708 cxni. PLAXTAGIXE.H. (J. D. Hooker.) \_Plantago. 



flexuous glabrous or puberulous, leaves filiform, margins revolute, peduncles 

 in the upper axils, spike? ovoid or subglobose puberulous, bracts all longer 

 than the calyx, lower eqaalling the spike, corolla lobes finely acuminate. 

 Dene, in DC. Prodr. xiii. 1, 735; Boiss. Fl. Orient, iv. 891. Plantago, 

 Griff. It. Notes, 214, n. 84, and Notulce, iv. 213 ; and Ic. PL Asiat. 

 t. 462. 



NORTH-WEST INDIA; Eoyle (raised from seed bought in Bazaar). DISTEIB. 

 Afghanistan, Egypt. 



This is, I think, a form of P. Psyllium, or of P. stricta, Schousb. Royle's only 

 specimen is very small, 6 in. high and slender, but Griffith's from Affghanistan 

 is a foot high with a very robust stem. Boissier doubtfully refers P. indica, L., 

 to this. 



ORDER CXIY. NYCTAGINEJE. 



Herbs, shrubs or trees. Leaves usually opposite, quite entire, exstipu- 

 late. Inflorescence various, flowers often involucrate. Perianth petaloid, 

 monopetalous ; tube persistent, enveloping the fruit ; limb 3-5-lobed, plaited 

 in bud. Stamens 8-30, hypogynous, sometimes unilateral, filaments usually 

 unequal, inflexed in bud ; anthers didymous. Ovary free, 1-celled ; style 

 involute in bud, stigma simple or multifid ; ovule 1, .erect. Fruit 

 membranous, enclosed in the hardened perianth-tube. Seed erect, testa 

 adherent, albumen floury or soft ; embryo curved, coiled or .with folded 

 cotyledons, radicle inferior. Genera 23, species 215, chiefly tropical 

 American. 



TRIBE I. DXirabilieae. Embryo hooked, radicle long. 



)wers involucrate 



)wers not involucrate 



TRIBE II. Pisonieae. Embryo straight, radicle short. 



3. PlSONIA. 



1. OXYBAPHUS, Valil. 



Herbs. Leaves opposite. Involucre 1-5-fld. Perianth-tube short, limb 

 deciduous. Stamens 2-5, filaments connate below. Fruit small. Species 

 about 20, all but the following American. 



O. himalaicus, Edgew. in Trans. Linn. Soc. xx. 87 ; glandular-pubes- 

 cent, viscid, leaves petioled ovate or ovate-cordate, flowers solitary in each 

 involucre. Chois. in DC. Prodr. xiii. 2, 430. 



WESTEBN HIMALAYA ; from Kulu to Gurwhal, alt. 6^9000 ft., Edgeworth, &c. 



Stem 2-4 ft., branched, terete, brittle. Leaves 2-3 by H-2J in., acute, ciliolate; 

 petiole |-1 in. Flowers panicled, involucre in., campanulate, 5-toothed, viscid. 

 Perianth included, rosy, contracted above the ovary, limb spreading. Stamens 4, 

 included. Fruit I in. long, ellipsoid or ovoid, rough, black. 



2. BOERHAAVIA, Linn. 



Herbs. Leaves opposite. Flowers minute or small, panicled umbelled 

 or capitate, jointed on the pedicel ; bracteole"s small, rarely forming a minute 

 involucre. Perianth-tube long or short; limb funnel-shaped, 5-lobed. 

 Stamens 1-5, exserted. Ovary oblique, stipitate, stigma peltate. Fruit 

 small, glandular. Cotyledons broad, thin, enclosing a soft scanty albumen. 

 Species 30, tropical and subtropical. 



