104. ACANTHACE^. [22. Aphelandra. 



oblong, lateral almost setaceous. Corolla •25-"3", tubular or subglobose for 'V then 

 constricted and suddenly ventricose, upper lip shortly 2-lobed. Anther-cells wide 

 apart, one a little above the other, slightly hairy, mucronate at the base. Capsule 

 •2" long or very slightly exceeding the calyx, compressed with broader sides thin 

 pubescent and grooved on the narrower sides and short beak. Seeds 2-4 light 

 brown, yellow-hairy when wetted. If the capsules, when ripe, are wetted they 

 burst violentlj^ scattering the hygroscopically-hairy seeds in all directions, 



22. APHELANDRA, R. Br. 



Shrubs or tall herbs with entire or toothed leaves and showy 

 yelloAV orange or scarlet flowers in terminal simple or branched con- 

 spicuously bracteate spikes. Bracts imbricate often coloured, entire, 

 ciliate or spinose, Bracteoles small. Calyx with posterior segment 

 usually broadest, others equal or somewhat unequal in Avidth. 

 Corolla with long straight or somewhat curved tube cylindrical or 

 somewhat widened upwards, 2-lipped, upper lip entire or more or less 

 2-fid, lower lip with the mid-lobe spreading and recurved, the lateral 

 lobes sometimes obsolete or small at the base or sides of the mid-lobe, 

 or as large and spreading. Stamens 4 inserted near the base of tube, 

 subequal, anthers exserted, dimidiate, 1 -celled, sometimes cohering by 

 their bearded tips when young, ultimately often muticous, pollen 

 oblong subterete with a fine line (or fissure ?) on one side. Stigma 

 oblique or truncate, or minutely 2-lobed, Ovules 2 in each celL 

 Capsule oblong, often shortly contracted at base. 



A tropical American genus of which several handsome flowering shrubs or 

 undershrubs are now common in Indian gardens. 



1. A. pectinata, Willd. 



A shrvib 3-4 ft. with coarse rusty pubescence on twigs, obovate or 

 oblanceolate entire leaves 3-5" tapering to a very short petiole and 

 with very prominent sec. n. beneath wdiich are depressed above. 

 Flowers narrow, scarlet, in sessile elongate spikes from the uppermost 

 leaf axils (thus appearing terminal). Bracts usually spinulose- 

 serrate towards the apex. 



In gardens. Fl., Fr, Aug,-Oct, 



L, acute or obtuse with about 12 sec. n. Spikes 2-5" long with opp. decussate 

 oblong acuminate silkily hairy bracts -5" long. Fls. 1"5". Bracteoles "S", narrowly 

 lanceolate silky. Sepals "So", similar but rather broader, imbricate. Cor. hairy, 

 tube constricted above ovary, lower lip entire "5", ultimately revohite, linear- 

 oblong ; upper lip erect straight or recurved with 2 short acute lobes. Fil. hairy 

 below, anther boat-shaped dorsiflxed. 



2. A. tetragona, Nees. Syn. A. cristata, Lindl., non R. Br. 



A shrub with large elliptic leaves acute or acuminate both ends or 

 ovate and cvmeate on the petiole. Flowers scarlet in clustered spikes 

 4-8" long, the rhachis and base of calyx densely Avoolly. Bracts 

 velvety-pubescent quite entire ovate acute. Corolla 1*5-2", nearly 

 glabrous, upper lip 2-fid, mid-lobe of the lower lip lanceolate, the 

 latera,l very short. 



In gardens. Native of Central America. 



3. A. cristata, R. Br. 



A shrub about 3 ft. high with lanceolate leaves 7-8" long and numerous laro-e 

 orange-scarlet flowers in panicled spikes. It lacks the dense tomentum of the last. 

 Other species are sometimes found in gardens. 



689 



