874 XXVII. STERCULiACE^. (Maxwell T. Masters.) [Melochia. 



1. ItX. corchorifolia, Linn. ; Willd. Sp. PI. iii. 604 ; leaves oblong-ovate 

 serrate plaited base rounded or cordate, flowers in terminal or axillary heads, 

 with, bracteoles intermixed, capsule globose. Roah. Fl. Ind. iii. 139 ; 

 Thwaites Enum. 30; Wall. Cat. 1196 iw part. M. truncata, Wittd. Sp. PI. 

 iii 601. M. supina, L. Sp.Pl. 944. M. affinis, Wall. Cat. 119a M. pauciflora, 

 Wall. Cat. 1199. Kiedleia corchorifolia, DC. Prodr. i. 491 ; W. & A. Prod/r. 

 L 66 ; Miq. Fl. Ind. Bat. i. pt. 2, 188 ; Dalz. d; Gibs. Bomb. Fl. 24. R. trun- 

 cata W. & A. l.c. 66. R. supina, DC. Prodr. i. 491. R. concatenata, DC. 

 Prodr. i. 492. Visenia corchorifolia, Spreng. Syst. iii. 30. V. concatenata, 

 Spre.ng. Syst. ui. 30. V. supina, Spreng. Syst. iii. 31. Melochia concatenata, 

 WaU. Cat. 1197. Sida cuneifoUa, Roxb. Hurt. Beng. 50. — Rheede Sort. 

 Mai. ix. t. 73. 



Generally distributed in the hotter parts of India from Kuuaon alt. 4000 ft. to 

 Sikkim, Malacca and Ceylon. — Distrib. A widely diffused tropical weed. 



An erect branching herb or undershrub, thinly stellate-hairy^ Leaves 1-3 in., 

 variable in form, rarely obscurely lobed, subgiabrous above, thinly stellate-hairy be- 

 neath, base 5-nerved; petiole 1 in. Stipules subulate-lanceolate, shorter than the 

 petiole. /Sepals ^ in., lanceolate, acuminate. Petals obovate, white or pink, longerthan 

 the sepals. Capsule the size of a small pea, globose, exceeding the persistent calyx. — 

 Variable. Wallich's M. affinis has the branches of the cyme lengthened and spike-like 

 with flowers on one side only as in the form called concatenata. 



2. M. velutina, Beddome Fl. Syhat. t. 5 ; leaves cordate suborbicular 

 acuminate serrate, flowers in umbellate corjmibs, capsule oblong 5-lobed, 

 seeds winged. Visenia umbellata, Wight Ic. 509. V. tomentosa, Miq. 

 PI. Hohen. Exsicc. Riedleia tilisefolia, DC. Prodr. i. 491 ; Dalz. & GiSs. 

 Bomb. Fl. 24 ; Mig^ Fl. Ind. Bat. i. pt. 2, 188. Glossospermum velutinum, 

 Wall. Cat. 1153. Q.I cordatum, WaU. Cat. 1155. 



Widely distributed through the hotter parts of India, from the N.W. Peovutces to 

 the CoNCAN and Ava, but often cultivated only. — Distrib. Wild or cultivated in the 

 Mauritius and Malay islands. 



A shrub or tree, herbaceous portions stellate-hairy. Leaves 4 by 3 in. , thinly stellate- 

 hairy or glabrescent above, downy beneath, base 5-7-nerved; petiole 3 in. Stipules 

 i in., leafy, roundish. Panicles many-flowered, lax, terminal and axillary. Fhwers 

 i in. diam., pink. Calyx campanulate, lobes 5, deltoid-ovate, connate to about the 

 middle. Petals oblong, twice the length of the sepals: Stamens inserted with the 

 petals on a lobed hypogynous disk, filaments flat. Ovary 5-celled ; styles 5, opposite 

 the petals. Capsule ^ in., 5-lobed, bristly. Seed solitary in each cell, wing ascending. 



M. PTB AMID ATA, Linn, occurs as an introduced weed in India. 



12. WAIiTHERXA, Linn. 



Herbs or undershrubs. Leaves simple. Stipules narrow. Flowers small, 

 in dense axillary or terminal clusters. Sepals 5, connate below into a 

 bell-shaped tube. Petals 6, oblong-spathulate. Stamem 5, tubular below ; 

 anthers 2-lobed, lobes parallel. Staminodes 0. Ovary sessile, 1-celled J 

 ovules 2, ascending; style excentric, stigma club-shaped. Capsz<Z« 2- valved, 

 1-seeded. Seed ascending, albuminous; embryo straight, cotyledons flat, 

 radicle next the hilum.— Disteib. About 15 species, one or two of which 

 are tropical weeds, the remainder are natives, of tropical America. 



1. W. indica, L. ; DC. Prodr. i. 493. W. & A. Prodr. i. 67; Thwaites. 

 Enum. 30; Miq.Fl. Ind. Bat. i. pt. 2, 187 ; Dalz. & Gihs. Bomb. Fl. 23: 

 Wall. Cat. 1194. W. americana, L. ; DC. Prodr. i. 492; W. elliptica, Vav. 

 Diss. \i. Ill; Wall. Cat. 1195. Melochia corchorifolia, ITo^^. Co*. 1196, H, 

 not of others. 



