3 1 6 Rubiacece. \Oldenlandia. 



4. O. umbellata, L. Sp. PI. 119 (1753). Saya, S. Chaya, T. 



Herm. Mus. 22. Burm. Thes. 208. Fl. Zeyl. n. 67. Moon Cat. 11. 

 Hedyotis umbellata, Lam., Thw. Enum. 144. C. P. 125. 

 Fl. B. Ind. iii. 66. Roxb. Cor. PI. t. 3. 



Annual but semi-woody at base, stems very numerous 

 prostrate or ascending, 6-10 in., quadrangular or compressed 

 glabrous or rough ; 1. numerous, rather close, sessile, \-\ in., 

 linear, very acute, margin setaceous and often reflexed, stip. 

 very short, pectinate ; fl. on short ped., 3-10 together in very 

 numerous irregular small umbels on stiff erect peduncles ; 

 cal. glabrous, segm. triangular, cuspidate, spinous-ciliate ; 

 capsule nearly globose, broader than long, top slightly pro- 

 truded above cal. 



Sandy ground, especially near the coast and in the dry region; 

 common. All the year; white. 



Also in S. India and N. Burma. 



This affords the ' Chay-root,' at one time an important dyeing material 

 and a monopoly of Government.* The root was collected especially in 

 the north of the island, and is still gathered to a small extent in Mannar 

 I., where is a village wholly occupied by a caste who dye cloths with it. 

 The colour is a dull pinkish-purple, and very durable. There was formerly 

 a considerable export to India. 



5. O. trinervia, Retz. Obs. Bot. iv. 23 (1786). 



Hedyotis trinervia- R. and S., Thw. Enum. 144. C. P. 1681. 

 Fl. B. Ind. iii. 66. Bedd. Ic. PI. Ind. Or. t. 29. 



A small annual, stems weak, flaccid, slender, branched, 

 slightly hairy; 1. numerous, broadly ovate or rotundate, 

 tapering to base or obscure petiole, nearly glabrous, thin, 

 3-veined at base ; fl. on very short ped., in small clusters; cal. 

 hairy, segm. narrowly triangular, acute ; fruit very small, 

 globose, very hairy, flat-topped, opening by a wide circular 

 mouth. 



Low country in damp places ; very rare (?). Jaffna (Gardner) ; Reigam 

 Korale (Thwaites). Fl. September. 



Also in India, Burma, Malay Islands, and Trop. Africa. 

 Has the habit and appearance of an Alsinaceous plant. 



6. O. stricta, L. Mant. 200 (1781). 



Hedyotis maritima, Moon Cat. 10 ; Thw. Enum. 144 (? Linn. f.). 

 C. P. 1678. 



Fl. B. Ind. iii. 68. Pluk. Phytogr. t. 332, f. 3 (bad). 



Annual or perennial with a woody base, and numerous, 

 erect, slender, wiry, sub-quadrangular, glabrous, dichotomously 

 branched stems, often 2 ft. high; 1. i-i| in., sessile, linear, 



* Extracts from the Dutch Records referring to the collection of this 

 plant for Government are given by the late Colonial Surgeon Ondaatje 

 in the appendix to the Ceylon Almanac for 1853, pp. 14-16. 



