53. SoNCHUs.] 78. COMPOSITE. 



flocculent under the young flower heads. L. glaucous beneath 

 lanceolate from an ainjDlexicaul base Avith rounded auricles, attaining- 

 10-16" in length and irregularly runcinately pinnatifid and spinu- 

 losely denticulate, uppermost linear. Heads (in fresh flower) '5-&^ 

 long and 'T-'S diam., contracted in the middle, umbellate or in 

 umbelliform corymbs, ultimately long-peduncled. Cypseles pale 

 broAvn sub-terete or somewhat comjiressed Avith 4 (-6) strong ribs and 

 1-2 weaker ones betAveen, ribs all rugulose. 



Fl., Fr. Oct.-Feb. 

 Var. « typica, glandular-hairy above. This is rai'e in our area. 



A'ar. /3 glaber, Haines. Gland-hairs absent. Purneah, Burkill ! Higher hills of 

 C'hota Nagpur, Singbhum ! Palamaii and Banchi (Neterhat) ! Parasnath 



CICD'ICP. 



The plant is greedily eaten bj- horses and cattle. 



2. S. asper, Vill. 



A plant of similar habit to the last but the leav^es usually broade v 

 sometimes ovate- or obovate- oblong less runcinate and generally 

 copiously spinose- toothed rather than denticulate. Inflorescence 

 never glandular. Heads usually shorter peduncled, the ultimate 

 peduncles rarely more than 2" Avhile those of orvensis are frequently 

 2-4" long in fruit. Cypseles very different, being flattened elliptic 

 or obovate Avith sub-alate margins and three (3-5) strong ner\^es or 

 fine ribs on the faces. 



Occasional as a weed in cultivation (but there are no specimens in the Cal. Herh, 

 from our area) ! Fl. Dec. -April. 



3. S. oleraceus, L. 



Similar to the last and leaves often runcinate-pinnatifid as in 

 S. arvensis but the auricles are acuminate, the inflorescence sometimes 

 glandular, heads usually short-peduncled. Cypseles as in S. asper 

 but muricate betAveen the ribs. 



I have only seen it as a Aveed in gardens and T doubt whether it is native in the 

 province. Fl. Feb.-May {Clarke). 



FAM. 79. STYLIDIACEiE (Candolleacese). 



Herbs Avith alternate or clustered entire leaves Avithout stipules. 

 Fls. 1-2 sexual in racemiform cymes, panicles or corymbs, irregular. 

 Calyx superior 2-lipped, corolla seldom regular. Stamens 2, filaments 

 connate Avith the style into a column, anther-cells ultimately sub- 

 confluent. Ovaiy inferior 2-celled. Stigma at apex of column. 

 Ovules many in each cell on the middle of the septum. Fruit a 

 1-2-celled, 2-valved capsule, valves sometimes cohering both top and 

 bottom. Seeds many minute, albuminous, embryo minute, next the 

 hilum. 



1. STYLIDIUM, Swartz. 

 Corolla with tube split above and 4 radiating lobes, the place of the 

 fifth occupied by a smaller recurved petal or spur at the back of the 



498 



