ON SELECT INDIAN PLANTS. 281 



nerved ; long, from four or five to twelve or thir- 

 teen inches. 



The number of stamens varies considerably in the 

 same plant : they are from six or seven to eight 

 or nine ; but the regular number seems eight, one 

 in the interstices of the corol, and one before the 

 centre of each division. Most of the /lowers, in- 

 deed, have one abortive stamen, and some only 

 mark its place, but many are perfect 5 and Van 

 Rheede speaks of eight as the constant number: 

 in fact no part of the plant is constant. Flowers fas- 

 cicled, fragrant just after sun-set, and before sun- 

 rise, when they are fresh with the evening and morn- 

 ing dew; beautifully diversified with tints of orange- 

 scarlet, of pale yellow, and of bright orange, which 

 grows deeper every day, and forms a variety of 

 shades according to the age of each blossom that 

 opens in the fascicle. The vegetable w r orld scarce 

 exhibits a richer sight than an Asdca-xxtz in full 

 bloom : it is about as high as an ordinary cherry- 

 tree. A Brahman informs me, that one species of 

 the Asdca is a creeper; and Jayade'va gives it 

 the epithet voluble: the Sanscrit name will, I hope, 

 be retained by botanists, as it perpetually occurs 

 in the old Indian poems, and in treatises on religious 

 rites, 



38. S'aiva'la : 



Syn. JanahTi. S'aivafi. 



Vulg. Simar, Sydld ', Patasyala, Sehdla. 



Lynf. Vallisneria ? R. 



Cal. Common Spathe one-leaved, many - flowered, 



very 



