■ilymenopogon. pentandkiA monogynia. 157 



which it approaches on account of its large, leaf-like, floral bractes, 

 and winged seeds. It seems much akin also to Mussanda, Gxy- 

 anlhus,De Cand. and Tocoyena, Aubl. but differs from them all by 

 the siugular dehiscence of the fruit and the linear, winged seeds. 



1. H. parasiticus, Wall. 



Grows parasitically on trees, sometimes on rocks on Sheopore, 

 Chanda-gm, near Hetounra, and between that place and Chitlong, 

 Time of blossoming the raiusj the fruit ripens in the months of 

 December and January. 



A branchy small shrub, which is attached parasitically by means 

 of fibrous roots. Stem about a finger thick, variously curved, rooting 

 as well as the branches ; the latter opposite, adscending, covered with 

 pale ash-coloured bark. The young branches alternately compressed^ 

 villous. — Leaves opposite, spreading, very approximate, entire, acu- 

 minate, tapering downwards, from five to seven inches long, membra- 

 naceous, pubescent above, villous underneath, chiefly along the elevat- 

 ed rib and the opposite, numerous, oblique nerves ; reticulate. — Petiol 

 very short, rounded, widening into the sub-decurrentbase of the leaf. 

 — Stipules interpetiolary, adpressed, persistent, membranaceous, near- 

 ly as long as the petiols, ovate, acute, ciliate, the uppermost frequently 

 lobed and sub-connate; within the base there is a series of fleshy cilia?, 

 as in the family of asclepiadece. — Corymbs terminal or from the extei ior 

 axils, trichotomous, villous, sitting on slender peduncles, measuring 

 two to three inches in length. — Bractes under each division, large, 

 persistent, resembling the uppermost stipules. — Flowers very long, 

 white, inodorous, mostly ternate, on thickish peduncles, which are 

 about half an inch long ; under most of these fascicles, from the point 

 where their peduncles unite, there is a large spreading, very thin, 

 membranous, persistent, foliaceous bracte, of an oblong-lanceolate 

 form, acute, rather tapering at the base, pubescent on both sides, 

 chiefly underneath, where it is elegantly nerved and reticulate, convex 

 above, two or three inches long, elevated on a flattish pubescent 

 petiol of about half its own length,— Calyx villous^ divided into five, 



