490 cix. ACANTHACE^;. (C. B. Clarke.) [Bark r la. 



Spikes 1-3 in., very dense, often glomerate, always secund, the sepals densely imbri- 

 cated, the bracteoles appearing patent or reflexed on one side ; bracteoles ^-J in., 

 lanceolate or subovate. Outer sepals 1 in., sometimes more, nervose. Corolla 

 funnel-shaped in the upper half of the tube ; lobes f in., ovate. Capsule f in., 

 4-seeded ; seeds silky. 



VAE. polystachya ; leaves very large fulvous-hirsute above somewhat glaucescent 

 beneath, spikes densely agglomerated yellow -hirsute. B. polystachya, Nees in DC. 

 Prodr. xi. 226. Concan ; Stocks. 



VAE. terminalis ; leaves thinly fulvous-hirsute above, spikes substrobilate not or 

 very obscurely 1-sided, outer sepals more softly hairy often obtuse. B. termiualis, 

 Nees in DC. Prodr. xi. 225 ; Dalz fy Gibs. Bomb. Fl. 188. Concan ; Jacquemont, 

 &c. Belgaum; Ritchie. This may be a distinct species, as Dalzell considers; but T. 

 Anderson does not deem it worth notice as a var. 



25. B. polytricha, Wall. PL As. Bar. i. 72, t. 82, and Cat. 7143 ; 

 leaves large oblong attenuate at both ends hirsute above, spikes dense 

 many-fld. 1-sided, bracteoles oblong or elliptic somewhat shorter than the 

 calyx, outer sepals ovate ciliate-denticulate hirsute, corolla 1^-2 in. blue. 

 Nees in Wall. PI. As. Ear. iii. 91, and in DC. Prodr. xi. 225 ; T. Anders, 

 in Journ. Linn. Soc. ix. 491. B. cserulea, Wall. Cat. 2509, letter K only. 

 B. hirsuta, Wall. Cat. 7142 ; Nees II. c. Pseudobarleria polytricha, Oerst. 

 in Vidensk. Meddel. JSjob. 1854, 135. 



CHITTAGONG, PEGU and TENASSEBIM ; Wallich, &c., frequent. DISTKIB. Ava. 



Leaves 6 by 1| in., base gradually cuneately attenuated, hairs long on the upper 

 surface ; otherwise altogether as IB. strigosa. 



VAR. polystachya has the leaves suddenly narrowed to the subalate petiole. 

 JB. hirsuta is a young state, having the heads substrobiliform, not (or very obscurely) 

 1-sided ; probably always more or less 1-sided in fruit. 



26. B. nitida, Nees in Wall. PL As. Rar. iii. 91, and in DC. Prodr. xi. 

 224 ; leaves ovate or elliptic shortly acuminate at both ends lineolate nearly 

 glabrous above, spikes dense 1-sided, bracteoles elliptic or subovate nearly 

 as long as the calyx, outer sepals ovate strongly ciliate-denticulate shining 

 sparsely hispidulous not strigose, corolla H in. blue. Wight Jc. t. 454 ; 

 T. Anders, in Sourn. Linn. Soc. ix. 491. B. cgerulea, Wall. Cat. 2509, 

 letter H only. B. bracteata, Heyne in Herb. Bottler. 



Hills of S. DECCAN PENINSULA; Rottler ; Courtallum, Wight; Nilghiries. 

 Foulkes ; Tinnevelly Hills, Beddome. 



Leaves 1^-2 in. Outer sepals shining, with scattered yellow hairs, but no strigose 

 pubescence on the nerves without ; otherwise as -B. strigosa, from which T. Anderson 

 admits it to be specifically distinct. The Simla plant referred to this species by Nees 

 is S. strigosa, with (as usual in the N.W. Himalaya) smaller leaves than in the Sikkiin 

 Terai form. 



XXIII. NEURACANTHUS, Nees. 



Perennials ; flowering stems erect, annual. Leaves entire. Flowers 

 small, blue, spicate ; spikes axillary or terminal, elongate strobilate or 

 dense capitate ; bracts ovate, membranous or coriaceous ; bracteoles or 

 minute. Calyx 2-partite ; posterior segment 3-toothed, anterior 2-toothed 

 or 2-partite. Corolla tubular, upper half wide-funnel-shaped ; limb sub- 

 entire or obscurely lobed, plicate. Stamens^, didynamous ; anterior anthers 

 2-lobed, posterior 1-lobed (second lobe rudimentary) ; lobes ovoid, distinct, 

 sometimes hairy. Style at the apex 2-branched, 1 branch linear-lanceolate, 

 the other obsolete ; ovary 4-ovulate. Capsule oblong, glabrous, 4-seeded. 

 Seeds much compressed, ovate, densely inelastically silky. Species 6, the 5 

 following and a tropical African one. 



