DIGERA.] AMARANTACE&. 1 



capsule, membranous or sometimes corky or coriaceous. Seeds 

 2 or more, erect, lenticular ; testa crust aceou?. black and often 

 shining ; embryo annular, surrounding the floury albumen ; coty- 

 ledons linear, radicle descending or ascending. Species about 35, 

 in Trop. Asia. Africa and America. 



C. argentea, Linn. Sp. PL 206 ; Roxb. FL 2nd. i, 678 ; Boyle 

 III. 320 ; F. B. I. iv, 714; Watt. E. D. ; Collett FL SimL 42 2 ; 

 Prain Beng. PL 867 ; Cooke FL Bomb. , 486. C. margaritacea, 

 Linn. ; Don Prod. 76. Vern. Safedmurga-ka-phul. 



An erect glabrous annual, 1-3 ft. high. Stem stout or slender, simple 

 or branching. Leaves 1-4 in. long, linear or narrowly lanceolate, 

 rarely ovate, tapering into a short petiole or sessile. Floivers pink 

 when young, becoming white and glistening, closely imbricate and 

 forming blunt or accuminate cylindric terminal spikes 1-6 in. long 

 and sometimes branching at the apex ; braoteoles shorter than the 

 perianth, linear-lanceolate. Perianth in. or more ; segments 

 linear-lanceolate, acute. Capsule J-J in. long, elipsoid. Seeds 4-8, 

 compressed, subreniform, J in. in diam. 



Abundant within the area, especially on cultivated ground. Flowers 

 during the end of rainy season. DISTRIB. : Throughout India, culti- 

 vated or as an escape, ascending to 5,000 ft. on the Himalaya ; also 

 in Ceylon, and as an introduction in most tropical countries. Its 

 native country is not known for certain. The plant is used as a 

 pot-herb in times of scarcity and the seeds are employed medicinally. 



C. CRISTATA, Linn. ; Roxb. FL Ind. i, 679 ; Don Prod. 76 ; 

 EoyU III. 320 ; F. B. I. iv, 715 ; Watt E. D. ; Prain Beng. PL 867; 

 Cooke FL Bomb, ii, 486. C. cerium, P?\rb. L c. 680. Vern. Murgha- 

 ka-phul (Cockscomb). 



Closely allied to the proceeding, but usu lly a taller plant and with 

 broader leaves and much smaller flowers. It is cultivated in gardens 

 as an ornamental plant throughout India and up to 5,000 ft. on the 

 Himalaya. It has pink crimson or yellow flowers borne on the usually 

 fasciated and crest-like divisions of the spikes. I: is often found as 

 an escape, but never truly wild. 



3. DIGERA, Forsk. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. iv, 717. 



An annual herb ; branches angular. Leaves alternate, entire* 

 petioled. Flowers in axillary peduncled spikes, ternate, the 2 



