Ebiol^na.] STEBCULIACE^. 103 



abort. Anthers in triplets, opposite the sepals and alternating with 

 5 ligulate staminodes. Ovary inserted within the top of the staminal 

 coulmn, 3-5-celled ; style entire ; stigma 5-furrowed ; ovules md^uj in 

 each cell. Capsule woody or coriaceous, terete or angled, loculicidally 

 o-valved. Seeds winged above, attached in 2 rows to the inner angle 

 o£ the cells ; albumen thin or 0. — Species about 18, inhabiting tropical 

 Asia. 



1. P. acerifolium, WilU 8p. PI. Hi. 729 ; Boxh. Fl. Ind. Hi, 15S ; 

 W.Sf A Prod. 69; h', B. I. i, 36^ (excl. P. aceroides, Wall); Brand. For. 

 Fl. 35, t. XI ; Watt E. D. Vern. Kanak-champa. 



A medium-sized tree with smooth ash-coloured bark. Young branches 

 and calyx covered with thick ferruginous tomentum. Leaves large, 

 peltate or obovate-oblong, sinuately lobed, glabrous above, grey-tomen- 

 tose beneath ; stipules many-cleft, caducous. Floivers axillary, on short 

 pedicels, with many-cleft bracts, pure white, fragrant. Calyx deeply 

 5-cleft ; segments linear, up to 5 in. long. Petals linear or obliquely 

 cuneate, revolute. Capsule 2-6 in. long, woody, 5-angled, brown-tomen- 

 tose. /Seeds many, obliquely oval, compressed, with large thin membra- 

 neous wings , 



In duns between the Jumna and the Sarda riva rs, often g;rowing in 

 swamps. DiSTEiB. : Wild or cultivated over the greater part of India. 

 Flowers March to June ; fruit ripens during the cold season. The leaves 

 are used as plates, and for packing tobacco and other articles. 



2. P. lancesefolium, Boxh. Hort. Beng. 50; Fl. Ind. Hi, 163; F.B.I, i. 



368 ; Brand. For Fl. 35. 



A large tree. Young portions and underside of leaves with short white 

 tawny tomentum. Leaves S-Q in. long, very shortly stalked, lanceolate, 

 acuminate, 1-nerved, glabrous above, entire ; base rounded ; nerves 

 stellate-hairy ; stipules 2-3 fid., subulate, as long as the petiole. Floivers 

 2-3 in. across, axillary, on peduncles longer than the calyx, with 2-3 

 linear laciniate bracts, white, fragrant. Sepals 1 in. long, linear, revo- 

 lute, rnsfcy-pubescent outside, villous inside. Petals obliquely cuneate, 

 longer than the sepals. Capsules about 3 in. long, obscurely 5-angled, 

 5-celled, ovoid, acute, hoary. Seeds 2-4 in each cell, winged. 



Sub-Himalayan tract westward to the Jumna, but doubtfully wild within 

 the area of this flora. Disteib. : Sylhet, Khasia Hills, Burma. 

 Flowers in May and June. Often cultivated in gardens. 



4. ERIOL^NA, DC; Fl. Brifc. Ind. i, 370. 



Trees or shrubs. Leaves simple or lobed, downy or stellate-tomen- 

 tose beneath. Peduncles axillary, 1-many-flowered. Bracteoles 

 3-5, laciniate, or small and caducous. Calyx at first spathaceous 

 ultimately 5-parted. Petals fiat, with dilated tomentose claws, 

 deciduous. Staminal-aolMmn short, bearing externally numerous 

 linear oblong parallel-celled anthers in many series. Staminodes 0.» 



