516 LX. MELASTOMACE2E. (C. B. Clarke.) \_0sbeckia. 



have been imported from China -where 0. chinensis is common, 0. octandra unknown. 

 Triana appears to have rejected the figure because it shows 5 petals ; the accompany- 

 ing text states the calyx to be 4-5-fid. Now there are several instances of normally 

 4-fid Osbeckias having some or many 5-fid flowers ; but there is no recorded instance 

 of a normally 5-fid Osbeckia producing 4-fid flowers. The Sot. Eeg. t. 542 is an in- 

 ferior figure, but from similar reasoning is probably 0. chinensis also. 



6. O. capitata, Benth. in Wall Cat. 4072 ; leaves ovate acute from a 

 broad or cordate base subsessile, flowers capitate, calyx-segments lanceolate 

 rounded on the back ciliate. Naud. in Ann. Sc. Nat. ser. 3. xiv. 68 ; Triana in 

 Trans. Linn. Soc. xxviii. 53. 0. glauca, Naud. I. c. Osbeckioidea, Grif. Ic. 639. 



EAST BHOTAN, Tassangsee, alt. 4500 ft. ; ex Griffith Journ. KHASIA MTS., alt. 

 4000-5000 ft. ; plentiful. 



A perennial herb 8-20 in., branched from the base ; branches tetragonous, with 

 adpressed bristles. Leaves 1 in., hairy on both surfaces, 3-9-nerved, nerves deeply 

 sunk on the upper surface in the dried specimens. Bracts ovate, acute, hairy on the 

 back. Calyx-tube sometimes densely covered with clustered bristles, often with pec- 

 tinate bristle-bearing scales at the apex only, sometimes even when young altogether 

 glabrous. Petals in., mauve. Anthers with a beak more than half their own 

 length. Bristles on the apex of the ovary about 16. Fruit ovoid, | in. wide, often 

 glabrous, sometimes more or less bristle-bearing ; neck short, calyx-limb never per- 

 sistent. 



7. O. zeylanica, Willd. Sp. PL ii. 300; leaves oblong or elliptic nar- 

 rowed at both ends, petiole 0-^ in., flowers capitate, calyx-tube with spreading 

 stellately hairy scales persistent on the fruit. Pluk. t. 173, f. 4 ; Roxb. Fl. 2nd. 

 ii. 223 ; Wall. Cat. 4069 ; W. $ A. Prodr. 322 ; Miq. FL Ind. Bat. i. pt. i. 

 519 ; Thwaites Enum. p. 104 ; Triana in Trans. Linn. Soc. xxviii. 53. 0. seri- 

 alis, Naud. in Ann. Sc. Nat. ser. 3. xiv. 67. O. debilis, Naud. I. c. 65. 



Tropical DECCAN PENINSULA, Wight No. 1143; Bababoodun Hills, Malabar; 

 Law. CEYLON ; Thwaites. 



Erect, annual, 3-15 in. ; branches ascending, tetragonous, with adpressed bristles 

 or nearly glabrous. Leaves f-1 J in., hairy on both surfaces. Bracts very narrow. 

 Calyx-segments keeled on their backs, often setose, ciliate on the margin, with stellate 

 prominently-spreading bristles at their tips. Petals f in., purple-mauve. Anthers 

 with a beak more than half their own length. Bristles on the apex of the ovary about 

 16. Fruit -| in. broad, ovoid-oblong, calyx-limb deciduous. 



VAR. H/feri ; neck of fruit more produced upwards with 8 ribs, pectinate scales 

 on the lower half of the fruit placed in three whorls encircling it horizontally. Te- 

 nasserim and Andamans, Heifer. Wallich, No. 4069 partly. 0. zeylanica is united 

 with 0. chinensis Linn, by Kurz in Journ. As. Soc. 1877, pt. ii. 74. 



SECT. III. Ceramicalyx. Shrubs or stout herbs. Perianth normally 

 4-merous. Calyx campanulate produced in fruit into a long or short neck or 

 altogether truncate. Anthers large, produced into a very long beak. 



^8.0. hispidissima, Wight Ic. t. 1612; stems with reflexed strong 

 bristles ^ f in., bracts to the pedicels round many extra ones without pedicels, 

 calyx-segments oblong obtuse glabrous on the back strongly ciliate. Triana in 

 Trans. lAnn. Soc. xxviii. 53. 



MYSORE; Wostara, Cleghorn. DECCAN PENINSULA; Munda Eani, Wight No. 1100. 



Suffruticose, erect; branches stout, tetragonal. Leaves 4-6 in., lanceolate, nar- 

 rowed at both ends, with strong bristles scattered on both surfaces or in one specimen 

 nearly glabrous, nerves 3 strong and 2-4 faint ; petiole f in. Corymbs about 5- 

 flowered ; flowers dark crimson (Wight). Calyx-tube with scattered penicillate 



