4. Canscoba.] 92. GENTIANAGEJE. 



3-nerved leaves -17-1" long below, gradiially smaller upwards and 

 bractiform on the inriorescence. Flowers Avhite, very irregular, sub- 

 labiate. Calyx •S-'-i" with veined lanceolate wings and small sharp 

 teeth. Tube of corolla as long as calyx, limb "2". One stamen con- 

 spicuously larger than the three others. Capsule oblong, shorter 

 than calyx, 2-valved to base. 



Chota Nag-pur, frequent, esp. on clay in the forests! Angul, Chattarjeel Fl., 

 Fr. Sept.-Feb. 



Used as a tonic, laxative and in fever. Dutf says that it is also much prized as a 

 nervine and used in insanity and nervous debility. 



5. HOPPEA, Willd. 



Small, much branched, glabrous herbs with small sessile leaves and 

 small white or green flowers, sessile or shortly pedicelled in 2-3- 

 chotomous cymes. Calyx campanulate, 4-lobed. Coi'olla with sub- 

 globose or tubular tube and 4 (or 8) short or long, usually unequal 

 lobes. Stamens with one only perfect and 3 bai'ren, in the throat 

 with short filaments and ovate anthers dehiscing introrsely. Ovary 

 1 -celled, placentae not far intruded, style short, stigma subentire. 

 Capsule short, 2-valved. Seeds very many, minute. 



1. H. dichotoma, Willd. 



A minute herb, often only 1-2" high, sometimes 4", densely 

 branched, with 4-winged stems and opposite sessile ovate leaves 

 •2--25" long, becoming lanceolate and bractiform on the inflorescence. 

 Flowers very small, appearing green, but with a white corolla, in 

 dichasial cymes and in the forks of the dichotomous branches. 

 Capsule subglobose. 



Damp open ground. Pnrneah, common ! Chota Nagpur, common ! Probably 

 throughout the province. Fl,, Fr. c.s. 



Calyx "OS-'l" long with lanceolate lobes equalling the tube, each with 2 green 

 nerves uniting in a very acute tip, hyaline between the nerves. Corolla regular or 

 nearly so, white, membranous, urceolate, sometimes with 4 very short oblong 

 obtuse lobes, sometimes with 8 lobes and sometimes lobes triangular. 



This little plant reminds one of the European Scleranthm annua. 



6. LIMNANTHEMUM, Gmel. 



Aquatic herbs with alternate or subopposite deeply cordate leaves. 

 Flowers white or yellow, clustered at the nodes, 4-5 (-7)-merous. 

 Corolla rotate, deeply cleft into valvate lobes which are ciliate, 

 fimbriate or longitudinally folded down the middle, tube often with 

 glands opposite the lobes. Stamens with short filaments and 

 versatile anthers. Ovary 1 -celled, placentae 2-3, not intruded, style 

 short, stigmas 2-3-lamellate. Capsule ovoid or oblong subindehis- 

 cent. Seeds numerous, orbicular, compressed, testa close, rather 

 spongy, finely reticulate, sometimes papillose. 



Fls. 1*5" diam., corolla densely white-bearded 1. indicum. 



Fls. 'b-'lb" diam. Petals with a median lamella, not bearded . . 2. cr'utatum. 



1. L. indicum, Thwaites. Syn. Menyanthes indica, L. 



An aquatic with floating leaves resembling those of a small water- 

 lily, and very beautiful white flowers l-2o-l-5" diam., with fringed 



570 



