142 SCROPHULARIACEJE. [ MONIEBA. 



sub-equal, imbricate, upper largest ; lateral innermost, usually narrow. 

 Corolla slightly 2-lipped, tube cylindric ; lips spreading, the upper 

 outside in bud and emarginate or 2-lobed, lower 3-lobed. Stamens 

 didynamous, included ; anther-cells contiguous, distinct, parallel. 

 Ovary 2-celled, style dilated at the top, stigma entire or 2-lobed. 

 Fruit ^ a globose or ovoid 2-grooved capsule, valves 2 or 4, separating 

 septicidally and loculicidally from the p'acentiferous dissepiment. 

 Seeds many, minute. Species about 50, in tropical and sub-tropical 

 regions, chiefly in America. 



Leaves obovate-oblong or spathulate, flowers 

 stalked ; capsule ovoid, acute . . . 1. M. cuneifolia. 



Leaves linear-lanceolate, flowers sessile ; cap- 

 sule globose 2. M. Hamiltoniana. 



M. cuneifolia,i Michx PI. Bor. Amer. ii, 22l(Monnieria) ; Cooke Fl. 

 Bomb, ii, 286. Herpestis Monnieria. H. B. $ K. ; Royle III. 291 ; Collett 

 FL 8iml. 352 ; Prain Beng. PI. 765; H. Monniera, Benth. ; F. B. 1. iv, 

 272 ; Watt. E. D. Gratiola Monnieria, Linn. ; Roxb. FL Ind. i, 141. 



A creeping somewhat succulent herb. Stems several, 4-12 in. long, root- 

 ing at the nodes, terete, branches ascending. Leaves sessile, decussate, 

 i-1 in. long, obovate-oblong or spathulate, entire, nerves obscure, 

 lower surface dotted. Flowers axillary and solitary ; pedicels slender, 

 -! in. long; bracteoles linear, shorter than the pedicels. Calyx 

 divided to the base, glabrous ; upper segment ovate-acute, longer and 

 broader than the others. Corolla % in. long, blue or white with purple 

 veins ; lobes nearly equal and rounded, glistening with shining dots 

 when fresh. Anthers bluish-purple, pollen white. Capsules ^--in. long, 

 ovoid, acute, glabrous. 



Abundant within the area in wet places. DISTBIB. : Throughout India, 

 ascending to 4,000 ft. on the Himalaya, and in all warm countries. 

 The juice of this plant mixed with petroleum is used by Hindus 

 externally for rheumatism. 



M Hamiltoniana, T. Cooke FL Bomb. ii. 286. Herpestis Hamiltoniana, 

 Benth. ; F. B. I. iv, 272 ; Collett. FL Siml. 353 ; Prain Beng. PL 765. 



An erect glabrous herb up to 10 in. high. Stem stout, simple or branched, 

 often decumbent at the base. Leaves subsessile, |-1 ia. long, linear- 

 lanceolate, acute, tapering to the base, entire or sub-serrate, nerves 

 indistinct. Flowers^ sessile, opposite and solitary, bracteoles linear- 

 subulate. Calyx % in. long, upper lobe broadly ovate, acute, the 2 

 lateral narrowly lanceolate. Corolla pink with a bluish tinge ; tube 

 about as long as the calyx, narrowed upwards, upper lip deeply emar- 

 ginate. Anthers white. Capsules % in. diam., globose, glabrous. 



Horadabad (T. Thomson), sub- Himalayan tracts, in marshy ground. 

 DISTBIB.: Punjab ascending to 3,000 ft. and extending south to the 

 Konkan and eastwards to Assam and Sylhet'; also in Trop. Africa. 



