Commelina.] CLX. COMMELINACE^E. (J. D. Hooker.) 369 



dehiscent and forming a persistent ligulate body, from which the posticous 

 falls away. Seeds ellipsoid or angled, reticulate pitted or rugose. Species 

 about 90, all tropical and subtropical. 



C. coelestis, Willd., a handsome robust pubescent or tomentose large-fld. species, 

 a native of Mexico, is cultivated in gardens, and occurs as an escape at Darjiling 

 and probably elsewhere. 



Subgen. 1. Didymoon, Clarke. Two anticous cells of the ovary 

 2-ovuled, posticous 1-ovuled or obsolete. 



Sect. I. EUCOMMELINA. Capsule 3-celled, two anticous cells loculicidal, 

 each usually 2-seeded ; the posticous keeled, deciduous, at length dehiscent, 

 1-seeded ; seeds free in the cells. Petals blue. 



* Spathes complicate, margin free or connate at the very base only. 



1. C. nudlflora, Linn. Sp. PI. 41 (not of others) ; leaves lanceolate, 

 spathes peduncled ovate-lanceolate complicate, seeds cylindric reticulate 

 black. C. communis, Walt. Fl. Carol. 68; Wall. Cat. 8978, D, E, C; 

 Kunth Enum. iv. 36 (Excl. Syn.) ; Clarice Comm. & Cyrt. Seng. t. i. ; 

 Monogr. 144, t. i. f. 5, 6. C. csespitosa, Roxb. Fl. Ind. i. 174, Ed. Wall, 

 fr Carey, i. 178. C. diffusa, Burm. Fl. Ind. 18, t. 7, f. 2. C. agraria, Kunth 

 I. c. 38 ; Hassk. Commelin. Ind. 26 ; Webb & Berthel. Phyt. Canar. iii. 356, 

 t. 238 ; Seub. in Mart. Fl. Bras. iii. i. 261, t. 36, f. 3. G! salicifolia, Bojer 

 Sort. Maurit. 360; Thwaites Enum. 321 (in part}. C. longicaulis, 

 Jacq. Coll. iii. 234, t. 294. C. deficiens, Flor. des Serres, t. 1824 (not of 

 Hook.). 



Throughout the hotter parts of INDIA from the PANJAB to CEYLON and 

 SINGAPORE. DISTBIB. tropics and subtropics. 



Stem creeping and rooting at the nodes or subscandent. Leaves 1^-3 by i-f in., 

 glabrous scaberulous or puberulous, ciliate. Spathes f-1 in., acute, base rounded or 

 cordate, glabrous or pubescent, striate; peduncle -f in., cymes 2, branches 1-3-fld. 

 Smaller petals blue, outer pale or white. 



2. C. sikkimensis, Clarke Comm. & Cyrt. Bena. t. 6 ; Monogr. 147 ; 

 leaves lanceolate, spathes peduncled ovate-lanceolate complicate, seeds 

 pyramidal rugose. 



SIKKIM HIMALAYA, alt. 2-4000 ft. /. D. H. and KHASIA HILLS, alt. 3^000 

 ft., Griffith. 



Stem slender, widely creeping and rooting. Leaves 2-3 by $ in., base unequal 

 usually rounded. Spathes 1^-2 in., glabrous or nearly so, acuminate, base cordate ; 

 peduncles -1 in.; cymes 2-fid upper branch 6-12-fld. Petals blue. Capsules 4-8. 

 Seeds puberulous, brown black. 



3. C. subulata, Roth Nov. 8p. 23; slender, leaves linear, spathes 

 very small subsessile ovate-lanceolate falcate complicate, seeds pyramidal 

 rugose, Clarke Monogr. 148 ; Wall. Cat. 8979. C. striata, & C. subauran- 

 tiaca, HocJist. mss. ; Kunth Enum. iv. 44 & 658. C. linearifolia, Kunth 

 I. c. 43. Tradescantia trinora, Heyne in Herb. Rottl. : Schultesf. Syst. vii. 

 1176. 



The DECCAN PENINSULA, Heyne, Wight, tyc. DISTRIB. Trop. Africa. 



Stem erect from a fibrous root, simple or branched. Leaves 1-3 by ^-^ in., 

 acuminate, tips often hooked, nearly glabrous; sheaths very short, glabrous or 

 villously ciliate. Spathes i in. long, scattered or clustered, acute, pubescent, base 

 VOL." VI. B b 



