seed, which has a very thin testa, pappus sometimes 

 caducovis or 0. Embryo straight, cotyledons plano-convex, radicle 

 short. 



NorK.— The structure of the style is important in classification but is a difiicult 

 field character. The character of tailed or ecaudate anthers is also important and 

 this is nearly as difficult, not being easily seen in the field. In addition therefore to 

 the usual classificHtion based on the Genera Plaufarum anartihcial key is appended 

 in which the above cbaracters are as far as i)ossible eliminated. The distinction 

 between a few genera (e.//. Coni/za Blumea) is, howevei', wholly dependent ou 



•lo3 



