92. GENTIANACE.E. [2. Swertia. 



1. E. tetragonum, Roxb. Kiichviri, Beng. 



A lovely plant -with i-angled stems 1-2 ft., sometimes 3 or more ft. 

 high, with sessile broadly lanceolate leaves 3-5" long, often united at 

 their bases, and narrow panicles of azure-blue flowers 'To-l'S" diam. 

 with ovate petals and bright yellow anthers. 



In damp, wet or grassy p]ace.s iu the open or glades in the fores^t. Not uncommon 

 throughout Purneah ! Santal P. ! and Chota Nagpur ! Perhaps in all districts. 

 FI. Aug,-Dec. Fr. Nov. -Jan. 



Glabrous. L. decussate, mostly 5-nerved, shining above. Calyx deeply -l-lobed, 

 winged or keeled. Stigma exserted from the bud (flower probably protogynous). 

 Capsule broadly oval •25--27", dehiscing laterally through the septum which is only 

 partial in fruit," the central portion with the large dry placentte lying loose in the 

 cells. Seeds very minute, pale brown. 



2. E. bicolor, Roxb. 



Clarice saj's that it is frequent from Orissa southwards, but I have seen no 

 specimens from north of Ganjam (which used to be included in Orissa). The 

 flowers are said to be unsj-mmetric, the buds distinctly curved at the tips, and the 

 anther cells curving and tapering upwards. But the fls. of ii. teiragonum are 

 sometimes slightly zygomorphic. The species is included in Bengal plants appa- 

 rentlj' on the strength of the Orissa locality. 



3. E. pedunculatum, L. 



A slender erect herb, strict or ramose, 3-12" high, with 4-angulaj' 

 stems, narrow-elliptic or lanceolate sessile or subsessile leaves 'S-l'?" 

 long and usually pale-blue flowers in terminal few-many-fld. cymes. 

 Calyx "15" long with ovate lobes and a lanceolate dorsal wing. 

 Corolla exserted •25-"3". 



Not common. Hazaribagh, Clarke ! Plains of Bihar, Kew Herb. ! Fl. Nov. 



4 E. petiolare, Griseb. 



A small herb 3-12" high, usually branched above only, with ovate 

 or elliptic- ovate leaves 1-5-3" long, -i-7-nerved, with broad base 

 suddenly tapering into a slender but short petiole. Flowers 4-merous, 

 white or bluish, axillary and in terminal cymes. Size of flowers 

 rather variable (as probably in last) and calyx increasing in size in 

 fruit Avhen it is conspicuous by the large ovate acuminate veined 

 wing at the back of each lobe. Wing in fruit '4" long. Seeds small 

 brown angled subquadrate. 



Moist banks and damp situations generally, in shade. Singbhum ! Parasnath ! 

 FL, Fr. Sept.-Nov. 



2. SWERTIA, L. 



Herbs with leaves often 3 -basal-nerved and Avhite, blue, or lurid, 

 regular flowers in cymose panicles. Sepals 4-5, usually lanceolate. 

 Corolla rotate, lobes 4-5, twisted to the right ; at the base of each 

 are 1-2 glandular pits or depressions, sometimes partly covered by a 

 scale and with margins more or less fimbriate. Stamens 4-5, inserted 

 near base of corolla, filaments often dilated downwards, anthers 

 versatile. Ovary 1-celled, placentae little-intruded ; style short or 

 0, stigmas 2. Capsule sessile, separating into its 2 carpels. Seeds 

 rarely few, testa close or very lax or winged, reticulate. 



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