274 The Flowering Plants of Western India. 



2. PODOSTEMON. Flowers sessile, in a little spathe, perianth 

 of 2 or 3 scales, stamens 2, connate below, with 2 linear 

 staminodes, capsule long-stalked, ovoid. 



Of Terniola there are 5 species, attributed by D. to Konkan rivers 

 on Mr. Law's authority, and for only one of these has H. any other 

 habitat. The stems of all are frond-like and horizontal, and the size 

 of the largest is put at of an inch in diameter. 



Two Fodostemons are given, one moss-like, from one to two inches 

 broad; the other (not in D.) attributed by H. to streams of the 

 W. Ghauts, but no size given. 



ORDER 98. AEISTOLOCHIACE2E. The Birthwort Family. 



Herbs or shrubs, often climbing, leaves alternate, without 

 stipules, perianth superior, generally large and tubular, anthers 

 6 or more, subsessile, inserted in a ring round the base of the 

 style, which is short and columnar, stigma large and lobed, 

 fruit a capsule or berry. 



This is a small order, mainly of tropical America, with rather 

 strong medicinal qualities. The perianth in Aristolochia is of an 

 unusual shape, being rather like that of Ceropegia, and also resembling, 

 10 some extent, the pitchers of Nepenthes (pitcher plants) which 

 belong to an allied order. In that case, however, the pitchers are 

 appendages of the leaf. In this order the number and arrangement 

 of the stamens are also distinctive. There is one of the genus in 

 England, A, clematitis, generally considered to be wild. 



ARISTOLOCHIA. Petioles with dilated base, perianth with 

 tube dilated at the base, then contracted and with a wide 

 limb, obliquely one or two-lipped, anthers 6, style very short, 

 3 to 6-lobed, capsule 6-valved. 



1. A. bracteata. A smooth glaucous plant, spreading nearly 

 flat on the ground, leaves heart-shaped or kidney-shaped ; 

 flowers solitary axillary, green and claret- colour, hairy inside, 

 lip strap- shaped, pedicel thick, with a heart-shaped or roundish 

 bract attached, capsule oblong melon- shaped, seeds heart- 

 shaped, thin. Kiramdr, ganddti. 



Guzerat and Deccan. 



The thickened ribbed pedicel looks like an inferior ovary. 



2. * A. Indica. Shrubby, smooth and twining leaves from 

 linear to obovate, waved, flowers in racemes erect, dark green 

 and brown, bract opposite the base of the penduncle, capsule 

 oblong grooved, seeds flat, triangular, winged. Sdmpsan. 



Leaves exceedingly variable 



