1. Eriocaulon.] 140. ERIOCAXJLACEJE. 



less, petals narrow-clavate, one rather larger, nearly as long as sepals, densely 

 fimbriate-woolly and with a small black gland, sometmies with 2 glands. Capsule 

 broader than long. -2" diani., seeds amber-coloured, broadly ellipsoid ■with a 

 broad hilum and smaller micropylar scar the other end. 



Prof. P. F. Fyson has kindly examined my specimens of this plant but has been 

 unable to decide to which of the species of this group (rivulare, breviscapon, fluviatile , 

 miserum) it should be assigned or whether it is a fifth species. I have thought it 

 best therefore to name it as above, rivulare being the first described. They may 

 be varieties of the same species grown under different conditions. 



3. E. Sieboldianum, Sieb. ,^- Zucc. 



A very small annual 2-4" high with numerous radical subulate or 

 setaceous leaves '6-2" long and slender peduncles. Heads small 

 globose or ovoid -07- -2" long, pale or sometimes purplish, Avith 

 glabrous scarious bracts. Invol, bracts obovate or oblong, truncate 

 toothed or lacerate, much shorter than the head and concealed by it. 

 Floral bracts lanceolate or linear-oblanceolate and subacute, shining, 

 M. calyx spathaceous broadly spathulate toothed, anthers white. 



Common in old rice-fields. North Bengal (and probably Pumeah), Kiirz I 

 Singbhum ! Hazaribagh, C. B. Clarke ! FL, Fr. Oct.-Nov. Probably in all 

 districts. 



Fl. bracts about -08" long. Kecept. columnar, glabrous or sparsely villous. 

 Fem. sepals 1-2 very slender or 0, corolla 0, stipes long. Style arms about as long 

 as shank. M. petals most minute or 0, st. 1-6. Seeds broA\Ta broadly ellipsoid 

 or ovoid •01" scarcely marked (even under 20 diam.), hilum broad, tip mucrouulate. 



4. E. trilobum, Ham. Syn. E. Solleyanum, Royle (111. t. 97). 



A small plant 3-8" high with the ensiform leaves mostly erect, 

 •7-2 -5" long, many-nerved. Heads small, rarely over -15" diam., 

 globose, dark-coloured. Invol. bracts oblong nearly glabrous, obtuse, 

 usually exceeding the radius of the head, spreading or reflexed. Floral 

 bracts obcuneate Avith triangular obtuse tip or suddenly acute (but 

 not acuminate as in E. quinquanguJare), triangular tip with short 

 white hairs at the back. Sepals : fem. oblanceolate concave and 

 more or less keeled at the tip, with a few white hairs, in male more 

 or less connate with rounded tips. Petals : fem. linear slightly 

 broader upwards, with few white hairs. Male : not longer than 

 the stamens and almost concealed b}^ the hairs, usually with a black 

 gland. Seeds amber-coloured -017" long, Avith close minute lines 

 (only seen when magnified about 20 diam.). 



Behar, J.D.H. ! Hazaribagh, Anders., Clarke ! It is also found in the Sikkim 

 Tarai, and as it extends from the Lpper Gangetic Plain to Eastern and Lower 

 Bengal, it will probably be found in most of our districts. Fl., Fr. Oct.-April. 



L. fenestrate, not red as usually in quinquamjulare, which it much resembles. 

 Eeceptacle globose, villous. 



5. E. quinquangulare, L. 



Usually dwarf 5-7" high Avith a croAvded rosette of linear ensi- 

 form leaves 1-3" long, usually tapering from base to apex Avithout 

 distinct sheath, 8-12 nerved, obscurely fenestrate betAA-een nerves. 

 Peduncles fcAv or densely croAvded 5-8-ridged upAvards. Heads 

 globose or someAA'hat OA^oid -2", rarely -25" diam., intruded at base. 

 Receptacle globose or columnar, covered Avith line villi (sometimes 

 adhering to the base of the floAver). Involucral bracts pale concave 



1068 



