Bebgia.] BLATINUM, 73 



less dense axillary fascicles, minute, usually 5-merous. Sepals 

 acute. Stamens 3-5, or 10. Ovary ovoid. Capsule subcrustaceous, 

 septicidal or septifragal. 



^oody, stamens 10. 



Glandular-pubescent . . . 1. B. odoraia. 



Nearly glabrous . . . . 2. B. osstivosa. 



Annual, erect ; stamens 5 . ' . . 3. 5. ammanmoides. 

 A glabrons procumbent aquatic herb, 



stamens 10 4. B. verticillata. 



1. B. odorata, Edgew. in Journ. As. Soc. Beng. vii, 765 ; F. B. 1. 1, 

 251, Elatine odorata, Edgew. ; D. ^ (?. Bomh. Fl. 14. 



A small glandular-pubescent shrub, about 1 ft. high, with papery deci- 

 duons bark. Leaves sessile, elliptic or ovate, margins erenate-serrate 

 and often reflexed. Flowers ^ in., in fascicles, pedicelled. 8ej[>als 5, ovate, 

 serrulate, herbaceous. Petals obovate. Stamens 10 ; filaments dilated 

 below. Ovary grooved ; styles 5, | the length of the ovary. Capsule 

 5-celled. Seeds many, minute, shining, slightly curved. 



Merwara. Distbib.: Plains of Punjab and Sindh ; Trop. Africa and 

 Egypt. The plant has a scent like that of Chamomile. 



2. B- sestivosa, Steud Norn, ed, II, i, 198; W, Sf A Prod. 41 ; F. B. I, 

 i,251. 



A small glabrous much-branched shrub j branches glender, divaricate. 

 Leaves narrowly obovate or oblong, almost linear on the flowering 

 branches, faintly serrate. Flowers solitary, or 2-4 together, pink. Sepals 

 lanceolate, acute, denticulate, with membranous margins. 



Banks of the Chambal (Munro). Distrib.: Punjab Plain. Perhaps 

 only a variety of the preceding, but different in habit. 



3. B. ammannioides. Boajfe. Hart Beng.; Fl. Ind. ii^ 457; W. 4- A. Prod, 

 41; D.df Q. Bomh. Fl. 14; F. B. 1. i, 251. 



An annual, 3-12 in. high, erect or with the lower branches decum- 

 bent, smooth or thinly hispid, the hairs on the stem often glandular. 

 Leaves \-z in. long, sessile, linear-lanceolate or oblanceolate, acute, 

 tapering below, sharply serrate. Flowers small, in dense subverticillate 

 fascicles, sessile or nearly so. Sepals 5, lanceolate, denticulate. Petals 

 and stamens 5. Ovary oblong, deeply grooved. Capsule usually 5-celled ; 

 valves with incurved edges, dehiscing from a central axis. Seeds many, 

 ovoid. 



Abundant in wet places. Distbib.: Throughout India, extending to 

 Afghanistan, Persia, Trop. Africa and Australia. A trimerous variety 

 occurs in S. India and Ceylon. 

 4. B. verticiUata. Willd. 8p. PI. ii, 770; Boxb. Fl. Ind. ii, 456; W. ^ 



A. Prod. 41 ; Royle 111. 77 ; D. 4" a. Bomb. Fl. 14 ; F. B. I. i, 252. 



