56 VIOLACE^. [Viola. 



2. v. cinerea, Boiss. Diagn. Ser. I, i. 7; Fl. Or. i. 454 ^ F. B. I. %. 185 : 



Watt E. D. 



A small perennialherb, grey with minute papilli. Stem 1-6 in., diffuse 

 branched. Leaves 4-| in. long, narrowly ovate or lanceolate, acute or 

 apiculate, obscurely crenate ; sitpwZes leafy, fimbriate. Flowers ^\iji. in 

 diam., on slender axillary peduncles ; bracts setaceous. Sepals aristate. 

 Petals not bearded ; spurWevj short. Style clavate, compressed ; stigma 

 lateral, of 2 oblong parallel disks. Capsule elliptic, acute. 



Jumna and Chambal ravines. Distrib. : Punjab, Sindh, extending to 

 Afghanistan, Persia and Arabia. The roots of this plant are said to be 

 used medicinally like those of V. odorata a,nd V. serpens, the latter being 

 abundant on the W. Himalaya. They are sold in the bazars under 

 the name of " hanafsha." 



2. lONIDIUM, Vent. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. i. 185. 



Herbs or undershrubs. Leaves alternate, rarely opposite. Flowers 

 axillary, orange or purple. Sepals 5, subeqnal, not produced at tha 

 base. Petals 5, lower larger, clawed saccate or spurred at the base. 

 Anthers connate or free, 2 or 4 of them gibbous or spurred at the 

 back. Ovar^ ovoid ; st^le clavate, incurved ; stigma oblique. Cap- 

 sule 3'valved, subglobose, few-seeded. Seeds globose; testa cms- 

 taceous. 



I. heterophyllum. Vent. Jard. Malm. 27. I. suffrutioosum, Ginq - 

 W. ^ A. Prod. 32 ; F. B. I. i, 185 ; Watt E. D. I. enneaspermum, DO.''- 

 W. ^ A. Prod. 83 ; Boyle III. 74 ; D. ^ G. Borab. Fl. 12. I. hexaspermum'. 

 Dalz. ; D. ^ 0. I.e. Viola suffruticosa & enneasperma, Boxb. Fl. Ind, 

 i, 649- Vern. Ratan-purus. 



Glabrous or pubescent. Branches diffuse, woody. Leaves l|-2 in., sub- 

 sessile, linear or lanceolate, serrate; stipules subulate, gland-tipped. 

 Flowers solitary, red ; pedicels shorter than the leaves. Petals variable ; 

 four of them oblong, acute or mucronate, the fifth with a long claw and 

 a large oval or orbicular limb. Seeds striate. 

 Not uncomnon in the districts of Agra and Delhi, and in Bundelkhand. 

 DiSTBiB. : Bengal and southward to Ceylon ; Trop. Asia, Africa and 

 Australia. The roots and leaves are used medicinally. 



3. ALSODEIA, Thouars ; Fl. Brit. Ind, i. 186. 



Trees or shrubs. Leaves usually alternate, distichous ; stipules 

 rigid. Flowers small, axillary or terminal ; peduncles with many 

 bracts. Sepals 5, subequal, rigid. Petals 5, subequal, sessile. 

 Stamens 5, inserted inside or on an annular disk ; connective pro- 

 duced into an appendage. Ovary ovoid ; style straight ; stigma 

 terminal Capsule 3-valved, few-seeded. 



