AEGYEEIA] COXVOLVULACEM. 121 



in. long, ovate, cordate, acute, glabrous above and persistently 

 white-tomentose beneath. The deep rose-coloured flowers which open 

 during the rainy season, are arranged in subcapitate cymes, peduncles 

 3-6 in. long ; bracts large, foliaceous, ovate, acuminate, deciduous, 

 pedicels and calyx white-tomentose. Corolla 2^ in. long, tubular- 

 funnel-shaped, the bands silky-pubescent outside, limb 2 in. in diam. 

 This plant is known as the " Elephant creeper " (Vern. Samandar-sok,) 

 and is often cultivated for its handsome flowers and foliage. . It is 

 regarded as wild in Bengal. 



15. LETTSOMIA, Roxb. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. iv, 191. 



Scandent more or less hairy shrubs. Leaves cordate or ronnded 

 at the base. Flowers in axillary peduncled densely corymbose cr 

 capitate cymes, bracts usually conspicuous. Sepals orbicular or 

 elliptic, often thickened or somewhat enlarged in fruit. Corolla 

 usually pink, funnel-shaped, limb plicate, lobes shallow. Stamens 

 included or exserted; anthers oblong or linear, straight (not twisted). 

 Disk annular or cupular. Ovary 2-celled, 4-ovuled, style filiform, 

 stigmas 2, globose. Fruit dry, indehiscent. Seeds 4 or fewer, 

 embedded in mealy pulp. Species about 40, in S.-E. Asia and in 

 Trop. Africa. Hardly separable generically from Argyreia. 



I lowers sessile in compact pedunculate heads, 

 bracts spathulate-oblong . . . . 1. L. TTiomsoni. 



Flowers pedicelled (in dense corymbose cymes, 

 bracts broadly ovate 2. L. setosa. 



1. L. Thomson!, Clarke in F. B. I. iv, 198 ; Kanjilal For. Fl. 252 . 

 Brandis Ind. Trees 486. Argyreia capitata, Brandis For. Fl. 343 (not of 

 Chois.) 



A large climber. Stems sparsely villous. Leaves 3-5 in. long, ovate 

 lanceolate, cordate, sparsely strigose on both sides, petioles 2-in. long. 

 Flowers sessile, in compact peduncled heads, peduncles 2-5 in. long ; 

 bracts - in. long, spathulate-oblong, sparsely villous, deciduous or 

 sometimes sub-persistent. Sepals longer than the bracts, ovate, acute, 

 densely clothed with soft fulvous hairs, in fruit coriaceous and 

 somewhat enlarged. Corolla nearly 2 in. long, rose-purple, hairy 

 outside. Capsule usually 4-2-seeded. 



Sub-Himalayan tracts from Dehra Dun and the Siwalik range to N. Oudh. 

 Flowers May to October. DISTRIB. Outer Himalayan ranges from 

 Kasauli to Sikkim ascending to 4,000 ft. 



