I 



Abeoma.] 8TERCULIACEM. lOT" 



M corchorifolia, Linn. 8p. PI. 675 ; Eoxb. Fl. Ind. Hi, 139 ; Boyle 

 IlL '102 ; F. B. I. i, 374 ; Watt E. D. Biedleia corchorifolia, DC; W. ^ 

 A.'Prod. 66; D. ^ G. Bomb. Fl. 24. E. truncata, W. ^ A. I.e. 

 An erect ■branching herb or undershrub. thinly "stellate-hairy. Leaves 

 variable in size and:shape, 5-8 in long, oblong-ovate, rarely lobed, often 

 plaited, rounded truncate or cordate at the base, subglabrous above, - 

 thinly stellate-hairy beneath, base 5-nerved ; petiole sihontl in.; srtipules 

 small, lanceolate, ciliate. Flowers small, nearly sessile, in dense terminal 

 or axillary clusters, with many hispid bracteoles intermixed. Sepals 

 lanceolate, acuminate. Petals obovate, white or pink, longer than the 

 sepals. C'apsute small, depressed-globose, hispid. Seeds angular, 

 mottled. 

 Common within the area. Distrib. : Hotter parts of India, ascend- 

 ing the Himalaya to 4,000 ft. ; also in Ceylon and the Malay Penins. 

 A widely diffused tropical weed. 

 M. arhwea, Blanco. This, under the name of Visenia umhellata^ is 

 recorded by Munro as having been found at Agra. The allusion is pro- 

 bably to cultivated specimens. 



8. WALTHERIA, Linn. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. i, 374. 



Herbs or undershrubs. Leaves simple ; stipules linear. Flowers 

 small, in dense axillary or terminal clusters. Sepals 5, connate be- 

 low into a bell-shaped tube. Petals 5, oblong-spathulate. Stamens 5, 

 tubular below ; anthei'-lobes parallel. Staminode» 0, Ovary sessile, 

 1-celled, 2-ovuled ; style eccentric ; tsfigma clavate. Capsule 2- 

 valved, 1-seeded. Seed albuminous. — Species about 30, mostly tropi- 

 cal American. 



W. indica, Linn. Sp. PI. 673 ; W. 4* A. Prod. 67 ; D. <|- G. Bomb. Fl,. 

 23 ; F. B. I. i, 374. 

 A pubescent undershrub. Stems 1-3 'ft., erect or prcoumbent, slightly 



branched. Leaves 1-3 in., shortly stalked, ovate or oblong-ovate, rounded 



or cordate at the base, crenate-serrate, plicate, velvety on both sides: ;- 



nerves prominent beneath; petiole short, woolly. Bracteoles linear, 



ciliate. Calyx villous, teetn lanceolate, acuminate, ciliate. Petals. 



longer than the calyx, clawed. Capsule small, included in the calyx,- 



membranous. Seeds smooth, black. 

 Common within the area. Distrib. : Hotter parts of India and in 



Ceylon, ascending to 4,000 ft. in Kumaon ; widely diffused in tropical 



countries. 



9. ABROMA, Jacq. ; Fl. Erit. Ind. i, 375. 

 Trees or sbrubs. Leaves cordate, ovate-oblong, serrulate, some- 

 times angled. Peduncles opposite the leaves, few-flowered. Sepals 

 0, connate near the base. Petals 5, purplish, concave below, pro- 

 ionced above into a large spoon-shaped lamina. Staminal cup of 5- 



