N. 0, ACANTHACEiE. 969 



Habitat. — Tropical India in the drier districts, from the 

 Panjab and Chota Nagpore to Ceylon, common (absent in 

 Bengal proper and humid Malabar). 



An erect annual, 6-18in. high. Stem 4-angled grooved, 

 clothed with spreading hairs, sometimes branched. Leaves l-3in. 

 long, sessile oblong or subelliptic, obtuse, sparsely hairy, 

 base cuneate, margins ciliate, main lateral nerves 4-6 pairs. 

 Flowers unilateral, in axillary spreading or recurved racemes 

 shorter than the leaves, rhachis gland.-hairy ; bracts Ain. long, 

 lanceolate, bracteoles much smaller. Calyx i-Jin. ; segments 

 narrowly linear, acute, ciliate, elongating in fruit. Corolla about 

 \ in. long, densely hairy outside, pink or white, the lower lip 

 spotted with purple. Filaments slightly hairy, anthers bearded. 

 Capsule \-\ in. long, elliptic-lanceolate, hairy. Seeds iVn. long, 

 rugose, glabrous. 



Use : — The juice is given in fever (Rheede'. 



928. Haplanthus verticillaris, Nees., h.f.b.l, iv. 

 506. 



Syn. : — Justicia Verticillata, Eoxb. 45. 



Vern. : — Kastula (H.) ; Jhankara (Marathi) ; Kala Kirayat ; 

 Kalayakara (Western India). 



Habitat : — W. Deccan Peninsula, frequent, extending north 

 to Mt. Aboo. Bundelkhand, Assam. 



A herb, 1J-2J f thigh. Stems glabrous at the base, more or 

 less pubescent upwards. Leaves 2|-4in. long, ovate, acuminate 

 acute or subobtuse, hairy on the upper surface and on the 

 nerves beneath, abruptly cuneate at the base ; main nerves 8-10 

 pairs, prominent beneath, petioles J-2in. long. Cladodes 

 (axillary spines) 1-1 J in. long, stout, 4-angled, enlarging in fruit, 

 usually with 2 sharp spines at the apex, more or less glandular- 

 pubescent and with spreading bristles towards the base. Flowers 

 sessile amongst the verticils of cladodes ; bracteoles longer than 

 the calyx, subulate, finely pointed. Calyx Jin. long, segments 

 lanceolate, pointed, gland. -pubescent. Corolla fin. long, minutely 



hairy outside, limb lilac, with darker lines. Capsule about |in. 

 122 



