6S8 Lxii. ONAGRACE^. (C. B. Clarke.) [Jussioea. 



In all Inuu except the western desert region ; and in Ceyion. — Disteib. The 

 warmer moist parts of the whole world. 



Erect, branching, sometimes 4-6 ft. Leaves 3 by | in., more or less villous 

 (rarely in Indian examples subglabrons), sometimes short, ovate-lanceolate, sometimes 

 nearly linear, shortly petioled or sessile. Pedicel very short, bracts inconspicuous, 

 or (in var. bracteata of Eottler) foliaceous, 1 in. Petals f— | in. Capsule 1-2 in., 

 linear-cylindric, more or less villous or finally glabrous, 8-ribbed, membranous, 

 breaking up between the ribs. — The form called J, angustifolia which has very 

 narrow nearly glabrous leaves is found in Burma and thence to Australia, but there 

 are no examples from Cis-Gangetic India. 



3. X.1TD-WXeXA, Linn. 



Herbs. Leaves alternate, undivided, subentire. Flowers usually axillary, 

 solitary, sessile or nearly so, peduncle 2-l)racteate at its apex. (Myx-tuhe 

 scarcely produced above the ovary, linear in the Indian species ; teeth 3-5, acute, 

 persistent. Petals 3-5 (or 0), epigynous. Stamens equal in number to the 

 calyx-segments, epigynous. Ovary inferior, 4-5-celled ; style simple, stigma 

 capitate ; ovules very many, attached in 2 or more vertical rows to the inner 

 angle of each cell. Capsule linear or oblong (in the Indian species), 4-5-celled, 

 opening by terminal pores or breaMng up irregularly along the sides. Seeds 

 numerous, obovoid, smooth, raphe obscure or prominent but not large, without 

 coma. — Disteib. Species 20, mostly in North America ; extending from the 

 cool temperate zone to the equator ; chiefly inhabiting marshes. 



1. Ii. parviflora, Roxh. Hort. Seng. 11; Fl. Ind. i. 419; capsule | by 

 J-jj iu. linear-oblong, seeds in many rows in each ceU, raphe obscure. DC. 

 Prodr. iii. 59 ; Wight III. t. 101 ; W. Sr A. Prodr. 336 ; Dalz. <$• Gibs. Bomb. 

 Fl. 99 ; JSenth. Fl. Austral, iii. 307 ; Boiss. Fl. Orient, ii. 752 ; ICurz in Joum. 

 As. Sac. 1877, pt. ii. 91. L. lythroides, Blume Bijd. 1134 ; DC. I. c. D. 

 jussiseoides, Wall. Cat. 6335 not of Linn, and others. 



Throughout India and Ceyi,on ; common in rice fields and other moist places. — 

 Disteib. Malaya. North Australia. Persia. Abyssinia. 



Erect, 8-24 in., glabrous. Leaves 2-3 by ^-J in., lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 

 narrowed to the base. Flowers very shortly pedicelled, commonly 4-fid. Petals 

 small, yellow. Capsule inflated, smooth, the seeds not separately distinguishable 

 through its walls. 



2. Xa. prostrata, Eo.vb. Hort. Beng. 11 ; Fl. Ind. i. 420 ; capsule |-| by 

 5^5 in. linear, seeds in one row in each cell, raphe narrow but promment. DC. 

 Prodr. iii. 69 ; Wight Ic. t. 762 ; Xws in Joum. As. Soc. 1877, pt. ii. 91. L. 

 diffusa, Sam. in Trans. Linn. Soc. xiv. 301 Wall. Cat. 6336. DC. I. c. L. 

 fruticuLosa, Blume Bijd. 1133 : DC. I. c. Nematopyxis prostrata, pusilla, and 

 fruticulosa, Miq. Fl. Ind. Bat. i. pt. i. 630. 



Noeth-West India; Boyle. Assam. Silhbt. Rangoon. Cbtlon. Madras? 

 Heyne in Herb. Bottler. — Disteib. Malaya, Japan. 



Prostrate, or decumbent and then erect, 8-24 in., glabrous. Leaves 2-3 by ^-f 

 in,, lanceolate, narrowed to the base. Flowers sessile, 4-fid. Capsule not inflated, the 

 walls drawn tightly over the seeds so that each seed can be counted from without. — 

 This species of Roxburgh's was extricated by Mr. Bentham in Fl. Austral, iii. 308, 

 where the synonymy is cleared up. Some of the Silhet examples howevei: have some 

 of the capsules very like those of L. parviflora, and others inflated for half their 

 length like L. parviflora, and for the other half linear constricted like L. prostrata. 

 The two species are identical except as to their capsules and seeds. 



