Order 52. Lythraceoe. 119 



4. LAGERSTR^MIA. Trees or shrubs of great beauty, calyx 

 lobes 6, petals 6, conspicuously clawed, stamens very many 

 exserted, capsule 3 to 6-valved, seeds winged. 



5. SONNERATIA. Trees growing near the sea, smooth, leaves 

 entire, calyx thick, lobes and petals 4 to 6, stamens very many, 

 berry roundish with calyx attached. 



Note. Where not otherwise stated the leaves are opposite. 



1. AMMANIA. 



(a) Small and low, or creeping, herbs; (1) calyx teeth and 

 petals 4. 



1. A. rotundifolia (Ameletia r. D.). Spreading, tinged 

 with red, branches erect, leaves rounded sessile, spikes crowded 

 square decussate, flowers red, each with a cordate bract, sepals 

 and petals, alike but the petals narrower, capsule 4-valved 

 elliptic, seeds brownish-yellow. 



Common in rice fields, etc. Throughout the plains of India (-H.). 

 He says that there are two types of flowers, one with stamens 

 included and long style, the other with stamens exserted and short 

 style. 



2. A. floribunda (Ameletia f. D.). Erect, leaves alternate 

 linear or oblong, stem clasping, branches very slender, flowers 

 bright red in short racemes, capsules and seeds as in the last. 



The highest Ghauts and Sivapore are the only habitats known 

 for this. At Mahableshwar it grows on the rocks in masses, 

 looking like a heath. The small green bracts might be taken for 

 calyx. 



* A. peploides, leaves obovate, flowers in numerous sessile spikes, 

 calyx tube long, pink petals wanting or small, capsule 2-valved. Hab. 

 as in No. 1. "This is abundant on wet soil in some part of the 

 Himalayas, and gives a heath -like colour to the turf with its pale 

 purple flowers." Hooker. * A. Ritchiei, aquatic, leaves elliptic, 

 flowers solitary, calyx long, petals rose-colour, capsule 4-valved. 

 Not in D. or G. Rice-fields at Belgaum (if.). Not otherwise known. 

 * A. tennis (Ameletia t. D.). Erect, very slender, leaves ovate or 

 roundish, spikes dense, capsule 2-valved. Banks of the Penu river. 

 (D.). 



(2) Calyx lobes and petals 3 to 5. 



* A. rotala (Rotala, verticillaris, D.). Growing and creeping in 

 water, leaves in whorls of 3 to 6, linear, flowers minute solitary, cap- 

 sule 2-valved. Ditches, tanks, etc. (D. and 6?.). A. pentandra. Leafy, 

 much branched, with thick square stems, leaves very small, linear or 

 lanceolate, close pressed together with the solitary flowers, calyx 

 lobes, petals, and stamens 5, all bright red, capsule 3-celled. Malwan- 

 Not in D. or 0. Throughout tropical India (#.) 



