628 Prof. Don's Descriptions of Indian Gentianese. 



Ophelia lurida (mal^lucida). Nob. in G. Don Syst. Gard. Sf Bot. iv. p. 179. 

 Swertia lurida. Royle MSS. 

 Habitat in Emodi montibus ad Mussooree. Royle. O . 



Hei-ba amarissima. Radix fibrosa, annua, flava. CauUs erectus, rigidus, 

 ramosissimus, tetragonus, fistulosus, glaber, viridis, bipedalis : angulis 

 elevatis, membranaceis, angustissimis. Folia radicalia petiolata, spathu- 

 lata, obtusa, patentia, sesquipollicaria ; caulina superiora et rarnea am- 

 plexicaulia, cordata, acuta, 5-nervia; in^7na oblonga, basi angustata, 

 caulis apicem versus sensim minora. Flores parvi, copiosissimi, panicu- 

 lati. Calyx 4-partitus : segmentis lanceolatis, acutis. Coi-olla calyce sub- 

 dupl6 longior, lurido-purpurea, 4-partita : laciniis ovato-lanceolatis, acu- 

 minatis, 5-nerviis, basi biglandulosis, glabris: glanduUs linearibus, di- 

 stantibus. Stamina 4, corolla breviora : Jilamenta subulata, glabra : an- 

 thera; cordatse, mucronulatse. Pistillum staminibus longius : ovarium 

 ovatum, membranaceum, 1-loculare: stylus hrev'is : stigmata suhcai^itata, 

 minutfe papillosa. Capsula parva, ovata, membranacea. Semina exigua, 

 angulata, Isevia, pallida fulva. 



Gen. VIII. HALENIA. Borch. 

 SwERTi.^ sp. L. et Auctt. 



Calyx 4 — 5-partitus. Corolla campanulata v. tubulosa, 4 — 5-fida: laciniis 



basi calcaratis! Stamina sinubus coroUae inserta. Stigma bilobum. 



Capsula sessilis, membranacea, 1-locularis. Semina marginalia, subro- 



tunda V. oblonga, ventricosa, Isevia. 

 Herbse (asiaticse et americanse) annuce v. perennes, floribus umbellatis purpureis 



V. luteis. 



This constitutes one of the most distinct genera in the whole family. The 

 petals, in place of having the fringed glands of Swertia, are produced behind 

 into a hollow spur, which forms an obvious and beautiful mark to discrimi- 

 nate the genus from the rest of its coordinates. Of the twelve species known 

 to us, two are Asiatic, and the rest American ; and of these latter, five are 

 natives of Peru and New Granada, and perennial. 



