196 cxxx. THYMEL^EACE^;. (J. D. Hooker.) [Wikstrocmia. 



CEYLON; Central Province, alt. 6-8000 ft., Walker, &c, DISTEIB. Affghanistan, 

 N. China. 



A small shrub, 1-3 ft. Leaves 1-3 in., thin, variable in breadth, sometimes 

 faintly pubescent above and glabrous beneath, base cuueate ; petiole ^ in., with often 

 ;i minute white bud in the axil. Peduncle slender, silky, rarely \ in. ; flowers often 

 at length spicate or even cymose. Perianth \-\ in. long. Disk-scales linear. Fruit 

 \ in. long, narrowly ovoid, silky ; pericarp black, thin. Embryo large, in a thin 

 layer of albumen, cotyledons flat oblong, radicle half its length. Most of the species 

 included here under W, canescens are founded on the cohesion or freedom of the 

 hypogynous scales, which organs vary greatly in this and other genera of the Order. 

 It is remarkable that this genus should not occur in the Nilghiris. 



5. STE&X.ERA, Linn. 



Herbs undershrubs or shrubs. Leaves alternate. Flowers 2- sexual, in 

 terminal sessile heads or spikes. Perianth-tube cylindric, at length circum- 

 sciss above the ovary ; lobes 4, rarely 5, spreading ; scales 0. Stamens 8, 

 rarely 10, 2-seriate; anthers subsessile. Disk produced on one side into a 

 lanceolate or linear blade. Ovary subsessile, 1-celled ; style short, stigma 

 capitate. Fruit dry, included in the base of the perianth, pericarp mem- 

 branous. Species about 6, Central and W. Asia. 



S. Chamaejasme, Linn* Amoen. Acad. i. 400; a glabrous herb, 

 stems erect simple leafy, leaves sessile elliptic-lanceolate acute or acuminate, 

 heads involucrate. Meissn. in DC. Prodr. ~x.iv. 2. 549. S. hypericifolia, Endl, 

 (j-en. Suppl. 4. ii. 63 ; Meissn. 1. c. S. concinna, Edyeiv. in Trans. Linn. Soc. 

 xx. 88; Meissn. I. c. S. altaica, Thieb. in Pers. Synops. i. 436; Meissn.*l. c. 

 Passerina Stelleri, Wikstr. in Act. Holm. 1818, 321. ' P. racemosa, Wikstr.. 

 I. c. 320 ; Ledeb. Ic. PL Eoss. t. 374. Wikstrcemia ? hypericifolia, Meissn. 

 in Denksch. Regensb. Sot. Gesellsch. iii. 287*. Septas hypericifolia, Wall. 

 Cat. 1048. 



WESTEBX HIMALAYA ; Kumaon and Garwhal, alt. 10-11,000 ft., Wallich, &c. 

 DISTEIB. Westward to the Caucasus, N. and Central Asia. 



Rootstock long, woody; stems quite simple, rather stout, 6-10 in. high. Leaves 

 opposite and alternate, |-1 in., thin, veined, base rounded or cuueate, involucral like 

 the cauline. Flowers in a sessile head, sweet-scented, yellow. Perianth J $ in. long, 

 glabrous, tube slender; lobes very short, oblong. 



6. DIARTIIRON, Turcz. 



Slender annuals. Leaves scattered, linear. Flowers minute, 2-sexual, 

 in lax terminal racemes, ebracteate. Perianth-tube slender or urceolate, 

 constricted and circumsciss above the ovary ; lobes 4, spreading ; scales 0. 

 Stamens 8, 2-seriate ; anthers subsessile. Disk 0. Ovary subsessile, gla- 

 brous, 1-celled ; style short, stigma ovoid subclavate. Fruit dry, enclosed 

 in the membranous base of the perianth, pericarp membranous. Testa 

 crustaceous, albumen sparing or 0. Species 2, Persia and Central Asia. 



X>. vesiculosum, Fisch. fy Mey. in Pull. Soc. Imp. Mosc. 1839, 170 ; 

 annual, slender, erect, leafy, leaves sessile linear obtuse or subacute, 

 perianth-tube with 8 ridges, stamens 8. Meissn. in DC. Prodr. xiv. 2. 

 058 ; Boiss. Fl. Orient, iv. 1054. D. carinatum, Jaub. fy Sp. III. PL Or. 

 1. 105. Passerina costata, Griff. Notul. iv. 367, and Ic. PI. Asiat. t. 535. 



The PANJAB ; Peshawur, Vicary. WESTEEX TIBET ; Iskardo, alt. 9000 ft., Clarke. 

 DISTEIB. Soongaria, Afghanistan, Persia. 



