1895.] D. Piain — Some additional Papaveraceae. 325 



6. (3.) CATHCARTIA Hook. f. 



Key to the Indian species {incorporating the new forms'). 



* Stigma large, style very short ; flowers large, stamens 

 nameroas (32) ; a softly hairy plant with (cordate 

 lobed leaves and) rounded yellow petals ... 1. C. villosa. 



* * Stigma small, style distinct, flowers small, stamens defi- 

 nite (16) ; glabrescent herbs with narrow pale-purple 

 petals : — 

 t Leaves hastate-entire to lyrate-pinnatifid ; petals 



ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, apex subfimbriate ... 2. C. lyrata. 

 t f Leaves ovate-lanceolate ; petals lanceolate, acute, 



apex entire ... ... ... 3. C. polygonoides. 



A purely E. Himalayan genus only separable from Meconopsis by the character 

 of capsule dehiscing by valves from apex to base. As originally described the 

 genus was supposed to have no style. There is however even in the original species 

 a distinct, though short, style. 



1. Cathcartia villosa Hook. f. But. Mag. t. 4596 (1851) ; Flore 

 des Sevres vii. t. 686 (1851); Lemaire, Jard.Fleur. ii. t. 167 (1852); 

 H.f. 8f T., Flor. Ind. 254 (1855) ; H. f., III. Him. PL frontisp. (1855) ; 

 Walp. Ann. iv. 175 (1857) ; H. f. $• T., Flor. Brit. Ind. i. 119 (J872.) 



This has been obtained in Eastern Nepal as well as in Sikkim by 

 Dr. King's Calcutta collectors. 



2. Cathcartia lyrata Cummins 8f Prain ; glabrescent, rootstock 

 slender clotted with sheaths ; stem slender glabrous ; radical leaves few 

 early withering, cauline 3-4 from, hastate-entire to lyrate-pinnatifid 

 sparingly hirsute on both surfaces ; flowers small, blue, solitary or in 

 few-fld. cymes ; style distinct ; stigma small 2-3-lobed ; seeds smooth, 

 without crests. 



Sikkim Himalaya; 13-14000 feet, not common; Ta-ne-da King! 

 Chiani, Phallut, and Jongri, King's Collectors ! Tankra, G. Gammie ! near 

 Gnatong, H. A. Cummins ! 



Stem 3— 10 in. simple or sparingly branched ; leaves ^-lj in. by J— § in., radical 

 disappearing, cauline petioles J— 1| in. Flowers 1-3 (usually solitary), sepals glabrous, 

 buds 5 in. diam. nodding ; full blown flowers 1 in. diam.; pedicels very slender, petals 

 narrowly to widely lanceolate rounded or obtuse rarely acute always fimbriate at the 

 margin. Stamens 16, in 2 rows of 8 each ; placentas 2—3, distinctly intruded. 

 Capsules 1^ in. long, very slender, erect, valves membranous. 



The complete elaboration of this interesting little species which has puzzled 

 Indian botanists since 1877 when it was first obtained by Dr. King, is largely 

 due to the efforts of Sui-gn.-Capt. Cummins of the Medl. Staff who met with it 

 when stationed at Gnatong in 1893, and who has assisted the writer in preparing a 

 description. The ripe fruits show that it is undoubtedly a Cathcartia ; the valves 

 dehisce to the base while the stigmatic rays are opposite the placentas. It 

 differs however from the original Cathcartia villosa in having ripe seeds without a 

 crested raphe, in having a distinct style, and a much smaller stigma. It must prove 



