Cymodocea.] CLXX. NAIADACE^. (J. D. Hooker.) 571 



CEYLON, fid. Asclierson. DISTBIB. of the genus. 



I have seen no Ceylon specimens, and regard the identification of all the above 

 enumerated species but C. isatifolia, as provisional only. 



ORDER CLXXI. ERXOCAUX.EJE. 



Marsh or aquatic scapigerous herbs. Leaves narrow. Flowers very 

 minute, in inyolucrate heads, bracteate, unisexual, usually monoecious ; 

 perianth inferior. MALE FL. Sepals of 2-3 free or connate scales. Petals 

 2-3, equal or unequal, often very obscure, inserted on the top of a clavate 

 elongate stipes. Stamens 6 or fewer, some often reduced to filaments, 3 

 opposite to or adnate to the petals ; anthers dorsified. Pistillode minute 

 or 0. FEM. PL. ; sepals 2-3, caducous. Petals 3 (rarely 2 or 0) persistent, 

 spathulate or oblanceolate, usually ciliate or villous, and with a black 

 gland on the disk. Ovary 3, rarely 2-celled ; style short, persistent, stigmas 

 2-3 slender, with sometimes interposed lobes or appendages ; ovules soli- 

 tary in the cells, pendulous, orthotropous. Capsule deeply 3-lobed, mem- 

 branous ; lobes globose, loculicidal. Seeds pendulous, testa coriaceous, 

 striolate and often papillose ; embryo outside the floury albumen. Genera 

 6, species 6-700 chiefly tropical. 



The Indian species all belong to the genus Eriocaulon, in which the anthers 

 are didymous and 2-celled, the stigmas without appendages, and the inner involucral 

 bracts are not radiating. They are most difficult of classification, presenting no 

 good sectional characters, that of flowers trimerous or dimerous being quite decep- 

 tive. The leaves vary greatly in length, breadth and nervation ; as do the scapes in 

 length. The sheath of the scape is usually membranous at the tip, but sometimes 

 green, which latter is, I think, a good character. The outer in vol. bracts may be 

 erect spreading or deflexed, in the latter case they are usually hidden under the 

 flowers, but they are sometimes though hidden spreading. The male fl. are in- 

 variably pedicelled; the fern, usually so, and this appears to afford a pretty good 

 character ; as is that of the fern, petals and ovary being raised on a stipes above the 

 sepals, or not. The 3 male sepals may be, in the same head, connate in a funnel- 

 shaped sheath split on one side, or 2, or all free. The male petals are often obsolete, 

 and the filaments very variable in number and length in the same head. The fern, 

 sepals are normally 3, and are very caducous, but the anticous is usually smaller and 

 flatter than the others, more caducous, and often easily overlooked, when the calyx 

 appears to be dimerous. The fern, petals vary a good deal in breadth, length and 

 hairyness, and especially in the size and position of the gland (if present), even in the 

 same head. I can found no characters on the length of the stigmas and style, which, 

 however, differ a good deal in different species. The seeds in some species vary a good 

 deal in colour, from amber-yellow to red-brown ; normally they are broadly oblong, 

 striated, with often papillose ridges, and most minute transverse striolations. The 

 hairs of the head are of two kinds, white opaque stout obtuse bristles, and capillary 

 transparent jointed ones ; they are sometimes intermixed, and it is often difficult to 

 say to which category the hairs should be referred. 



In the following epitome of the Indian Eriocaulons (with which I am far from 

 being satisfied) I have been obliged to propose a good many new species. Some of 

 them may be described Malayan ones, of which I have seen no specimens, and the 

 descriptions of which are too imperfect for their identification. I have minutely 

 examined most of the old world species accessible to me, but find very few conspecific 

 with the Indian. 



ERIOCAULON, Linn. 



A. Aquatics. Stems elongate, branched, submerged, densely leafy, 

 upper branches floating. Leaves capillary. Heads very small. Invol. 

 bracts very small, oblong or cuneate, glabrous. (See also E. Dalzellii at 

 end of genus.) 



