19. PuLCARiA.] 78. COMPOSITE. 



Banks of the Ganges, S.P., Knrz ! Banks of the Ganges (without locality) J.D.H ' 

 xJ., jr, Apru-May. 



Leaves more flaccid iu textnre than 'in the other species, entire, tips usually 

 rounded. Peduncles very slender, often pilose or villous. Invol. bracts -IS"" 

 g-landular on the back. 



3. P. crispa, Benth. 



A suffruticose wliite-cottony herb 1-2 ft. high Avith halfamplexicaul 

 linear, linear- oblong- or somewhat oblanceoiate crisped and toothed 

 leaves -5-2" long- decreasing in size on the peduncles, and heads of 

 yellow flowers -S-'S" diam. Invol. bracts linear acute slightly pubes- 

 cent. Ray fls. lio-ulate often shorter than the bracts. Cypsele oblono- 

 terete sparsely pilose. Pappus hairs barbellate and slightly thickened 

 upAvards, connate at the base Avith the outer ring of nnnute scales. 



Banks of Ganges, Lucknow to Pattsa, Madden ! Sone Pv., Deori, JD H ^ Gva •■ 

 Ganges Banks, S. P., A'h>-2! F]., Fr. Jan. -April. • .) • 



20. XANTHIUM, L. 



Annual coarse rough herbs, unarmed or Avith 3-fid spines, alternate 

 toothed or lobed leaves and 1-sexual, single or clustered axillary 

 heads, males (herm. in form) in the upper axils. Involucre of female 

 heads Avith the bracts united into an ovoid 2-celled utricle, each cell 

 Avith a single apetalous floAver Avith free style arms exserted from the 

 utricle Avhich has tAvo beaks or horns. Male heads globose, many-fld. 

 Avith short free 1-2-seriate narroAv involucral bracts and cylindric 

 receptacle Avith hyaline pales enclosing the floAvers. Corolla tubular 

 5-toothed, filaments monadelphous but anthers free Avith obtuse bases 

 and inflexed mucronate tips, ovary sterile, style simple. Cypsele 

 (of fem. fl.) enclosed in the hardened cells of the utricle; pappus 0. 



An interesting genus, not always at once recognisable as a Composite iu fruit • 

 the peculiar involucre simulating a two-celled ovar3\ '' 



1. X. strumarium, L. Chhota-gokhru, Vern. 



A herb 1-3 ft. high Avith closely hispidulous or strigillose stems and 

 long-petioled ovate-triangular coarsely lobed and toothed leaves 2-4" 

 long Avith the base often cordate and cuneate on the petiole, strongly 

 3-nerA'ed. Fem. involucres bnrr-like, -5-1" long closely covered AA'Tth 

 hooked spines, male heads at the top of the inflorescence or stem -25" 

 diam. Avith prominent exserted anthers. 



Waste ground, especially near river-beds. In most districts but only locally 

 abundant ! Fl., Fr. c.s. Fr. h.s. ' 



Leaves scabrid or hispid. Petiole often exceeding the l)lade. Stem not armed 

 in our species but m an allied species A'. ,y)i}iO!>iim, L., recently introduced (fide 

 J^rai)) into Bengal, and likely to spread into our area ,; it is armed with .'j-fid spines. 



21. SIEGESBECKIA, L. 



Glandiilar-pubescent herbs Avith opposite toothed leaves. Heads 

 heterogamous small, loosely panicled with usually 5 outer glandular 

 involucral bracts different from the inner ones. Outer female 

 floAvers enclosed by invol. bracts 1 -seriate, scarcely radiate, tube short, 

 limb 2-3-fid. Disc fls. herm. fertile or inner sterile, tubular Avith 

 campanulate 5-fid limb or narrow and 3-4-toothed. Receptacle Avith 



478 



