PLANTS OF THE PUNJAB. 



813 



Herbs, erect, with Opposite Exstipulate Simple Leaves. 



Leaf Margins Entire. 



Petals None. 



Achy rant hes aspera, 

 The Prickly Ghaff Flower. 



Latjira, chichra, kutri. 



AMARANTACEiE. 



F. B. I. iv. 730. 

 The Plains to 7,000 ft. 

 Simla (Collett). 

 Rawalpindi. 

 Baluchistan (Boissier). 



large, straggling, branched or not, branches long 

 and rambling ; leaves 3-5 by 2-3 in., ovate or round, 

 thick, leathery, velvety or felted, shortly stalked ; 

 flowers shining, dull green or purplish, soon bending 

 down, crowded in long rigid terminal unbranched 

 spikes, 6-18 in. long, bracts and bracteoles some- 

 what spiny, calyx g--£ in. long, o-fid, segments stiff, 

 lanceolate, short pointed, longer than the bracteoles, 

 petals none, stamens 5, alternating and united 

 below with 5 fringed staminodes, style long, stigma 

 rounded ; fruit oblong enclosed in the calyx, seed 

 one oblong. This plant is used as a diuretic, the 

 ash contains much potash. 



Achyranthes bidentata, very much like the last species, but much larger, 



Amarantace^e. leaves long pointed with a slender tip, bracteoles 



F. B. I. iv. 730. usually reduced to a spine, and staminodes toothed, 



Himalaya, 4-6,000 ft. not fringed. 

 Simla (Collett). 



Atriplex hortensis, 

 Atriplex crassifolia, 



see Herbs, Alternate, Exstipulate, Simple. 



Leaf Margins Toothed. 



Petals Ununited. 



Dianthus cachimiricus, 



CARYOPHVLLACEyE. 



F. B. I. i. 214. 

 Kashmir. 



small, perennial, stem jointed, much branched 

 from the base, slender, smooth ; leaves 1-1^ in., very 

 narrow, grooved, midrib stout, margin slightly 

 toothed, thickened ; flowers terminal, solitary, 

 bracts 4, lanceolate with long slender or leafy points, 

 calyx 5-toothed, 1 in. long, teeth ovate-lanceolate, 

 long-pointed, margins thin, petals 5, long-stalked, 

 smooth, blade ^-| by 1 in., margin toothed, stamens 

 10 and ovary one-celled, all on a long stalk, styles 

 2 ; capsule opening by 4 teeth. 



34 



