Potyura.~\ LXXV. RUBIACEJE. (J. D. Hooker.) 77 



bearded ; (lobes 5, short, obtuse, valvate in bud. Stamens 5, in the middle of the 

 tube, filaments subulate ; anthers shortly 2-fid at both ends. Ovary 2-celled ;. 

 style filiforin, puberulous, stigmas 2 obtuse ; ovules numerous, on subglobose- ' 

 placentas inserted on the middle of the septum. Capsule small, subglobose, sep- 

 ticidal, 2-celled, many-seeded. Seeds obtusely angled, testa crustaceous ; embryo- 

 minute in fleshy albumen. 



1. P. geminata, Hook. f. in Ic. PL t. 1049. Ophiorhiza Pgeminata,. 

 Wallr Cat. 6237. 



KHASIA MTS., alt. 2-4000 ft., Hamilton, Gomez, &c. MISHMI HULLS, Griffith. 



Whole plant 4-10 in. high, simple or branched from the base, pubescent. Leaves 

 2-4 in., elliptic-oblong or -lanceolate, obtuse or obtusely acuminate; petiole long or- 

 short, often winged ; nerves many, very spreading, often red-brown when dry ; stipules, 

 filiform. 



25. OPHZORRHXZA, Z. 



Erect creeping or decumbent small herbs, rarely undershrubs. Leaves usually 

 elliptic-lanceolate ; stipules caducous. Flowers white pink or greenish, secund 

 on the branches of axillary or terminal dichotomous cymes j bracts or bracteoles 

 various or 0. Calyx-tube short ; lobes 5, small, persistent. Corolla tubular or 

 funnel-shaped ; lobes 5, short, valvate in bud, back often winged, often also with 

 a fold in the sinus. Stamens 5, inserted on the tube ; anthers linear. Disk very 

 large, 2-lobed. Ovary 2-celled ; style filiform, stigmas broad or linear ; ovules 

 many, inserted on basal ascending placentas. Capsules coriaceous, compressed, 

 obcordate, girt in the middle by the calyx-tube, the crown dehiscing by 2 broad 

 gaping valves ; placentas divaricating, many-seeded. Seeds minute, angled, testa 

 crustaceous ; embryo clavate, in fleshy albumen. DISTBIB. Species about 50, 

 tropical Asiatic, with a few Australian and Polynesian. 



A very difficult genus ; the characters taken from the position of the stamens o 

 the corolla-tube, the hairiness within of the latter, the length and smoothness or- 

 hairiness of the style, and the form of the stigma, have not been made diagnostic, as 

 being probably sexual to a very great degree. 



* Sractedes 0, or if present very narrow and caducous, falling away before the 

 capsules are fully formed. Corolla usually under ^ in. loiig (except in O. Wal- 

 lichii). The species of this group are very closely allied indeed and difficult of 

 definition. 



1. O. IKung'OS, Linn. ; erect, glabrous, or stem petioles cymes and leaf 

 nerves beneath puberulous, stipules small, cyme-branches subumbellate very 

 spreading, bracts 0, calyx-teeth very short, corolla glabrous rounded at the tip 

 in bud in., mouth not dilated, lobes very short obtuse keeled at the back. 

 Gaertn. Fruct. i. t. 55 ; Roxb. Fl. Ind. i. 701 ; W. $ A. Prodr. 404. 



KHASIA MTS. and ASSAM, ascending to 2000 ft. BIRMA, TENASSEBIM, ANDAMAN 

 and NICOBAR ISLANDS. Mts. of the WESTERN PENINSULA and CEYLON. DISTRIR. 

 Sumatra, Java. 



A suffrutescent herb. Leaves 2-5 by l-2 in., very thin, elliptic or elliptic-lanceo- 

 late, long-acuminate, narrowed into the petiole. Cymes 1-3 in. diam., flat-topped, 

 glabrous or pubescent. Corolla white. Capsules -J in. diam., pedicelled. The fol- 

 lowing varieties may be referable to. 0. Harrisiana. 



VAR. nemorosa, Thw. Enum. 139 (sp.); leaves elliptic or obovate-lanceolate, 



stipules rounded with 1-2 long points, cymes fewer-flowered tomentose or glabrate. 



Ceylon. 



VAR. angustifolia, Thw. Enum. 140 (sp.); leaves narrower, calyx-teeth longer, 

 corolla-tube shorter. Ceylon. 



