THE POISONOUS PLANTS OF BOMBAY. 619 



early stage of floral development. Tbey are about ^ inch long, ovate 

 and acute. They are " studded with glands " as Trimen observes. 

 The nature of these glands will be dwelt on further. 



Bkacteoles.— Subulate ; 1 or 2 ; smaller than the bracts and 

 distinctly glandular. 



CALYX. — Inferior, free, f-| inch by -^^ inch, persistent, narrowly 

 tubular, or spindle-shaped ; " 5-10 ribbed, often hyaline between the 

 ribs ; mouth frequently funnel-shaped, scarious" (Clarke). Segments, 

 five, with membranous margins ; '^ covered with large, stalked, 

 spreading, globose, crimson glands " (Trimen). " Teeth very short " 

 (Clarke). 



COROLLA. — Inferior, persistent, tubular. Tube " fully 1 inch 

 long and slender," says Trimen ; " f inch," says Clarke. I may add 

 that this is a matter of purely local development, and does not count 

 for much. Petal-lobes, 5, spreading, nearly | inch long, or more fre- 

 quently less, oval, ovate, or ovoid ; acute. 



^Estivation. — Twisted in the case of petals ; plicate in the case of 

 the calyx. 



It may be noted here that the corolla is less persistent than the calyx. 

 This is characteristic of the genus Plumbago. 



STAMENS. — 5, hypogynous, distinct, opposite the petals. 



Filaments. — Free ; as long as the corolla-tube ; linear, dilated at 

 the base. 



Antheks.- — Oblong ; exserted just beyond " the tJiroai.'" 



Hypogynous Disc. — xibsent (Clarke). 



PISTIL.— 



OvARY. — Superior, 1-ceiled, 5-angular, narrowed at the apex. 



Style. — Slender, simple, filiform ; divided into five stigmatose bran- 

 ches nearly throughout the length. " Base of style, glabrous" (Clarke). 



Stigmas. — 5, capillary and quite distinct. 



Ovule. — Solitary ; pendulous from a basal ascending funicle. 



FKUIT. — A membranous capsule ; oblong, sharply-pointed, 

 ** included " in a persistent calyx and corolla. " Pericarp, thin below, 

 thick and hard above " (Trimen). 



Dehiscence. — Circumsciss near the base. 



SEED. — Cylindrical or oblong-rotund, with undefined longitudinal 

 stride ; green when immature ; brownish when mature. 



Albumen. — Farinaceous. 



