7. ^RUA.] 108. AMAEANTACEM. 



robust forms 6* by 2-25", sometimes only 1", elliptic, elliptic-lanceolate 

 or lanceolate and usually tapering both ends, appressed-silky or shortly 

 hairy beneath and more thinly so above. Fls. white in dense oblong 

 panicled ovoid heads or cylindrical spikes '25-2" long, or terminal 

 sometimes up to 4". Tepals 2 mm. long, densely white-villous, outer 

 white, inner with green centre. Stamens united below into a green 

 cup with yellow anthers, staminodes shorter than the stamens. Style 

 slender, stigmas capitellate. 



Rocky jung-les. Singbluim ! Ranchi ! Hazaribagh ! Palamau ! Ang\\\, Chat- 

 tarjeel ' Kalahaiicli ! Probably throughout the Central and Southern Areas. Fl., 

 Fr. Oct. -May. Perennial. 



I have never seen this truly climbing though it sometimes clambers a few feet 

 among bushes. The stems are often rather woody below and attain -5" diam. in 

 exceptional specimens. Branches striate, often reddish on one side, minutely 

 white-hairy or pubescent or sub-tomentose upwards, or those of the panicle villous. 

 Leaf base usually decurrent on a short petiole rarely attaining -S", sec. n. about 8 

 on the largest leaves. Inflorescence generally of many short sessile irregularly 

 placed spikes lateral on a leafless rhachis which terminates in a more elongated 

 spike, sometimes lax below. Flowers often 4-5 on short lateral branches of the 

 spike (which is really compound), each subtended by a hyaline shortly awned 

 bract '08" long exactly resembling the woolly or villous ovate imbricate tepals. 

 Flowers 2 sexual (or polygamous ?). Staminodes often reduced to teeth. Style 

 about as long as ovary, together about -Oi-'OS" long. Capsule thin, rupturing 

 irregularly more or less transversely. 



2. M. lanata, Juss. Chaya, Beng. ; Lopong arak', S. 



A suberect, diffuse or prostrate herb with branches more hoary- 

 villous than in the last species, and small obovate or rounded leaves 

 •25-1", hairy or villosely tomentose both sides. Spikes •25-'5", 

 usually clustered at the axils and only appearing spicate where 

 crowded at the ends of new branches with immature leaves. Sepals 

 1-3 mm. as in the last species or {teste F.B.I.) obtuse. Stigmas 

 minute oblong. 



A common weed, usually in open village lands. Monghyr, Ram. ! Gya, Clarke \ 

 Chota Nagpur ! Probably in all the drier districts of the province, but very 

 poorly represented in herbaria. Fl., Fr. Nov.-Jan. 



The leaves are eaten as a pot-herb. Roots used medicinallj', Camp. 



3. JE. Monsonia, Mart. 



An erect or somewhat diffuse herb with woolly or cottony grooved 

 and ridged stems and opposite branches and opposite or fascicled 

 filiform or acicular 3-nerved leaves -5-1" long. Flowers rose-coloured 

 in short cylindric spikes solitary and terminating all the branches, 

 the main stem also ending in a solitary spike. Perianth -OS-*!" long, 

 woolly at base, tepals lanceolate-subulate. Utricle with small cir- 

 cumsciss top. Seed brown shining. 



Open ground under Sal, Hazaribagh ! Sambalpur. Giiffith ! Fl., Fr. Nov.-Jan. 



Very rarely somewhat ditfuse in our area, but in other provinces it is sometimes 

 very diffuse with stems 2-3 ft. long from a long flexuous woody root. Spikes 

 •.■{-•7" long, regularly disposed. Tepals usually 4. Stigma capitate subsessile. 



8. ACHYRANTHES, L. 



Herbs with opposite leaves and green or purplish flowers which 

 are soon deflexed, in simple or panicled spikes with spinescent or 

 awned bracts and usually also awned bracteoles. Tepals 4-5, subu- 



766 



