252 



ing in fruit ;, capsule sharply 3-lobed, triangular ; seeds in each cell 

 2 to 4. In rocky places near the sea, Malwan District; flowers 

 in July. 



3. C Breviscapum, Dalz. loc. cit.— r-Tubers oblong, pendulous, 

 from the fibrous root ; leaves flat, ensiform ; margins undulated, 

 acuminated at the apex, attenuated towards the base, striated, 

 shinina; above, pale beneatli j scape round, simple, or very rarely 

 branched, half the length of the leaves ; flowers rather densely 

 rcicemose, twin; sepals oblong-acute, all reflex ed in flowering; 

 pedicels articulated at the apex ; filaments papillose, thickened 

 towards the apex ; capsule triquetrous ; cells with 1 to 3 seeds ; 

 seeds black. Malwan ; flowers in July. 



4. C NiMMONii, Dalz. loc. cit. — Root tuberous ; leaves flat, 

 broad-lanceolate, long-attenuated towards the base, 2 feet long, 

 shining above, striated, shorter than the simply branched, round 

 scape ; branches of the scape from the axils of sheathing bracts, 

 long, compressed or angular, undivided; flowers twin, distant, 

 drooping racemose ; sepals spreading, exterior acute, interior obtuse ; 

 anthers and filaments minutely papillose ; capsule triquetrous ; cells 

 with only one seed. This is the largest of our species, and rises to 

 the heiglit of 3 feet. We have a strong suspicion that it will turn 

 out to be identical with the C orchidastrumof Sierra Leone. Mal- 

 wan; also the Ghauts opposite Bombay. 



5. C Glaucum, Dalz. loc. cit. — Root a spherical, depressed, 

 fibrous tuber ; fibres from above the tuber stout vermiform ; leaves 

 recurved, lanceolate-acuminated, attenuated towards the base, 

 glaucous, striated, slightly folded, half the length of the simple, 

 rigidly-erect scape, which is clothed with several very sharp 

 sheathing scales ; flowers twin approximated, spreading ; pedicels 

 articulated above the middle ; anthers and filaments papillose ; ovary 

 triquetrous, with 8 ovules in each cell. On the Ghauts, rather 

 rare. The root differs from all the preceding; also the scape 

 differs by being scaly. 



CXXXVII. COMMELYNACE^. 



1. COMMELYNA, Linn. 



1. C CoMMDNis, Linn. sp. 60. — Root fibrous ; stems branched, 

 creeping; branchlets marked with a line of hairs; leaves sessile, 

 ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, rounded at the base ; margin waved ; 

 spathes opposite the leav.es, rounded-cordate, acute-folded, smooth, 

 with roughish margins ; peduncles in the spathe 2, the longer one 

 1-flowered, the shorter 3-flowered. Common everywhere. Syn. 

 C polygama, Willd. Enum. 67 ; Roth. Cat. Bot. i, p 1 ; C csespitosa, 

 Roxb. Fl. Ind. i, 1 74 (?). 



