331 



Roxb., and A. BACCIFERA, L., herbs growing in damp 

 places, paddy-fields, etc., all over India. Their flowers 

 are so small as to be quite unlike the majority of the 

 LYTHRACE^, and the petals are often absent. But 

 they have the same sort of inferior ovary, single style^ 

 opposite leaves and definite stamens. 



PUNICA GRANATUM, L., the Pomegranate, is placed 

 by some in this family. It has already been described^ 

 as one of the MYRTACE^. 



RUBIACE^E 



Examples : - 



IXORA COCCINEA, L., a very common shrub, grown 

 in garden for its red flowers. 



Leaves opposite, almost sessile, elliptic, oblong or 

 obovate, entire, coriaceous and glabrous. At each node, 

 a stipule with long points joins one petiole to the 

 other (hence called ' inter-petiolar '). 



Flowers in terminal, obviously cymose, corymbs. 

 Calyx-tube small with four minute teeth. Corolla 

 monopetalous, tube two inches slender,, with four 

 spreading elliptical lobes (petals) (fig. 47, p. 193) 

 twisted in bud. Stamens situated on the mouth of 

 the corolla tube, between the petals, anthers almost 

 sessile easily detached and therefore often absent. 

 Style long, reaching down the tube to the inferior 

 ovary below, with two stigmatic branches. Ovary in- 

 ferior two-celled. Fruit a small drupe, crowned by 

 'the calyx teeth, and containing two pyrenes. 



* MUSS^NDA FRONDOSA, L., on the ghats a very 

 common shrub, easily recognized and familiar to every 



