ACANTHACEAE 437 



Cultivated, Singalon, Cementerio del Norte, etc., fl. Jan.-March; A 

 native of Mauritius, cultivated and spontaneous in many other tropical 

 countries, and of very recent introduction here. 



2. B. PRioNiTis L. Colinta, Culanta (Tag.). 



An erect, glabrous, branched shrub 1 to 2 m high, with slender, axillary 

 spines. Leaves elliptic to elliptic-ovate, narrowed at both ends, acuminate, 

 6 to 12 cm long. Flowers yellow, axillary, the upper ones in spikfes, the 

 bracts and calyx green, the outer bract usually foliaceous. Corolla about 4 

 cm long (Fl. Filip. pi. 2U.) 



In thickets, Masambong, Pasay etc., fl. Oct;-Apr.; of local occurrence in 

 the Philippines, probably of prehistoric introduction. Tropical Asia and 

 Africa. 



*3. B. CRiSTATA L. Violetas (Sp.-FiL). 



An erect, unarmed, much-branched shrub 1 to 3 m high, the branches 

 sparingly pubescent. Leaves oblong to elliptic, acute, 4 to 10 cm long, 

 somewhat pubescent beneath. Flowers in the upper axils and terminal, 

 solitary or in pairs, the bracteoles linear. Outer 2 sepals green, ovate- 

 lanceolate, nearly 2 cm long, persistent, laciniate-toothed. Corolla 6 to 7 

 cm long, the tube slender, winged above, the limb 4 to 5 cm in diameter, 

 violet or nearly white, or streaked with violet and white. (F. Filip. pi. 21i.) 



Commonly cultivated, especialy as a hedge plant, fl. all the year. A 

 native of Ii^dia, now cultivated in many tropical countries. 



5. ODONTONEMA Nees 



Erect shrubs with colored or variegated foliage, glabrous or nearly so. 

 Leaves opposite, entire. Inflorescence terminal and axUlary, of racemosely 

 or spicately arranged fascicles or reduced cymes, the bracts and bracteoles 

 small. C^yx short, somewhat 5-parted. Corolla-tube elongated, straight 

 or nearly so, slightly enlarged above, the limb spreading, somewhat 2-lipped, 

 the posterior lobe 2-fid, the anterior one 3-fid. Stamens 2, inserted above 

 the middle of the corolla-tube, included; staminodes usually present. Style 

 filiform; ovules 2 in each cell. Capsule oblong, base contracted into a long 

 stipe. (From Greek "tooth" and "thread," in allusion to the staminodes.) 



Species about 30 in tropical America, 1 introduced and cultivated in the 

 Philippines. 



*1. O. NITIDUM (Jacq.) O. Kuntze. 



An erect, branched, glabrous shrub 1 to 3 m high. Leaves pale-green 

 variegated vrith white, or nearly uniformly dark-purplish, entire or ob- 

 scurely undulate-lobed, oblong-ovate, acute or acuminate at both ends, 6 to 

 20 cm long. Inflorescence terminal and in the upper axils; green or purple, 

 narrow, 8 to 16 cm long, the flowers fascicled or in reduced, spicately 

 arranged cymes. Corolla purple or nearly white, the throat and basal 

 parts of the lobes blotched and spoted with purple, the tube 12 to 15 mm 

 long, the limb 1.5 to 2 cm in diameter. 



Commonly cultivated for its ornamental foliage, both the purple-leaved 

 form and the pale-green and white one frequent, fl. all the year, but ap- 

 parently producing no fruits here. A native of tropical America, its time 

 of introduction here uncertain, but probably comparatively recent. 



