416 cix. ACANTHACEJi. (C. B. Claike.) [Echinacmithvs. 



elliptic crenate or toothed, cymes lax compoimd zigzag pubescent, 

 corolla I in. 



Khasia Mts., alt. 4200 ft. ; Cherra Coal-hill, Clarice. 



An undershrub, 6-15 in., very woody, much branched, densely covered on all sides 

 •with cymes. Leaves 1 by ^ in., narrowed at both ends (many J-J in. ovate), blackish; 

 hairs scattered, very fine, often gland-tipped ; petiole i in. Cymes as of -B. Andersoni; 

 bracts :^ in., linear; pedicels often | in. ; braoteoles J-J in., linear. &/iais ^ in., linear, 

 finely glandular-pubescent. Corolla light-purple, nearly glabrous, Filaments 

 glabrous except near the base, where they are shortly connate ; anthers subequal, 

 2-celled ; cells oblong, muticous, connective not excurrent. Ovary glabrous ; style 

 very sparsely hairy, stigma long narrowly lanceolate ; ovules 3 in each cell. Capsule 

 not seen. — This may prove to be M. parmflorus, T. Anders., but it is not likely that 

 T. Anderson w^ould have put that species in Echinacanthus without remark, had the 

 anther-cells been muticous. 



XII. PETAIiIDXUItX, Nees. 



Minutely liairy undershrubs. Leaves ovate or narrowly oblong, entire or 

 toothed. Flowers sessile or nearly so, solitary, usually crowded on abbre- 

 viated lateral branches ; bracts ; bracteoles large, ovate, reticulate-nerved 

 becoming scarious. Sepals subequal, linear-lanceolate. Corolla-tube straight, 

 veutricose nearly from the base ; lobes rounded, twisted to the left in 

 bud, patent in flower. Stamens 4, didynamous ; anthers subsimilar, 

 2-celled ; cells parallel, spurred at the base. Ovary with 2 ovules in ^ach 

 cell ; style long-linear, stigma unequally 2-lobed. Capsule clavate, com- 

 pressed parallel to the septum, 2- or 4-seeded ; placentae dehiscing elastically 

 from the bottom of the capsule, raising the discoid seeds with them. — 

 Species 12, one Indian, the rest African. 



The above character is drawn chiefly from the Indian species ; the number of 

 African species received since the Gen. PI., vol. ii,, pi. 2, was published, may neces- 

 sitate widening of the generic character. 



P. barlerioideSj iVee* in Wall. PI. As. Sar. iil. 82, and in DC. 

 Prodr. xi. 114, excl. syn. Eranthemum barlerioides, Roxb. ; leaves ovate 

 crenate, bracteoles f in., corolla 1 in. Pot. Mag. t. 4053; Palz. Sf Gibs. 

 Pomb. Fl. 185; T. Anders, in Journ. Linn, Soc. ix. 461. Rnellia 

 barlerioides, Path Nov. Sp. 310; Wall. Cat. 2389. R. bracteata, Poxb. Fl. 

 Lnd. iii. 47. 



N.W. HiMAiATA and N. Deooan Peninsuia, alt. 1-3000 ft. ; extending from 

 Canara and the Concan to Bajmahl and Rajpootana, frequent; reappearing in the 

 Otjbe and Kumaon dry Terai, alt. 1500 ft. 



Stems several, 2-3 ft., terete. Leaves 2-4 in., acuminate, hoary or dusky puberu- 

 lous; petiole l-J in.; leaves on the shortened flower-bearing spurs J-l in. Bracteoles 

 ovate or elliptic, acute. Sepals J in., linear, pnberulous or pubescent. Corolla 

 narrow-campanulate, pale-blue or white, yellow-tinged; palate with long deflexed 

 fulvous hairs within. Filaments and anthers minutely sparsely hairy (all but 

 glabrous). Ovary glandular upwards, style shortly hairy. Capsule J in., usually 

 2-seeded. Seeds shaggy, hairs somewhat elastic when wetted ; retinacula (with the 

 placentae) stout, rigid. — Mranthemum barlerioides, Eoxb., placed here by Nees 

 (and T. Anderson), is either Eranthemum Farishii or very near it, and came from 

 the Audamans. 



XIII. PKAYX.OPSXS, Willd. 



Prostrate, perennial herbs. Leaves opposite, petioled, ovate, entire or 

 obscurely crenate. Spikes terminal, 1-sided, dense ; bracts orbicular, closely 



