162 RUBiACEiE. [Paderia. 



short stigmatic lobes. Ovary 2-ceUed, with 1 erect oviile in each. Fmit a 

 beny, with a thin fragile rind. — Stems twining. Stipules 1 on each side. 

 Cymes loosely dichotomous or trichotomous, either axillaiy or in tenninal pa- 

 nicles. 



A small genus, almost limited to tropical Asia. 



L. P. foetida, Linn.; DC. Prod. iv. 471. A glabrous perennial twiner, 

 woody at the base. Leaves stalked, ovate or lanceolate, \\ to 2 in. long, 

 usually somewhat cordate at the' base, but veiy variable in ^vidth. Flowers 

 sessile along the branches of loose dichotomous or trichotomous c^mes, fonn- 

 ing long loose panicles. Calyx smaU. CoroUa 5 or 6 lines long, white or 

 pale pink, mealy-tomentose outside, the throat hairy, the smaU spreading 

 limb marked with a star-like pink spot. Benies globular or ovoid. 



Mount Victoria, Champion. Common in southern Asia, extending from Mauritius, Cey- 

 lon, and the Peninsula northward to Khasia, China, and Japan, aud eastward all over the 

 Archipelago to Timor. The Chinese specimens have the small globose fruit figured by 

 Gsertner, and I have seen the same in specimens from Loochoo, from Japan, and fi-om Am- 

 boyna. Many of the Indian ones have a much larger, ovoid, and somewhat tiattened fruit, 

 but without any perceptible difference iu the foliage and flowers ; and as the majority of 

 specimens are not in fruit, there are no means of ascertaining how far that character may be 

 constant. 



19. SPERMACOCE, Linn. 



Calyx-limb of 4 or sometimes only 2 small teeth. CoroUa-tube usually 

 short; lobes 4, spreading, valvate in the bud. Anthers usually exserted. 

 Style entire, or with 2 short stigmatic lobes. Ovaiy 2-celled, with 1 ovule 

 in each, laterally attached or ascending. Capsule small, separating into the 

 2 cai-pels, either septicidaUy or leaving more or less of the dissepiment free or 

 attached to one of the cai-pels. Seeds marked on the inner face by a longi- 

 tudinal fmi'ow containing the hilum. — Herbs or rarely undershrubs. Stipules 

 shortly sheathing, bordered with bristle-like teeth. Flowers small, clustered 

 in the axils of the leaves or in sessile terminal heads. 



A large genus, widely spread over the tropical and subtropical regions of both the New 

 and the Old World, some species being amongst the commonest tropical weeds. 



Flowers and fruits about 1 line long, in very dense whorl-like clusters or 

 heads. 



Leaves linear or lanceolate, little veined ^. S. stricta. . 



Leaves ovate, yellowish, with raised lateral veins 2. 6*. semierecta. 



Flowers and fruits about 2 lines long, axillary but not numerous. Plant 



hispid 3. 5. hispida. 



1. S. stricta, Lhm.jil.; DC. Prod. iv. 554. An erect or spreading an- 

 nual, 6 in. to a foot high or rather more, glabrous or slightly and roughly 

 pubescent; the branches 4-angled. Leaves sessile, linear, lanceolate or rai'ely 

 oblong, 1 to 1^ in. long, acutely acuminate; their lateral veins scarcely con- 

 spicuous, and having often in their axils 1 or 2 pairs of smaller leaves, which 

 gives them the appearance of being whorled. Bristles of the stipules longer 

 than their sheaths. Flowers not above 1 line long, in very dense axillary 

 whorl-like clusters. Corolla shortly funnel-shaped. Capsule scai'cely 1 line 

 long, obovate-globular, slightly compressed, crowned by the 4 teeth of the 

 calyx, more or less pubescent, separating into the 2 carpels, which open on 



