314 CFiVi. LiLiAOB^. (J. D. Hooker.) [Smilax, 



Wall. Gat. 5124 B, D, in part. The specimens are quite insufficient for determina- 

 tion. They may belong to S. zet/lanica or JRoxhurgMana. 



S. TiiiAHDlA, Ham. in Wall. Cat. 5123 ; Rot/le III. 384, t. 94. — Mheede Sort. 

 Mai. vi. t. 31. Detached leaves alone exist in Wallich's and Hamilton's Herbaria 

 (from the Nepal Morung), and may belong to any one of several species.^ Royle's 

 plant is only known from the figure the inflorescence of which represents nothing 

 known to me. Eheede's plant is undeterminable. 



2. HETEROSnilliAX, Kunth. 



Characters of Smilax, but perianth tubular, mouth contracted, 

 2-5-toothed., and stamens 3 with move or less connate filaments. — Species 

 5, Indian, Malayan, Chinese and Japanese. 



jff. indica, A. DO. Monogr. Smilax, 43 ; leaves ovate- or oblong- 

 lanceolate acuminate, filaments connate to about the middle, anthers 

 obtuse. 



Assam and the Khasia Hills, alt. 1-4000 ft. 



Stem very slender. Leaves 4-8 by 2-3J in., 5-nerved, rather thin, base rounded ; 

 petiole i-1 in., subterete, sheathing base very short, cirrhose. FeSimcles solitary, 

 axillary, li-2^ in., flattened ; umbels many-fld. ; bracteoles minute, ovate, acumi- 

 nate ; pedicels J-lj in. ; flowers very many, obovoid, male ^ in. long. Fruit 4— | in. 

 diaai., globose. Seeds 2, hemispheric. — Tery near S.japonica, Maxim., but differing 

 by the filaments being united only half way up, and the anthers obtuse. 



3. ASPARAGUS, Idnn. 



Bootstoch stout, creeping. Stem erect straggling or climbing, terete 

 grooved or angled. Leaves minute scales, often spiuescent, bearing in their 

 axils tufts of needle-like or flattened branchlets (cladodes). Flowers 

 small or minute, axillary, rarely uui-sexual, solitary fascicled or racemed, 

 pendulous ; pedicel jointed. Perianth campanulate, 6-partite. Stamen 

 on the bases of the segments ; anthers oblong. Ovary 3-gonous ; style 1, 

 stigmas 3 ; cells 2- or more- ovuled. Berry globose. Seeds 2-6 ; testa, 

 black, brittle; embryo dorsal. — Species about 100, Europe and Temp, and 

 Trop. Asia and Africa. 



* Flowers axillary, solitary clustered or umbelled, not racemed. 



f Leaves not or rarely spinescent. Cladodes short straight or falcate. 



1. A. filicinus, Sam. in Bon Prodr. 49 ; tall, erect, cladodes 2-5- 

 nate falcate flat acuminate costate, pedicels solitary or 2-nate, flowers 

 polygamous. Kunth JEnum. v. 73 ; Baker in Journ. Linn. Soc. xiv. 605. 



Tbmpbeate and Teopical Himalaya, from Kashmir 4-7000 ft. eastwards, 

 alt. 6-9000 ft., to Bhotan (except Sikkim). The Khasia Hills alt. 5-6000 ft. 

 Assam and Btiema.— Distbib. China. 



Stems flexuous, fistular, much branched, smooth, unarmed, lower branches spread- 

 ing; upper iiiternodes short. Cladodes t^j-^ in. Pedicels or i-J- in., jointed about 

 the middle. Perianth tV'tS '^'^■' subcampanulate. Stamens short ; anthers minute. 

 Berry i-| in. diam. — Tbe following are marked forms. 



A. riLloiKTTS proper ; cladodes J-i in., pedicels very slender \^ in. — Central and 

 Western Himalaya. 



Var. BKEViFiPES, Baker 1. c. ; cladodes J-J by Jjj in., pedicels very short. — Assam 

 and Khasia hills. 



