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GENUS XVII. TUPISTEA. 



Hexandrta Bfonoerynia. Sex: Syau 



Beriv. Diminutive oilhfpia, a inaUet, alluding to the form of the 

 flower. 



Gbn. Chae. Perianth campanulate bowl-shaped, fleshy, coloured, 

 limh 6-parted, slightly irregular, much spreading open: stamens 

 6, adhering by the whole of the filaments to the tube of the perianth, 

 alternate ones a little longer: anthers 2-celled, cells collateral, 

 distinct at both ends, dehisciug lengthways: pistil free, slightly 

 exceeding the tube of the perianth : ovary oblong,x3-celled, scarcely 

 thicker than the styline column : ovules two in each cell, suspended 

 from the inner angle : styline column thick, S-furrowed, 3 partible 

 above : stigmas three, large, sub-rotund, convex, furrowed, spreading. 



(1) T. NUTANS. (Wall.) 



Ident. "Wall, in Bot. Keg. — Kunth. Enum. -pi. v. p. 318. 



Syn. Eohdia nutans. Schult. 8yst. VII. 1663. 



Engram. Bot. Eeg. t. 1223.— Bot. Mag. t. 3054. 



Si>EC. Chae. Stemless, herbaceous : leaves radical, petioled, 

 lanceolate : spike shorter than the petioles, nodding : peduncles 

 radical, scapiform, many-flowered : flowers 2-bracteate, yeUowish- 

 brown, streaked with purple : filaments distiuct. 



Borders of Silhet, flowering in December. 



OSDEB CLXIV. MELANTHACEiE. 



Flowers hermaphrodite : calyx 6-sepaledj regular, usually 

 persistent : sepals distinct, almost equal : SBstivation involute : 

 stamens 6 : filaments filiform, free : anthers extrorse, fixed by 

 the back looking inwards, 1 — 2 celled: cells contiguous or 

 distinct with a connectivum, dehiscing lengthways : ovaries 

 three, opposite the outer sepals, joined together by the ventral 

 angles, sometimes adhering to the base of the calyx : ovules 

 numerous, very rarely 2, fixed to the ventral angle, anatropal : 

 styles. 3, distinct, sometimes swollen at the summit, sometimes 

 papUlosely stigmatose at the thickened apex' or the whole 

 length : fruit capsular, 3- or by abortion, 1-celled : carpels at 

 length opening by the ventral suture, sometimes loculicidally 



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