250 BOTANY OF SOCOTRA. 



MONOCHLAMYDE^l. 



Order LIX. NYCTAGINE^. 



A small family, the genera of which are almost exclusively American. Of 

 the two genera which extend to the old world, one has three representatives in 

 Socotra. 



BOERHAAVIA 



Boerhaavia, Linn. Gen. n. 9 ; Benth. ct Hook. Gen. PI. iii. 5. 



A small genus of badly-defined widely-spread species inhabiting the warmer 

 regions of the globe. The three Socotran species have a wide range, but one 

 is confined to the old world. 



1. B. repens, Linn. Sp. 5 ; Choisy in DC. Prod. xiii. 2, 453 ; Ach. Rich. 

 Tent, Flor. Abyss, ii. 209 ; Boiss. Flor. Orient, iv. 1045 syn. plur. excl.; Franch. 

 Sert. Somal. in Miss. Revoil Gl ; Delile Fl. Egypt. 2, t. 3, f. 1. 



Socotra. On the plains. Common. B.C.S. n. 54. 

 Distrib. From north-east Africa eastwards to China. 

 The compact small viscid form of this species, which is typical of the 

 Abyssinian and Arabian plains, is the commonest on the island. 



2. B. diffusa, Linn. Sp. 4 ; Choisy in DC. Prod. xiii. 2, 452 ; Ach. Rich. 

 Tent, Flor. Abyss, ii. 208 ; Franch. Sert, Somal. in Miss. Rdvoil 61. 



B. repens, L., var. diffusa, Boiss. Flor. Orient, iv. 1045. 

 B. procumhens, Eoxb. Flor. Ind. i. 146 ; Wight Tc. t. 874. 



Nom. Vern. Attif (Schweinf.). 



Socotra. Common on hill slopes. B.C.S. n. 629. Schweinf. n. 370. 



Distrib. A common weed in the warmer parts of the world. 



3. B. scandens, Linn. Sp. 4 ; Choisy in DC. Prod. xiii. 2, 454 ; T. Anders, 

 in Journ. Linn. Soc. v. (1860), Suppl. 33. 



B. repanda, Willd. Sp. PL i. 22 ; Choisy loc. eit. 45,") ; Wight 1c. t, 1766. 



B. grand.iflora, Ach. Bich. Tent. Flor. Abyss, ii. 209. 



B. plumb i (j boo i, Cav. Ic. ii. 7, t. 112 ; Boiss. Flor. Orient, iv. 1044. 



For further synonymy, see authors quoted. 



Socotra. Abundant. B.C.S. n. 65. 



Distrib. Maritime regions of warmer parts of the whole world. 



A very variable plant. 



