Pollia.] CXXXIX. COMMELINACEiE. 165X 



late and leafy under the lowest clusters of branches, small, very broad, obtuse 

 and thin under the pedicels. Outer perianth-segments scarcely 2 lines long, 

 Uiner ones rather longer, blue. Perfect stamens 3, the 3 others reduced to 

 staminodia. Fruit ovoid, rather narrow, usually about 3 lines long. — Aneilema 

 macrophijUum, R. Br. Prod. 270. 



Hab.: Northumberland Islands, R. Brown; Brisbane Eiver, F. v. Mueller; Eockingham B?.y, 

 Dallachy ; Fitzroy Biver, O'Shanesy ; Port Denison, Fitzalan ; Killarney. The species if 

 also in the Solomon Islands. 



2. P. crispata (crisped), Benth. Fl. Amtr. vii. 90. A weak ascending 

 perennial, rooting at the base. Leaves lanceolate, acuminate, 4 to Gin. long, 

 tapering at the base, the very short petiole and orifice of the sheaths undulate- 

 crisped, almost denticulate, the sheath loosely cylindrical, ^ to lin. long ; the 

 iippermost leaves crowded and smaller. Panicle closely sessile within the last 

 leaves, about 2in. long, the crowded branches attaining at length 1 to 2in. 

 Flowers white, perhaps rather larger than in P. macropltylla, otherwise similar. 

 Fruit ovoid, about 3 lines long. — Aneilema crisjMta, R. Br. Prod. 270 ; Bauer, 

 lUustr. Fl. Nov, Holl. t. 6. 



Hab : Moreton Bay to Killarney. 



2. COMMELINA, Linn. 



(After J. and G. Commelin.) 



Perianth-segments all free, 2 of the outer ones larger than the third outermost, 

 and one of the inner frequently differently shaped or more sessile than the two 

 others. Perfect stamens usually 3, the central one with a larger anther than the 

 two others ; staminodia 3 or rarely 2, with deformed anthers. Ovary 3-celled or 

 rarely 2-eelled ; ovules in each of 2 cells 2 superposed, 1 only in the third smaller 

 cell, or ovules 1 in each of 3 cells, or the third ceil entirely wanting. Stylo 

 filiform, with a small stigma. Capsule usually 3-celled, the 2 biovulate cells 

 opening loculicidally, the third uniovulate cell remaining long closed at the back 

 of one of the valves, but sometimes all 3 cells open loculicidally or the third cell 

 is de6cient. Seeds smooth or pitted, rugose or reticulate. — Weak herbs, often 

 creeping at the Taase. Flowers in a complicate oblique leafy bract or spatha, 

 usually 2 or more on a peduncle included in the spatha, with a second peduncle 

 in the same spatha articulate halfway up and bearing a single usually male 

 flower, or reduced to a short barren bristle. Fruiting pedicels recurved so as to 

 ripen the capsule within the spatha. 



The genus is widely spread over the warmer regions of both hemispheres, supplying several 

 common weeds o£ cultivation. 



Spatha not cordate, closed at the base, forming an oblique turbinate inverted 



cone open at the top only. 



Capsule 3-celled 1. C. undulata. 



Capsule 2-oelled 2. (7. ensifolia. 



Spatha cordate at the base, with rounded auricles closely appressed but not 



connate. 

 Leaves ovate-lanceolate or rarely narrow, contracted above the sheath. 



Spatha acute, rarely acuminate. Seeds pitted 3. C. cyanca. 



Leaves very narrow, not contracted above the sheath. Spatha with a long 



point. Seeds smooth or slightly rugose ... 4. C lanceolata. 



1. C. undulata (wavy), R. Br. Prod. 274 ; lioolc. in Fl. Brit. Ind. vi. 373. 

 Stems stout. Leaves lanceolate undulate. Spathas subsessile ovate hooded 

 acute. Ovary 3-celled, cells l-ovulate. Seeds free in the cells, shortly ellipsoid 

 stnooth. — Clarke Monogr. 179 ; C. ensifolia, F. v. M. Fragm. viii. 60 ; Benth Fl. 

 Austr. vii. 83 (in part) (not of R. Br.) ; C. setosa, Wight in Wall. Cat. 8981 D. 

 Hab.: Northern localities, coastal and inland. 



