68 cxx. roDOSTEMONACE^B. (J. D. Hooker.) [Podostenwn. 



14. P. selagrinoides, JBentk. in Gen. PI. iii. 113; stems densely 

 tufted simple erect the flowerless naked below, flowering densely clothed from 

 the base with 4-ranked imbricating scales, flowers terminal subsessile, 

 capsule ellipsoid smooth. Mniopsis selaginoides, Beddome in Trans. Linn. Soc. 

 xxv. 223, t. 28. Dicnea selaginoides, Wedd. in DC. Prodr. xvii. 68. 



SOUTH DECCAN ; in streams of the Anamallay Hills, Wight, Beddome. 



Rootstoclc small, depressed, stems 2-3 in. rather fleshy. Leaves of the flowerless 

 stems ^ } in. long, semiterete below then strap-shaped, those of the flowering stems 

 suhclavate, the upper .^ in., lower shorter, keeled at the hack, channelled iu front; 

 filiform tips jointed at the base and deciduous. Spathe amongst the upper leaves, 

 saccate, mouth 2-lobed. Ovary ellipsoid, obtuse, stigmas unequal. Filament equal- 

 ling the ovary, anthers oblong ; staminodes narrowly linear. Capsule in. long. 



DOUBTFUL SPECIES. , 



DICK.EA APICATA, Tul. Monogr. Podost. 204; Wedd. in DC. Prodr. xvii. 71; 

 stems 2-3 in. compressed simple naked crowned with a brush of filiform branchlets, 

 flowers as in P. dichotomies. N ilghiri Mts., Wight; in stream's at Pycarrah, Gardner. 

 ? Ceylon, Thwaites (C. P. 2989). Probably (according to Tulasue) an abnormal form 

 of P. dichotomus var. rigida. 



ORDER CXXI. WEPSNTHACEJE. 



Climbing .or prostrate evergreen undershrubs. Leaves alternate, exstipu- 

 late ; midrib stout, produced into a peduncle which bears a pitcher of various 

 forms, nerves parallel ; pitcher- with 2 longitudinal ribs or wings in front, at 

 first closed by a lid which opens and becomes erect or reflected, inner surface 

 covered below the middle with glands that secrete water ; mouth with a 

 revolute and closely ribbed margin (peristome}. Inflorescence terminal or 

 lateral ; flowers racemose rarely panicled, dioecious, small, green or brownish. 

 Perianth 4-, rarely 3-partite ; segments oblong, -glandular within. MALE FL. 

 Stamens 4-16, united in a column crowned by the usually connate anthers 

 with extrorse dehiscence. FEHA-LE PL. Ovary superior, 4- rarely 3-gonous, 

 4-3-celled; stigma sessile, discoid, 4-3-lobed. 'Ovules numerous, in man} r 

 Beries, attached to the septa, anatropous, ascending. Capsule coriaceous, 

 loculicidally 4-3-valved. Seeds very numerous, minute, imbricate, testa 

 membranous, produced into a thread at each end ; albumen fleshy ; embryo, 

 axile, straight, cotyledons linear, radicle short inferior. Genus 1, species 

 about 30, Tropical Asia, Malay Islands, N. Australia, New Caledonia, 

 Madagascar and the Seychelles. 



NEPENTHES, Linn. 



Character of the Order. 

 * Flowers panicled. 



1. N. distillatoria, Linn.; Hook. f. in DC. Prodr. xvii. 93; gla- 

 brous, leaves elliptic-lanceolate, petiole broadly winged \- ample xicaul, 

 pitcher cylindric hardly inflated below, mouth subcordate, ribs not winged, 

 peristome narrow not dilated behind, lid smooth within. JBurm. FL Ind. 

 190; Gartn. Fruct. ii. 18, t. 33; Thwaites Enum. 290. K indica, Poir. 

 Encycl. iv. 458 ; ~Bronqn. in Ann. Sc. Nat. i. 43, t. 5, f. 1. Bandura zey- 

 lanica, Burm. Thes. Zeyl. 42, t. 17. 



CEYLON; south of the island, common. 



A tall climber. Leaves 5-12 by l-2 in., coriaceous, acute or acuminate. Pitchers 



