780 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XIV. 



45. Pekistrophe angustifolia aureo-vaeiegata (Acanthace^).* An 

 elegant little dense-spreading herbaceous plant, seldom exceeding 6 or 9 

 inches in height, native of the Java mountains. The leaves are small, ovate- 

 lanceolate, bright orange in the centre, margined with dark green. The 

 flowers which begin to appear in the rains are two-lipped and rosy purple. 

 The plant was presented by Mr. G. H. Krumbiegel, Superintendent of the 

 State Gardens, Baroda, in December 1896, and thrives well here, being easily 

 propagated by cuttings. It is very suitable as an edging on the slopes of 

 borders, but requires partial shade. It is also very suitable for growing in 

 conservatories on rock work or in baskets. In the monsoon the leaves are 

 green, but become variegated with orange during the cold weather. 



46. CoMMELiNA NUDIF1.0RA, Linn. (CoMMELiNACE^).t A compact grow- 

 ing, evergreen, herbaceous trailing plant, found throughout the hotter parts 

 of India. The leaves are about 4 inches long, narrow, lanceolate. The 

 flowers are cobalt blue (and in another variety, rosea, rose-coloured) enclosed 

 in a complicate, cucullate (hood-shaped) spathe. They are very showy, 

 opening in the morning and closing at noon. The plants were raised from 

 seeds sent in exchange by Messrs. Herb and Wulle, Naples, in January, 1900, 

 under the name of C. sellowiana rosea. They are doing very well here, flow- 

 ering almost throughout the year, and are very suitable for growing on a 

 sloping bank. It is easily propagated by means of cuttings. 



47. Manettia CORDIFOLIA, Mart. (RuBiACEiE). X A pretty climbing 

 plant of slender habit, native of Brazil. The leaves are about 1 inch long, 

 opposite, ovate, cordate, pubescent. The flowers are tubular, about one inch 

 and a half long, pendulous and scarlet, somewhat resembling those of Russelia 

 iuncea. The rind of the root is said to possess emetic properties, and is used 

 by the Brazilians in dropsy and dysentery. The plant was presented by 

 Mr. G. H. Krumbiegel, Superintendent of the State Gardens, Baroda, in De- 

 cember 1896, under the name of M. bicolar which is a difi'erent species, and 

 thrives well here, flowering during the rainy season. It has been propagated 

 by cuttings. 



48. Maurandia Barclay an a, Lindl. (Scrophularine.e).§ A beautiful 

 climber of slender habit> native of Mexico. The leaves are small, cordate, 

 lobed and somewhat hastate. The plant climbs its support by means of the 

 twisting petioles of the leaf. The flowers are about 2 inches long, curved, the 

 tube greenish white, and the lobes of a violet purple colour. Plants were 



* The generic name is derived from ^leristroplie, turning round, in reference to the corolla, 

 which is twisted so as to be upside down, and the specific name means narrow-leaved with 

 golden variegation. 



t The genus is named after Kaspar and Johann Commelin, Dutch botanists, and the specific 

 name means "naked-flowered." 



1 The genus is named after Xa-xder Manetti, Prefect of the Botanic Gardens at Florence in 

 the middle of the eighteenth century, and the specific name means heart-shaped in reference 

 to the leaves. 



S The genus is named after Dr. Maurandy, once Professor of Botany at Carthagena, and 

 the specific name after Barclay. 



