Vahlia.] SAXIFRAGAOJiJS. 831 



styles as many as the carpels, distinct or combined nearly to the 

 summits ; stigmas capitate or lateral and subcapitate, ovules numerous. 

 Fruit capsular or a berry. Seeds usually numerous, albuminous. — 

 Species about 580, in the cold or temperate regions of the whole 

 world and on the mountains of the tropics, together with a few genera 

 of tropical trees. 



A herb with opposiie leaves . . .1. Vahlia. 

 A shrub with alternate leaves . . 2. Itea. 



1. VAHLIA, Thumb. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. ii, 399. 



Annual or biennial herbs. Leaves, apposite, entire ; stipules 0. 

 Floivers axillary, usually geminate, subsessile or pedicelled. Calyx- 

 ^wie entirely adherent to the ovary; lobes b, valvate, persistent in 

 fruit. Petals 5, epigynous. Staiheris 5, epigynous. Ovary inferie,r, 

 1-celled, with 2 pendulous many-ovuled placentas ; styles 2, stigma 

 capitellate. Capsule dehiscing at tho apex between the styles. Seeds 

 many, minute, ellipsoid, smooth. Species 4, in subtrop. and trop. 

 A f rica and A sia. 



V. viscosa, Eoxh. Fl. hid. ii, 89 ; W. Sf A. Prod. 364 ; Boyle III. 226 ; 

 D. ^ G. Bomb. Fl. 90 ; F. B, L ii, 399, 



A glandular-pubescent herb. Stems 6-12 in,, erect or spreading. Leaves 

 ^1 in, long, subsessile, ovate or lanceolate, acute. Flowers subsessile, 

 solitary or in pairs. Calyx'lobes ovate, acute. Petals ^ in,, ob ovate, 

 white. Filaments with a minute hairy scale at the base. Cajpsule about 

 i in., subglobose. 



Bundelkhand (Edgeworth). Disteib. : In dry places, from the Punjab to 

 S India. This plant may be easily mistaken at first sight for an Olden . 

 landia, but the capsule in the latter is completely 2-celled. 



2. ITEA, Linn. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. ii, W. 



Shrubs or trees. Leaves alternate, petioled, glabrous, glandular- 

 dentate or crenate. Racemes axillary and terminal, long, many- 

 tiowered. Calyx-tvhe adnate to base of ovary, lobes 5. Petals 5, 

 oblong, perigynous,- white, valvate. Stamens 5, perigynous. Ovary 

 ^•superior, 2-celled ; style short, simple ; ovules many, axile. Capsule 

 l-superior, conical or elongate, many-seeded, splitting through the 

 dissepiments and the style. Seeds elongate, testa loose, more or less 

 produced at each end.— Species 6, found on the Himalaya, in the- 

 Indian Archipel , China, Japan, and one in Virginia. 



