Stepliania.] MEN1SPERMACEAE. 29 



Climbing or straggling shrubs ; leaves obtuse ; peduncles densely 



pubescent : 



A woody climber ; leaves narrowly elliptic, acute at base, sub- 

 glabrous ; cf flowers in axillary fascicles, ? subsolitary ; sepals 



glabrous 2. pend ul MX . 



A bushy and scarcely woody climber ; leaves ovate, obtuse at 

 base, softly pubescent ; flowers pale yellow, <? in short axillary 

 panicles, ? 1-3, axillary ; sepals pubescent ; drupes purplish black 



3. hirsuttt*. 



1. COCCULUS LAURIFOLIUS, DC. ; F. B. I. i. 101. 



Coimbatore, at Geddesala (A. W. Lushington) ; W. Ghats 

 in the Anamalais and Travancore Hills at 5,000 to 7,000 ft. 



2. COCCULUS PENDULUS, Diels in Engl. Pflanzenr. Menisperm. 

 237. C. Leaeba, DC. ; F. B. I. i. 102. C. glabra, W. & A. 13. 



N. Circars in Ganjam ; Deccan and Carnatic in Coimba- 

 tore, Madura and Tinnevelly, in dry regions. 



3. COCCULUS HIRSUTUS, Diels I.e. 236. C. villosus, DC. ; 

 F. B. I. i. 101 ; W. & A. 13. 



In almost all Districts, straggling over bushes and small 

 trees, chiefly in rather dry localities and often near villages. 



7. Stephania, Lour. 



Climbing shrubs. Leaves often peltate. Heads of flowers in 

 axillary stalked umbels or, rarely, solitary or cymose. <? Sepals 

 6-10, free, ovate or obovate ; petals 3-5, obovate, fleshy ; anthers 

 6, on the rim of the flattened top of the staminal column, bursting 

 transversely. ? Sepals 3-5 ; petals as in c? ; staminodes ; 

 ovary 1 ; style 3-6-partite. Drupe glabrous ; endocarp com- 

 pressed, horseshoe-shaped, dorsally tubercled, sides concave, 

 perforated. Seeds almost annular ; cotyledons Jong, slender, 

 semi-terete, appressed. 



Heads of flowers in stalked umbels 1. japonica. 



Male flowers in solitary axillary stalked heads ; female flowers in 

 condensed stalked cymes 2. Wightii. 



1. STEPHANIA JAPONICA, Miers. 8. hernandifolia, Walp. ; 

 F. B. I. i. 103. Clypea hernandifolia, W. & A. 14; Wt. 

 Ic. t. 939. 



Forests of the W. Ghats, common from Coorg to Tinne- 

 velly, up to 6,000 ft. 



