Ophiorrhiza.] Rubiacece. 32 I 



ped.; cal.-segm. very short, triangular, cor.-tube inflated at 

 base, broad, with a ring of long silky hair at mouth, lobes 

 much shorter than tube; disk very prominent; capsule fin. 

 wide, coriaceous, 3 times as wide as long, very much com- 

 pressed, protruded beyond cal.; seeds very numerous, 

 angular, pale brown. 



Yar. /3, nemorosa, Hk. f. O. nemorosa, Thw. Enum. 139. C. P. 205. 

 L. narrower, stip. with 1 or 2 long setaceous bristles; fi. 

 much larger; cor.-tube longer. 



Var. y, ang-ustifolia, Hk. f. O. angitstifolia, Thw. Enum. 140. 

 C. P. 431- 



L. smaller, oblong-lanceolate, stip. with setaceous bristles, 

 cymes small, with small linear bracts, tomentose. 



Shady places in the moist region from sea-level up to 6000 ft.; 

 common. Var. j3, Medamahanuwara; Galagama. Var. y, Ambaga- 

 muwa. All the year ; white, in var. /3, pinkish. 



Also in India, Burma, Malay Islands; the varieties endemic. 



The root is said to have a reputation for snake-bites in India ; but not, 

 I think, here. The leaves are bitter, and a remedy for toothache. There 

 is no published figure of this familiar plant. 



Linnaeus refers to this also the ' Naghawalli ' of Herm. Mus. 55, which 

 the latter says is brought from Adam's Peak, the leaves being a specific 

 cure for the bite of the cobra. They are described as spotted, and it is 

 likely some other plant was intended. Moon, indeed, gives this name for 

 Justicia picta [Graptofihyllum hortense), a common garden plant. 



2. O. Harrisiana, Heyne in Wall. Cat. n. 6236 (1828). 

 O. decumbens, Gardn. in Thw. Enum. 419. C. P. 3656. 

 Fl. B. Ind. iii. 78. Wight, Ic. t. 1162 (O Harrisonii). 



A small undershrub, with many ascending slender branches, 

 often rooting at the base, young twigs glabrous or pubescent; 

 1. ih-^h in., ovate-oval or lanceolate, tapering to both ends, 

 acute, pale and pubescent on veins beneath, stip., with a few 

 setaceous bristles ; cymes few, small, lax, pubescent, on long 

 slender peduncles, bracts setaceous, soon falling ; cal.-segm. 

 very acute, capsule small, triangular, with the ends prolonged, 

 pubescent. 



Moist shady places in lower montane zone; common. Fl. June- 

 September; white. 



Also in India and Burma. 



Scarcely more than a variety of O. Mungos, but its shrubby habit gives 

 it a different look. 



3. O. radicans, Gardn. in Thw. Enum. 139 (1859). 

 C. P. 1706. 



FL B« Ind. iii. 80. 



pro irate, filiform, copiously rooting, with ascending 

 branches and ends, finely woolly-pubescent; 1. small, £-1 in., 

 PARI II. Y 



