Indigofera.'] LegUmillOSCB. 2 7 



small, linear-cuspidate, lflts. 7-1 1 (3-5 pair and end one), 

 shortly stalked with minute stipels, about f in., obovate- 

 oblong, acute at base, rounded, often retuse, apiculate, glabrous 

 above, silvery-silky beneath, bright green, but drying a 

 blackish-grey, readily disarticulating; fi. small, on short, 

 slender ped., in erect, rather lax, tapering spicate racemes, 

 bracts small, cuspidate ; cal. very shallow, silvery-hairy, segm. 

 lanceolate, acute; pod i-ij in., linear, straight or slightly 

 curved, cylindrical, strongly apiculate, thickened at both 

 sutures, nearly glabrous, slightly or not at all constricted 

 between the seeds; seeds 8-12. 



Low country, by roadsides and waste places ; rather common, especi- 

 ally in the dry region, but very doubtfully indigenous. Fl. all the year ; 

 pink, standard green outside. 



Found also in India and Tropical Africa, but scarcely known as a 

 wild plant anywhere, unless in West Trop. Africa. 



This is the Indigo plant, so largely cultivated in India. Here there 

 is no cultivation, but the natives of Jaffna use the leaves of the wild plant 

 in obtaining a black dye for cloth. 



I. Anil, L„ is occasionally met with as a roadside weed. It is another 

 indigo-producing species, and is generally believed to be of American 

 origin. 



14. X. constricta, Trim. Cat. Ceylo?i PL 23 (1885). 

 I.flaccida, var. /3, constricta, Thw. Enum. 411. C. P. 381 1. 

 Fl. B. Ind. ii. 99 (note under (/. tinctorid). 



A small erect shrub, with few cylindrical branches, silvery 

 with adpressed hair ; 1. imparipinnate, rachis about 2 in., stip. 

 short, stiffly setaceous, lflts. 9, shortly stalked, about f in., oval 

 or oblong-oval, acute at base, obtusely apiculate, finely hairy 

 on both sides, especially beneath, easily falling ; fl. numerous, 

 racemes about as long as 1. ; cal. silky, tube campanulate, 

 segm. short, triangular, acute; pod about i^in., linear, slightly 

 curved, somewhat 4-angled, pointed, much constricted be- 

 tween the seeds, sparingly silky ; seeds 3-6, larger than in 

 /. tinctoria. 



Montane zone ; very rare. Etanwelle, Matale East (Thwaites). Fl. 

 June ; pet. not seen. 



Also in Peninsular India (N. Canara, Talbot n. 320 in Herb. Calcutta). 



15. I. Wig-htii, Grah. in Wall. Cat. n. 5488 (1828). 

 /. inamama, Thw. Enum. 83. C. P. 3513. 



Fl. B. Ind. ii. 99. 



A small shrub, with numerous spreading, furrowed, grey- 

 silvery branches, young parts densely covered with adpressed 

 silvery hair; 1. imparipinnate, rachis 2-3 in., silvery, stip. very 

 small, cuspidate, lflts. 15-19 (7-9 pair and end one), small, 



