LASIOPHYTON.] DIOSCOREACEJE. 253 



fasciculata, Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii, 801 ; F. B. I. vi, 296. D. sativa, 

 Linn. Sp. PI. (1753), 1033 (in small part). D. spinosa, Roxb. ex 

 Wall. Cat. (1832) 5103, letters A, D, E. 



VAB. spinosa, P. and B. Syn. Diosc., page 20. 

 Leaves more or less hairy ; flowers rarely produced ; tubers few, un - 

 equal, mixed with many fibrous roots, the uppermost of which are 

 armed with spines which protect the tubers from the ravages of 

 pigs and other animals. This variety is widely cultivated within 

 the area of this flora, and is often found wild. 



VAR. fasciculate, P. and B. I.e. p. 20. 



Leaves almost glabrous; flowers not developed; tubers ellipsoid, 

 crowded, without spines. Cultivated in the districts of Lucknow, 

 Allahabad, Fyzabad, Jaunpur, Azamgarh, Ballia, Ghazipur and 

 Benares. It is also grown in Java and in other of the Malay 

 Islands. 



Section LASIOPHYTON. 



2. D. pentaphylJa. Linn. Sp. PI. (1753), 1032 ; Prain Beng. 

 PL 1066 ; Cooke Fl. Bomb, ii, 757 ; Prain and Burkill I c. p. 23. 

 D. Jicquemontii, F. B. I. vi (1892), 290. D. triphylla, Linn. 

 Sp. PL (1753), 1032. 



From Western India to the remotest parts of the Pacific, from the 

 Himalaya and Yunnan southwards to Ceylon and to the islands 

 in the Torres Straits. 



VAB. Suli, Prain and Burkill I. c. page 23. 



Leaves grey, not shining. Dehra Dun, Siwalik range, N. Oudh, Bundel- 

 khand. DISTKIB. : Himalaya in Garhwal and Kumaon at low ele- 

 vations, extending to the Khasia and Naga Hills. 



VAB. Cardonii, P. and B. 1. c. page 23. 



Leaves sparsely clothed with reddish hairs ; flowers small. N. Oudh, 

 Gorakhpur, Mirzapur. DISTBIB. : Ch. Nagpur, in the hilly portions. 



VAB. communis, P. and B. 1. c. page 23. Vern. Kdnta-dlu 

 (Hind). 

 Tubers short, stiff, armed ; flesh insipid, firm ; leaflets 3 or 5, clothed 



with reddish hairs. Common within the area of this flora, also in. 



Burma. 



