NOTHOSJSRUA.] AMARANTACE&. 11 



sometimes crowded into globular clusters ; bracteoles ovate, concave, 

 apiculate. Perianth T ^ in. long, oblong, obtuse and often apiculate, 

 silkily hairy on the back. Utricle ovoid, acute. Seeds black and 

 shining. 



An abundant weed over the greater portion of the area. DISTBIB.: 

 Throughout the hotter parts of India and up to 3,000 ft. on the hills ; 

 also in Ceylon, extending to Arabia, Trop. Africa, Java and the 

 Philippines. This plant is in general appearance very similar to, 

 and may easily be mistaken for, Nothoscerva brachiata. The woolly 

 spikes are often used for stuffing pillows. ^ 



JE. MONSONIA, Mart. ; F. B. I. iv, 728 ; Prain Beng. PL 874 ; Cooke 

 Fl. Bomb, ii, 493. Achyranthes Monsonia, Pers. ; Eoxb. Fl. Ind. i, 

 673. This species will very probably be found growing within the 

 dry southern border of the area of this flora. It is common in Chota- 

 Nagpur, W. Bengal, in C. and W. India, as well as in Burma. Leaves 

 filiform, in fascicles ; flowers in peduncled spikes, 2-sexual, pale pink ;, 

 perianth-segments 4. 



6. NOTHOS-ffiRUA, Wight ; Fl. Brit. Ind. iv, 726. 



An annual with opposite spreading branches. Leaves opposite 

 Flowers very minute, 2 -sexual, woolly, arranged in axillary solitary 

 or clustered spikelets, bracteate and 2-bracteolate. Sepals 3-5,, 

 hyaline, obtuse, 1 -nerved. Stamens usually 2, free ; anthers 2- 

 celled ; staminodes none. Ovary oblong, compressed ; stigma 

 subsessile, capitellate ; ovule solitary, pendulous from a long basal 

 funicle. Fruit a membranous oblong compressed utricle, enclosed 

 within the perianth. Seed inverse, lenticular ; testa crustaceous ; 

 embryo hooked, surrounding floury albumen ; cotyledons linear,, 

 radicle superior. A single species, found in Asia and in Trop. 

 Africa. 



N. brachiata, Wight lc. vi. 1 ; F. B. I. iv, 726 ; Watt E. D. ;. 

 Cooke Fl. Bomb, ii, 495. Pseudanthus brachiatus, Wight Ic. v, t. 

 1776 (excl. analysis), and vi, t. 1776 bis, fig. B. 



An erect slender berb, 1-2 ft. high, glabrous or minutely puberulous. 

 Stem branched from the base, branches spreading. Leaves thinly 

 membranous, f-ij in. long, elliptic-lanceolate, acute or subobtuse, 

 tapering to the base ; petiole short or obscure. Flowera sessile,, 

 glistening-white, crowded in small dense axillary subsessile cylindric. 



