COMMELYNEjE. 523 



long again as the bracts. — Habit of M. regia. Mart. (t. 95), but leaf-segments broader, little 

 tapering towards the eroded point. Leaves large, pale-green : segments 3'-3Vlong, 3" 

 broad, reduplicate, obliquely inserted at the double base, densely veiny with transverse veins : 

 sides of the rhachis flattish, 1" broad ; $ perigone l"'long: exterior leaflets deltoid, interior 

 much longer, ovate-oblong, blunt : filaments f", anthers 5"'-3"' long ; ? perigone 9'" long, 

 ovate-oblong, cartilaginous, pale, glabrous : bracts 3, appressed, broadly ovate, imbricate : 

 exterior leaflets ovate, bluntish, as long as the interior, imbricate, interior ovate-oblong, 

 twice as long as the truncate capsule ; ovary slightly tomentose : style short, 3-partite ; 

 stigmas revolnte.— Hab. S. Kitts !, Kew Museum ; Trinidad !, Cr. 



CXXXII. COMMELTNE^. 



Mowers complete : calyx and corolla mostly 3-phyllous. Stamens 6, or fewer by abortion, 

 usually hypogynous. Ovary syncarpous: cells few-1 -ovulate : style simple. Capsule 

 usually loculicide. Albumen amylaceous, bearing the embryo in a special, peripherical 

 cavity, which is closed by an operculum.^Herbs ; leaves entire : blade inserted into a 

 sheath. 



1. DICHORISANDRA, Mik. 



Calyx and corolla persistent. Stamens 6-5 ; anthers opening by a terminal pore. Ovary 

 3-celled; cells few-ovulate. Cirpsa/e baccate, 3 -valved. — Siemleafy ; flowers blue, fascicled 

 in aflexuose raceme. 



1. D. Aubletiana, iZ. S. Trailing-difi^use, downy chiefly on the sheaths and pedicels ; 

 leaves oblong, pointleted, rounded at the base, glabrous, subciliolate ; raceme short, terminal ; 

 petals bluntly obovate, violet-blue; aril "orange-coloured." — Aubl. t. 12. — CoMmelyna 

 hexandra, Aubl. Tradescantia divaricata, F. — 3'-4' high ; leaves 5"-2" long, li"-i" 

 broad. — Hab. Trinidad!, Or.; [Venezuela to Brazil!]. 



3. CAMPELIA, Bich. 



Calyx unequal, succulent in fruit. Corolla persistent. Stamens 6. Ovary 3-celled : 

 cells 3-ovulate. Capsule 3-valved, included within the calyx. — Stem leafy ; peduncles axil- 

 lary, perforating the base of the sheath, terminated by a contracted umbel ; involucre 2- 

 leaved ; flowers white. 



3. C. Zanonia, Rich. Leaves lanceolate-oblong,, acuminate, downy beneath and at the 

 sheaths ; peduncles Wg, exceeded by the leaves ; involucral leaves subcordate, acuminate. — 

 SI. 1. 147./. 1. — Commelyna, L. TVadescantia, Sw. — 3'-4' high ; larger leaves 6"-7" long ; 

 umbels 6-10-flowered : pedicels thickish, short ; filaments pilose. — Hab. Jamaica !, Pd„ 

 March, in mountain-woods j [Cuba ! and Mexico ! to Brazil !]. 



3. TEADBSCANTIA, L. 



Calyx and corolla equal, persistent. Stamens 6 (-3). Ovary 3-celled: cells 2- or 5-1- 

 ovulate. Capsule membranaceous, 3-valved. — Flowers in simple or branched umbels, ephe- 

 meral. 



§ 1. Involucre minute, membranaceous ; umbels peduncled, cymose, or fascicled 

 (solitary J, often few-floteered. 

 3. T. geniculata, Jacq. Diffuse, hairy ; leaves cordate-ovate or ovate-oblong, cuspi- , 

 date : sheath pilose, loose ; umbels few-flowered, cymose, or panicnlate ; sep(ds small, y 

 glabrous, much shorter than the spreading pedicels ; petals white; filaments equal, pilose : 

 anther-cells globose, distant— P/kot. Ed. Burm. t. 116./. 2. Jacq. Jmer. tict. t. 95.— 

 Sepals 1'" long, equalling the petals. 



o. Leaves cordate-bvate (l''-2" long), hairy. 



i8. effusa. Mart. Leaves ovate-oblong (14"-3J" long), less h^.—Mart. Fi. Bras. 15. 

 t. 34.— T. floribunda, Kth. Oallisia umbellulata, Sieb. Mart, (non Lam.) 



2 M 



