Polysdas.] Araliacece. 281 



flowering stem l-2§ ft., erect, slightly branched, striate, finely 

 hairy, stem-1. few, gradually smaller upwards, and at top re- 

 duced to the broad sheathing petioles without lfits., umbels 

 few, on long stalks, general with about 12-20 rays and an 

 involucre of 2 or 3 inconspicuous obtuse bracts, parrial with 

 about 20 fl. on rather long ped. and an involucre of few un- 

 equal lanceolate bractlets ; pet. broad, with long, attenuate 

 incurved apex ; styles short, curved ; fruit §— | in., very much 

 compressed, oval or oblong-oval, rounded at both ends, often 

 slightly obovate, mericarps much dorsally flattened, glabrous 

 and shining, wings semi-transparent, vittae black. 



Upper montane zone, rather common. Fl. Feb.-July; greenish-white, 

 anth. purple. 



Endemic. 



In Fl. B. Ind. ii. 715, some specimens of C. P. 145 collected by- 

 Gardner on Adam's Peak are referred to H. rigens, Wall, figured in 

 Wight, Ic. t. 1059. I do not, however, think we have more than a single 

 species, and, though probably it is conspecific with the Nilgiri forms, 

 it does not quite agree with any of Wight's figures or descriptions. 

 That figured in Wight, 111. ii. t. 116 (as Pastinaca ligusticifolia), seems 

 nearest. The form of the lower leaves is very variable, and on Horton 

 Plains occurs a luxuriant form with very much cut leaves, which are nearly 

 glabrous. 



LXIV.— ARALIACE^:. 



Trees or climbing shrubs, 1. compound, alt, with stip. adnate 

 to petiole ; fl. regular, bisexual ; cal.-tube adnate to ov., 

 segm. very small or o ; pet. 5-9, distinct, valvate ; stam. 5-9, 

 epigynous ; ov. quite (rarely only -|-) inferior, crowned with 

 epigynous disk, 4-9-celled, with one pendulous ovule in each 

 cell, styles as many as cells, distinct or connate or o; fruit 

 small, berry-like, indehiscent, pyrenes several, compressed, 

 embryo minute in copious endosperm. 



L. pinnate r. Polyscias. 



L. digitate 2. Heptapleurum. 



Heptapleurum stellalum and emarginatum inhabit the moist low 

 country, Polyscias and the other species of Heptapleurum the montane 

 zone, into which also H. emarginatum extends. 



1. POLYSCIAS, Forst. 



Tree, 1. imparipinnate, with adnate stip., fl. jointed on the 

 in panicles ; cal.-lirnb with 5 tooth-like segm. pet. 5, 



