Order 89. Acanthaceoe. 241 



crinita, D.), leaves ovate hairy, spikes short, flowers rose or purple, 

 sepals broader tha* the rough, hairy, bracts. Vingorla (D.). * J 

 quinquangularis (R. peploides, D.), branched, diffuse, often 4 or 5- 

 angled, smooth and glaucous, leaves oval to linear lanceolate, spikes 

 rather long, bracts and sepals spathulate. Watercourses in the 

 Deocan (D.)- * 3- diffusa (R. d., D.), stem 4-sided, leaves lanceolate 

 ovate, spikes slender compressed, flowers pale purple, bracts and 

 sepals lanceolate. In pastures (D.). H- nas several vars. of this. 



21. ADHATODA. 



A. vasica. A large shrub of little beauty, with oblong 

 elliptic leaves, narrowed at both ends, smooth ; flowers large, 

 white with brown spots ; spikes several together, bracts smooth 

 ovate, with white veins. Adusa, ~bdkas 3 vasuka. 



This is a very common shrub, used for hedges in G-nzerat, the 

 Konkan, and the Ghaut districts. Common all over India (H.) It 

 ia sometimes called the Malabar nut, and is so closely allied to Justicia 

 NOB. 1 and 2 that it seems a pity they have been separated, particu- 

 larly as this opinion is also expressed in If. It may be seen in Italian 

 gardens. 



22. BHINACANTHUS. 



R. communis. A shrubby plant 3 or 4 feet high, leaves 

 large ovate oblong, obtusely pointed, flowers small white in 

 axillary and terminal panicles, trichotornously divided, anthers 

 exserted. Ndgamdlli, jaivdi-pands, gajkarni. 



S. Konkan. Mahableshwar (D.). Throughout India, commonly 

 cultivated (H.). A medicinal plant. 



23. EcBOLIUM. 



E. Linnceanum (Justicia Ecbolium, D.). A small shrub, 

 nearly smooth, with elliptic acute leaves, flowers in dense 4- 

 sided spikes of a pale sea-green, bracts ovate, green, often dark- 

 veined, capsule much compressed. Odu-jdti, rdnabholi, dhdkta 

 ddulsa. 



The Konkans, but scarcely common. Very common at Matheran 

 (Dr. CooTce). H. has three varieties, one of which has roundish leaves, 

 and another toothed bracts. The colour of the flowers is very 

 delicate, but of so uncommon a hue that I find it described by 

 different authorities as follows : Greenish or azure, pale blue, 

 greenish livid, greenish blue or purplish, lurid or steely green-blue. 

 All these are suggestive of the colour of the sea in one aspect or 



another ; or perhaps one of Dr. Darwin's indefinite similes may 

 -"precisely the colour of a seraph's plume." 



suit it' 



