Blepliaris.] cix. acanthaob^. (C. B. Clarke.) 479 



Journ. Linn. Soc. ix. 500. B. maderaspatensis, Roth Nov. Sp. 320. Acan- 

 thus maderaspatensis, Linn. Sp. PL 892; Boxb. Fl. InA. iii. 33. A. 

 ciliaris, Burm. Fl. Ind. 139, t. 42, fig. 2. 



Deccak Peninsttla, from Mt. Aboo and Bebar to Ceylon ; common. FEatr ; 

 TFallich, &o. — Distbib. Ava, Tropical Africa. 



Prostrate, scabrous or puberulous. Leaves If by % in.,'acute at botb ends; petiole 

 \ in. Spikes axillary or peduncled, 1- or few-fld. ; bracts j in., ovate, bristle-ciliate ; 

 braoteoles J-J in. Calyx J-J in. ; segments 4, oblong, unequal, nerved, snbglabrous, 

 one of the outer pair minutely emarginate. Corolla | in., pink, purple or nearly 

 white. Capsule J-| in., ellipsoid, compressed, shining glabrous. Seeds densely 

 covered with obtuse spines formed of tubes free at the vertex when moistened. — 

 Wight depicts the ovary 2-ovulate, and no more eau be found ; nor does the capsule 

 show (as 2-seeded capsules usually do) the papillee of the suppressed ovules; but ITees 

 and Benth. in Gen. PI. say the ovary is always 4-ovulate. 



3. B. moUug'inifolia, Pers. Syn. ii. 180 ; leaves usually 4 in a whorl 

 oblong hairy or minutely scahrous, heads mostly 1-fld. many of the outer 

 hracts barren, bracteoles elliptic or oblong subsessile, capsule 2-8eeded. 

 Wall. Cat. 2514; Nees in Wall. PI. As. Bar. iii. 97, and in BC. Prodr. 

 xi. 266 ; Dalz. S( Gibs. Bomb. Fl. 192 ; T. Anders, in Jourri. Linn. Soc. ix. 

 500. B. repens, Soth Nov. Sp. 321. Acanthus repens, Yahl St/mb. ii. 76. 

 A. maderaspatensis, Linn. Herb, partly. 



Deccan PekinsulA ; common in the Carnatic, and from Delhi and Chota Nag- 

 pore to Cbtlon. 



A wiry perennial ; branches 3-6 in., prostrate, usually roughly hairy. Leaves 

 f-1 in., snbsessile, obtuse. Sracts and hracteoles bristle-ciliate ; bracts shorter than 

 the bracteoles. Calyx and corolla nearly as of S. ioerjiaavieefolia, but much smaller ; 

 corolla (including the larger lip) only |— J in. Capsule and seeds as of B. ioerhaavia- 

 folia, but the seeds appear (even when dry) shaggy, from the numerous bundles of 

 annular tubes being connected only at the base. — As in S. boerhaavicefolia, only 2- 

 ovulate ovaries and 2-seeded capsides have been seen. 



4. B. sindica, Stocks ; T. Anders, in Journ. Linn. Soc. ix. 600 ; leaves 

 linear or narrowly oblong pubescent, heads few- or many-fld., braoteoles 

 linear hairy shorter than the bracts, capsule 2-seeded. Acanthodium gros- 

 sum, Wiffht Ic. tt. 1535, 1536, not of Nees. 



SoiNDE ; Stocks, Dalzell. Punjab ; Stewart, Vicary, Aitchison. 



Stems 3-6 in., or very short. Leaves 1-2 in., toothed or subspinescent. Seads 

 iew- or many-fld., 3-4 in. in fruit, quadrifarious ; bracts 1 in. or more, ovate with 

 divaricate lanceolate tips, prickly, hairy within and without ; bracteoles J in. Calyx 

 softly hairy ; 2 outer segments | in., ovate ; 2 inner J in. narrowly ovate. Corolla 

 |-f in. Capsule J in., ellipsoid, compressed, shining brown. Seeds i in. ; appearing 

 eohinate, but the tufts of tubes (even in the dry state) have all their ends fi-ee. 



5. B. edulis, Pers. Syn. ii. 180 ; leaves elliptic or oblong glaucous or 

 pubescent, heads few- or many-fld., bracteoles linear hairy shorter than the 

 bracts, capsule 2-seeded. T. Anders, in Journ. Linn. Soc. ix. 500 ; Boiss. 

 Fl. Orient, iv. 520. Acanthus edulia, Forsk. Fl. ^g.-Arab. 114. A. 

 Delillii, Spreng. Syst. ii. 819. Ruellia persioa, Burm. Fl. Ind. p. 135, t. 42, 

 fig. 1. Acanthodium apicatnm, Delile Fl. Fg. 97, t. 33, fig. 3 ; Nees in 

 JDC. Prodr. xi. 274. 



Punjab and Scinde (T. Anderson). — Distbib. S.W. Asia, N.E. Africa. 



Stems short or 1 foot or more, branched. Leaves often i in. broad, spiuescent. 

 Bracts longer and more spinous than in B. sindica. Corolla |— | in., blue. — This 

 differs from B. sindica by the broader usually glabrous-glaucous leaves, and the 

 larger flowers : no Indian specimens have been seen. Ziiellia ciliaris, Linn. Mant. 



