1 ( .H) BOTANY OF SOCOTRA. 



C. minor, Choisy in DC. Prod. ix. 453. 



C. brcvistyla, Braun in herb. Scbimp. Abyss, sect. iii. n. I486, ex Acb. Ricb. Tent. Flor. Abyss. 



ii. 79 ; Engelm. Cusc. loc. cit. 467. 

 C. palocstina, Boiss. Diagn. ser. i. 11. 86, and Flor. Orient, iv. 116 ; Engelm. Cusc. loc. cit. 467. 



And many other synonyms, for which see authors quoted. 



var. globulosa, Balf. fil. 



Saepius rubella caulibus tenuissime capillaribus ; floribus minutis sessilibus capitula minima 

 2-3-flora glabra basi bracteata formantibus ; calyce purpureo breviter obconico ; corolla' 

 lobis supra capsulam conniventibus. 



C. f/lobulosa, Boiss. et Beut. Diagn. ii. 3, 126 ; Boiss. Flor. Orient, iv. 117. 



Socotra. Common. Parasitic on Vernonia cinerascens, Sch. Bip., 

 Indigo/era intricate/,, Boiss., and Dicliptera effusa, Balf. fil. B.C.S. n. 113. 



Distrib. Of the species — from the Canary Islands through north Africa, 

 and south Europe to south-west and Central Asia. Of the variety — from 

 Syria eastwards to southern Persia. 



A very variable and widely dispersed species, the forms of which have been 

 ranked by various authors as species, and hence the synonymy is very 

 extensive. 



Our Socotran plant is the form found from Syria eastwards to south Persia, 

 and described by Boissier {loc. cit.) as C. globulosa. Its characteristics are, 

 marked purpling both of stems and calyx, exceeding delicate habit with very 

 minute flowers aggregated in few-flowered heads, usually only two or three in 

 each, and the corolla-lobes connivent in fruit over the capsule. 



While I regard this as one of the forms of the above widely dispersed 

 species, it is so distinct as to merit recognition as a variety for which Boissier's 

 specific name may be retained. 



2. C. chinensis, Lamk. Encyc. ii. 229; Choisy in DC. Prod. ix. 457; 

 Engelm. Cusc. in Trans. Acad. Sc. St. Louis i. (1859), 479 ; Boiss. Flor. Orient, 

 iv. 120 ; Clarke in Hook. Flor. Brit. Ind. iv. 226 ; Wight Ic. t. 1373. 



Nom. Vern. Kzich (Schweinf). 



Socotra. Common on many plants, such as, Ochradenus baccatus, Del. 

 Convolvulus siculus, L., Dicliptera effusa, Balf. fil., Abutilon fruticosum, Guill. et 

 Perr., Forskohlia viridis, Ehrenb., species of Boerhaavia, Commelina, Hypoestes, 

 &c. B.C.S. n. 108. Schweinf. n. 364. 



Distrib. From Syria eastwards, through south Asia to China. Also in 

 Australia. Apparently not African. 



Order L. SOLANACE^E. 



A vast order of herbs, shrubs, or soft-wooded trees in tropical and warmer 

 regions of the globe. Especially abundant in America. Some species reach 

 more temperate zones in both hemispheres. Of the five Socotran genera all 



