233 flora indica. [Nyniphaacecc '. 



cylintlricis, radicula crassa infera. — Herbae rhizomaie horizontali peren- 



nante, caule erecto tereti, foliis ad apicem caulis 2 longe petiolatis pel- 



tatis, lobatis partitisve ; floribus solitariis axillaribas v. sapra-axillaribus 

 albis. 



1. P. Emodi (Wall. Cat. 814); pedunculis supra-axillaribus, flo- 

 ribus hexandris. — P. hexandrum, Royle, III. 64 ; Becaisne in Jacq. Voy. 

 Bot. 11. I. 9. 



Hab. In Himalaya interiore temperata et subalpina : Sikkim 10- 

 14,000 ped.! Nipal, Wall.! Kuraaon, etc., 9-14,000 ped.! in Kashmir 

 ad alt. 6000 ped. descendens !— (Fl. Apr. Mai.) (v. v.) 



Herba scapigera. Radix e fibris crassis. Caulis solitarius, longe nudus, basi va- 

 ginatus, herbaceus, teres, glaber. Folia 2, alterna, petiolata, late orbiculari-reni- 

 formia, palmatira 3-5-loba, 6-10 unc. lata, viridia, saepius purpureo-maculata, seg- 

 ments vernatione deflexis, cuneatis, supra medium lobatis et argute serratis, ju- 

 nioribus subtus tomentosis. Pedunculus validus. Flos erectus, primo vere evolutus, 

 erectus, demum nutans, albus v. roseus, cyathifornais, l-l^-pollicaris. Sepala 3^ 

 late oblonga. Petala 6, obovato-oblonga. Stamina 6, ovario sequilonga ; antheris 

 elongatis. Ovarium ampullaceum; stylo brevissimo ; stigmate cristato; ovulis iu 

 placenta laterali multiseriatis. Bacca oblonga v. elliptica, 1-2-pollicaris, rubra, car- 

 nosa, edulis, seminibus dense farcta. a Semina subellipsoidea, brunnea, 2 lin. longa. 

 Integum entum duplex, exterius membranaceum ; interiuspellucidum. Albumen album, 

 carnosum. Embryo parvulus, hilo proximus, radicula crassa, obtusa, hilo spectante ; 

 cotyledones parvulse, semicylindricse." — Decaisne, I.e. 



A very remarkable plant, one of the earliest spring flowers in the Himalaya. The 



" nents of the leaf, are plicate, and folded downwards on to the petiole 

 in bud, and the whole plant has much the habit of Er ant his hyemalis, though its 

 being a true member of the Berberidece is, we think, indisputably proved by the 

 structure of the fruit. The broad placenta, with many rows of ovules, is an ap- 

 proach to the structure of Nt/mphceacece. The pulpy covering of the seeds in P. pel- 

 tatum of North America, is described by Torrey, Flora of the State of New York, i. 

 35, as an arillus developed from the whole surface of the placenta; a modification of 

 this we have shown to take place in some Lardizabalece. The supra-axillary pe- 

 duncle is a singular feature, which is, however, not shared by its American congener. 

 We find it repeated in many Menispermea, Anonacea, and amongst the allies of Ber- 

 beride<e 9 and in Capparidea and Solanea, and other Orders having little direct affi- 

 nity with these. The pulpy tasteless fruit is eaten, as is that of the North Ameri- 

 can P. peltatum, L., whose leaves are poisonous and the root a drastic cathartic. 



xii. nymph^eaceA 



Cabombeae, Rich. 



Sepala 3-6, libera v. basi inter se et cum toro connata, interdum cum 

 ovariis cohserentia. Torus nullus, v. carnosus, cum sepalis petalisque 

 adnatus, v. cum sepalis in tubum apice stamina et petala gereutem 

 coalitus. Petala 3-6 v. plerumque indefinita, multiseriata, seriebus 

 alternantibus oppositisve, interiora saepissime in stamina transeuntia, 

 rarissime in eorollam gamopetalam coSlita. Stamina definita v. inde- 

 finita, saepissime perplurima, multiseriata, petalis opposita v. opposita et 

 alterna. Antherce innate, longitudinaliter dehiscentes. Carpella 3 v. 

 saepius indefinita, libera v. saepissime verticillata et mediante toro in 



