ACANTHACEAE 441 



1. S. rivularis Merr. 



A slender, erect plant 10 to 30 cm high, usually branched from the base, 

 the younger parts glandular-pubescent. Stems brownish-purple. Leaves 

 subsessile, narrowly obovate to oblanceolate, 2 to 6 cm long, acute or ob- 

 tuse, base narrowed, margins entire or obscurely crenate-undulate. Flowers 

 axillary and in terminal spikes or spike-like racemes, the bracts, bracteoles 

 and sepals green, the bracts narrowly oblong-obovate, the bracteoles lanceo- 

 late, one calyx-lobe much broader than the other four. Corolla 7 to 9 mm 

 long, cylindric, pale-purple with darker lines. Capsule oblong, 5 mm long, 

 2-celled, many-seeded, not stalked. 



On ledges along small streams, Masambong, fl. Nov.-Feb. A species 

 known only from this locality. 



11. ACANTHUS Linnaeus 



Erect or ascending shrubby plants. Leaves sinuous, sharply toothed, 

 often spiny. Spikes terminal, dense or interrupted; bracts ovate, rather 

 large, the bracteoles similar but smaller. Flowers subsessile, blue or white. 

 Sepals 4, 2 outer Opposite, 2 inner opposite, smaller. Corolla-tube short, 

 ovoid, the upper lip obsolete, the lower one large, broad, shortly 3-lobed 

 or 3-toothed. Stamens 4, in 2 pairs, shorter than the lip; filaments short, 

 stout, curved below the anther; anthers oblong, 1-celled, bearded. Ovary 

 4-ovuled; style shortly 2-fid. Fruit an ellipsoid, compressed, shining, 4- 

 seeded capsule. Seeds compressed, orbicular. (Greek "spiny," in reference 

 to the spiny leaves of some species.) 



Species about 20, warm-temperate and tropical parts of the Old. World, a 

 single species in the Philippines. 



1. A. fllcifolius L. Diliuario, Doloariu (Tag.). 



An erect or ascending, slightly branched shrub 0.6 to 1.6 m highj the stems 

 round, greenish, with a pair of short, sharp spines at the base of each pe- 

 tiole. Leaves rigid, coriaceous, green and shining, oblong to oblong-lan- 

 ceolate, 9 to 14 cm long, sinuate-toothed, the teeth spinous; petioles 1 cm 

 long or less. Spikes terminal, dense or interrupted, solitary. Flowers about 

 4 cm long, each subtended by an ovate, green, closely appressed bract 7 to 8 

 mm long, and 2 similar but smaller bracteoles. Calyx green, 10 to 12 mm 

 long. Corolla-tube 1 cm long, the loWer lip pale-blue, spreading or recurved, 

 about 3 cm long, 2.6 cm wide, pubescent within. Capsule 2 to 2.5 cm long. 

 (Fl. Filip. pi. 153.) 



In low wet lands near the sea, subject to the influence of salt water; 

 throughout the Philippines along tidal streams, etc. India, through Malaya 

 to Australia. 



12. LEPIDAGATHIS Willdenow 



Herbs, glabrous or pubescent, erect or spreading. Flowers small, in ter- 

 minal or lateral often fascicled heads or dense spikes. Bracts usually larger 

 than the calyx-segments and similar to them, bracteoles narrower. Calyx 

 5-lobed, the 2 anterior lobes more or less connate. Corolla small, tubular, 

 inflated above, 2-lipped. Stamens 4, in 2 pairs. Capsule 2- or 4-seede(L 

 (Greek "scale" and a "ball of string," in allusion to the crowded bracteate 

 flowers.) 



Species 50 or more, chiefly in the tropics of the Old World, about 15 in the 

 Philippines. 



