392 A FLORA OP MANILA 



green, about 8 mm long, the margins, at least below, ciliate-hirsute. Corolla 

 pink or pink-purple, 1.5 cm long. Capsule depressed-globose, apiculate, 

 about 6 mm in diameter, somewhat hirsute. (Fl. Filip. pi. SI, I. commutaiM.) 



Common In open waste places etc., fl. all the year; widely distributed in 

 the Philippines. Introduced from tropical America, now found also in 

 Singapore, Java, and Mauritius. 

 9. I. reptans (L.) Poir. (/. aquatica Porsk.). Cancong <Tag.). 



An annual, glabrous, widely spreading vine the stems trailing on mud 

 or floating on stagnant pools, often thickened. Leaves oblong-ovate, acute 

 or obtuse, or slightly sinuate, angled, or lobed, base cordate or hastate, 7 

 to 14 cm long, long-petioled. Pedicels axillary, erect, usually 1- or 2- 

 flowered. Sepals green, 8 mm long, oblong, obtuse or acute. Corolla nar- 

 rowly-campanulate, about 5 cm long, purplish, the limb nearly white or 

 pale-pink-purple, about 5 cm in diameter, the tube deeper purple inside. 

 Capsule ovoid, about 1 cm long. (PL Filip. pi. HO.) 



In stagnant pools, open muddy places, etc., fl. all the year; widely dis- 

 tributed in the Philippines. Tropical Africa and Asia through Malaya 

 to Australia. 



♦10. I. BATATAS (L.) Poir. Camote (Sp.-Fil.) ; Sweet Potato. 



A spreading, prostrate, herbaceous, glabrous or somewhat hairy vine 

 from small or large, red, white, or yellow tubers. Leaves ovate to oblong- 

 ovate, 6 to 14 cm long, subentire, angular or lobed, acuminate, base cor- 

 date. Peduncles axillary, about as long as the petioles, erect, several- 

 flowered. Sepals about 1 cm long, greenish, the lobes acuminate. Corolla 

 campanulate, 4 to 5 cm long, pink-purple and whitish. 



Occasionally cultivated in our area, fl. most or all of the year; exten- 

 sively cultivated throughout the Philippines. A native of tropical America, 

 now cultivated in most warm countries. 



119. HYDROPHYLLACEAE (Hydrolea FAMILY) 



Herbs with alternate, entire leaves and regular, perfect, 5-merous, blue 

 flowers in short, terminal and axillary, often leafy racemes. Calyx di- 

 vided nearly to the base, the segments lanceolate. Corolla subrotate, the 

 lobes imbricate.. Stamens 5, attached to the short corolla-tube, alternate 

 with its lobes. Ovary 2-celled; styles 2, distinct; ovules numerous. Cap- 

 sule globose or ovoid, septicidal or irregularly 4-valved. 



Genera 17, species about 175, mostly American, a single representative 

 in the Philippines. 



HYDROLEA Linnaeus 



Characters of the Family as- given above. (Greek "water" and "oil" 

 from the habitat and nature of some species.) 



Species 12, tropics of both hemispheres, 1 in the Philippines. 



1. H. zeylanica (L.) Vahl, 



An annual, ascending or procumbent, sparingly branched nearly gla- 

 brous plant a few cm to 1.2 m in length. Leaves lanceolate, acute or acu- 

 minate, 4 to 10 mm long. Inflorescence and sepals covered with spreading, 

 viscid hairs. Sepals green, about 5 mm long. Corolla blue, 8 to 10 mm 

 in diameter. Capsule ovoid, surrounded by the persistent calyx-lobes. 



In open wet places, rice paddies etc., often in shallow pools, Masambong, 

 Pasay, etc., fl. Dec.-Feb.; widely distributed in the Philippines. India to 

 China southward to Queensland. 



