78. COMPOSn\E. [20. Spilanthes. 



with sub-2-seriate bracts, outer 3-5 usually herbaceous or foliaceoiis,. 

 pales of receptacle embracing the flowers. Disc flowers tubular 

 broader upwards, o-toothed. Style-arms flat, linear with hairy or 

 pubescent margins and acute tips. Cypseles of disc obovoid or 

 cuneate-oblong with rounded top, if laterally compressed then edges 

 rounded, smootli or tubercled or scabrid on top. Pappus of minute 

 scales with occasionally one or few bristles added, or 0. 



A. Erect or procumbent herbs. 



Stems creeping- below. Hils. !)-l 3' diam 1. calendulocea. 



Erect or sub-erect. Hds. •3-'4" diam. 2. IVallichil. 



B. Scandent. Shrubby. Hds. -loV diam 3. scandens. 



1. W. calendulacea, T^e.ss. Kesaraja, Be/);/. ; Bhanra, if. 



A bright little plant with stems creeping below often for 1-2 ft. 

 with erect branches, oblong or lanceolate-oblong leaves 2-3" long- 

 narrowed into the subsessile base and bright yellow flowers "9-1 3" 

 diam. at the ends of long pediuicles from the upper leaf-axils. 



Watery places Fl . Fr. March- Sept. 



Stems thinly striuose or glabrate. Leaves subentire. crenate or with lai-ge 

 serratures, sparsely strigose 1)oth sides. Involucre campanulate with broad oblong 

 bracts spreading above. Ligules about 8, narrowly 3-lobed or -toothed. Corolla 

 lobes of disc fls. ciliolate. Pappus a denticulate cup. 



The vernacular names of this plant and Eclipta alba are confused, and whereas 

 Buft gives this as the plant chiefly used in medicine, Nadkarni gives Eclipfd. 

 Both plants appear to be considered tonic and alterative and useful in cough, skin 

 diseases and alopecia. There is no similarity in the plants themselves. 



2. W. Wallichii, Less. 



An erect or suberect herb 6" to 2 ft. high with hispid pubescent 

 stems, flaccid ovate or ovate-lanceolate crenate- serrate acuminate 

 leaves 1-4" long and yellow shortly-peduncled terminal and leaf- 

 opposed heads •'S-4:" diam. Outer invol. bracts calyciform, 4-5, 

 imbricate •2-'25" long oblong acute, each subtending a ray flower, 

 inner narrower. Disc fls. 4-7 only, each subtended by a conduplicate 

 nerved linear-lanceolate pale. Cypsele brown •14" obovoid, scarcely 

 compressed top hispid. Pappus a very short scaly or toothed ciliate 

 ring. 



Among grass on the top of Parasnath, 4000 ft. ! FL, Fr. Oct. -Dec. 



Leaves 3-nerved above base, hairs scattered, white, often api)ressed, suddenly 

 narrowlj- cuneate on the o-'~b" long- slender petiole. Peduncles -5-1" long-. 

 Ligules about as long as involucre, pubescent below as is the ovary, -1" broad 

 above Corolla of disc fls. pale, anthers black, minntely tailed, style arms spreading 

 and recurved slightly dilated above and subobtuse, yellow. 



3. W. scandens, Clarice. Syn. W. biflora, DC. 



A large suffruticose climber with ovate acuminate serrate petioled 

 leaves which ai*e 3-nerved. Invol. bracts oblong or ovate-lanceolate 

 often recurved, inner bracts subobtuse. Cypsele 3-4-angled, rough 

 tip broadly truncate. 



This shrub, which is found in the Sunderbans and extends down the East coast, 

 is likely to be found in the Mahanadi Delt.i. 



26. SPILANTHES, L. 



Herbs with opposite leaves. Heads radiate or not, ligules yellow 

 or white, 2-lobed. Involucre ovoid or campanulate, bracts sub-2- 



481 



