324 RubiaceCB. \Acranthera. 



enlarged one (only developed on the outer side of a few fl.) 

 in all respects save colour resembling the foliage-1., but rather 

 broader, velvety on both sides, creamy white, persistent; cor.- 

 tube |- in., with a dense lining of short yellow hairs completely 

 blocking the mouth and extending \ way down, lobes short, 

 broadly oval, apiculate, convex above, spreading ; anth. small ; 

 fruit f in., nearly globose, faintly 2-lobed, slightly scabrous. 



Var. /3, glabrata, Hk. f. in Fl. B. Ind. 



L. smaller, 2-3 in., narrower, tapering to base, quite 

 glabrous on both sides; buds acute, not 5 -angled; cal.-segm. 

 very short, acuminate, glabrous; cor. -lobes acuminate; fruit 

 glabrous. 



Moist region up to 4000 ft. ; very common. Var. (3 in the low country. 

 Fl. April-August ; brilliant orange. 



Also in India, Andaman Is., and Malay Archipelago. 



A very conspicuous plant everywhere, from the white leaf-like enlarged 

 calyx-lobes and brilliant, though not large, flowers. The hairs on the 

 leaves are sometimes pink. Extremely variable in amount of hairiness, 

 often villous in the hills. In Fl. B. Ind. all the Ceylon plant is called 

 var. zeylanica, which is, however, restricted by the description to the 

 velvety or tomentose form, which is the type as described by Linnaeus. 

 Var. (3, which looks quite distinct, is perhaps the M. corymbosa of Roxb., 

 which he states (Fl. Ind. i. 556) to be a native of Ceylon, or possibly M. 

 glabra, Vahl, which has a wide Malaya and Burma distribution but is 

 not recorded for Peninsular India in Fl. B. Ind. 



A decoction is used externally in inflammations. 



17. ACRANTHEBA, Am. 



Perennial herb, 1. large, stip. triangular; fl. large in ter- 

 minal cymes; cal.-segm. 5, long, persistent; cor. tubular-funnel- 

 shaped, lobes 5, valvate ; stam. 5, inserted near base of cor.- 

 tube, anth. connate at their points; ov. i-celled, but apparently 

 2-celled, the two parietal placentas completely meeting in the 

 centre and reflexed, stigma clavate; fruit oblong, indehiscent, 

 2-celled; seeds minute, very numerous. — Sp. 10; 6 in Fl. B. 

 Ind. 



A. zeylanica, Am. in Ann. Nat. Hist. iii. 21 (1839). 



Thw. Enum. 138. C. P. 334. 



Fl. B. Ind. iii. 92. Bedd. Ic. PI. Ind. Or. t. 24 (not good). 



A low perennial herb, rootstock thick, flexuose, stem. 2-8 

 in., often prostrate and rooting at base, then erect, stout, com- 

 pressed, densely silky-hairy ; 1. large, 4-6 in., closely placed, 

 obovate-oblong or oblong-lanceolate, tapering to base, rounded 

 or subacute at apex, sparingly hairy above, and densely so on 



