24. JusTiciA.] 104. ACANTHACEM. 



oblong- (ovate, Clarice), markedly lineolate and sometimes strigose 

 leaves l-2'5" or 3" long by •4--75" broad, and very small rose-coloured 

 flowers in axillary and terminal dense sessile hairy spikes "To-S ' long 

 and -3" diam. Bracts 4-ranked and bracteoles and 4 sepals all mem- 

 branous Avith green centres or green midribs and hirsutely hairy or 

 ciliate. Capsule ell. -oblong "16" with solid base and hairy tip. 



Frequent in valleys in Chota Nag'pur. Singbhum! Ranchi, Clarke I Hazari- 

 bagh, on Parasnath! Palamau, Neterbat, 3000 ft. ! FI., Fr. Oct.-Jan. 



Stems quadrilateral witli the two of the opposite angles with a groove so that, 

 according to the width of the groove and the nature of ridge on either side of it, 

 the stem is variously described as 4-angular or 6-angular, hairs on lower parts- 

 reflexed, more spreading above and at the nodes. Leaves slightly tapering both 

 ends to a suliacute or sub-obtuse tip, hairs few on the nerves both sides and some- 

 times shortly ciliate. Sec. n. 5. Petiole ■2-'25". Bracts narrowly obovate or 

 lanceolate or oblancedate, •18-"22", strongly ciliate. Bracteoles as long linear or 

 oblong-linear hispidlj- haiiy. Sepals 4, more narrowly linear, •16-'18", hirsute 

 or hairj'. Corolla "2", hairy, upper lip concave below, subquadrate entire or 

 notched above, lower lip with 3 rounded lobes. Anthers sometimes with the lower 

 cell reduced to its spur. Seeds not much compi'essed, suborbicular- cordate, brown- 

 black, granulate or concentrically rugose. 



Yar. serpyllifolia, Benth. 



About 6-8" only closely branched with elliptic to suborbicular 

 leaves S-T" and spikes about 1" long and -17" broad. Bracts -08" 

 long, fulvous hirsute. 



Manbhiim, Clarke ! Parasnatlt, Clarke ! 



2S. ADHATODA, Nees. 



Shrubs with entire leaves, and large flowers subsessile in the axils 

 of opposite bracts of axillary and terminal, sometimes thyrsiform, 

 spikes. Bracts larger than the calyx and bracteoles sub-similar, not 

 membranotis. Calyx-lobes 5 imbricate or 2 lowest subconnate. 

 Corolla 2-lii:)ped, tube short, upper lip galeate, subentire, lower 

 spreading 3-lobed. Stamens 2, near top of corolla-tube, anthers 2- 

 celled, cells minutely apiculate at base. Stigma entire. Ovules 2 in 

 each cell. Capsule clavate-oblong with a long solid base. Seeds 1-2 

 suborbicidar, compressed, rugose. 



1. A. vasica, Nees. Yasaka, Beng. ; Arusha, H. 



A bushy shrub 3-8 ft. high with large minutely pubescent elliijtic 

 or ell. -lanceolate acuminate leaves 5-8" long with a foetid smell, and 

 large white flowers 1"3" long. Spikes 1-3" often several together at 

 the ends of the branchlets with ovate, elliptic or obovate bracts '75" 

 long and bracteoles -5". Calyx -'S-'o" with equal lanceolate lobes. 

 Cor.-tube Avith a short basal portion then inflated ; throat transversely 

 barred with rose or yellow ; lips about "75" long. Filaments hairy at 

 base only. Capsule 7b", pubescent. 



Nowhere certamlj- wild in our province ; possibly so in northern Purneah ! 

 Common in villages or near villages, Balasore ! Augul ! Sambalpur ! Often seen 

 in gardens in all other districts. Fl, Feb.-March and also at the end of the r.s. 



Said to be a good insecticide. " Leaves and loot expectorant and antispasmodic,, 

 and considered .serviceable in phthisis." Diitt. 



Jacobinia Gheisbreghtiana, Benth. 4" Eookar, is a handsome under- 

 shrub with scarlet flowers in terminal panicles. Gardens. 



694 



