356 ONAGBACEM. [Ludwigia. 



An erect perennial branching herb. Leaves 2-3 in. long, sessile or nearly 

 so, lanceolate ovate-lanceolate or almost linear, acute or acuminate, 

 narrowed to the base, usually more or less villous. Flowers shortly 

 stalked. Petals 4i, i-f.in., wholly yellow. Capsule 1-2 in. long, linear, 

 cylindric, 8-ribbed, membranous, villous or finally glabrous. Seeds 

 subhemispheric ; testa brown and shining, not corky; raphe prominent. 



Abundant within the area in wet places. Distrib. Throughout the 

 greater part of India, and in the warmer parts of the whole world. 

 Elowers during the rainy season. The plant is used medicinally. A 

 form with very narrow glabrous leaves (J. angustifolia, Lamh.) has been, 

 found by the author on the banks of the Gumti in Eohilkhand, and by 

 Edgeworth on muddy banks in Bundelkhand, 



2. LUDWIGIA, Linn. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. ii, 588. 



Herbs. Leaves alternate, undivided, subentire. Flowers usually 

 axillary, solitary, sessile or nearly so ; feduncle 2-bracteate at the 

 apex. Calyx-tuhe scarcely produced above the ovary, linear in the 

 Indian species ; teeth 3-5, acute, persistent. Petals 3-5 or 0, epigy* 

 nous. Stamens equal in number to the calyx-segments, epigynous. 

 Ovary inferior, 4-5-celled ; style simple, stigma capitate ; ovules 

 very many, attached in 2 or more vertical rows to the inner angle o£ 

 each cell. Capsule linear or oblong (in the Indian species), 4-5- 

 celled, opening by terminal pores or breaking up irregalarly along 

 the sides. Seeds many, obovoid, smooth, without coma. — Species 20, 

 mostly N. American,- extending to the equator, usually inhabiting 

 marshes. 



Capsule oblong, inflated, seeds in several rows in 

 each cell .... . 1. L. parviflora. 



Capsule narro ,vly linear, seeds in a single row in 



each cell . . . . . • • . 2. L. prostrata. 



1. L.parviflora, Boxh.; Fl. Ind. i, 419; W. Sf A. Prod. 336 ; D. Sf G. 

 Bomb. Fl. 99 ; F. B. I. ii, 53S. 



An erect glabrous herb, 8-24 in. high. Leaves 1-3 in. long, lanceolate, linear- 

 lanceolate or linear-oblong, narrowed to the base. Flowers on short 

 pedicels, usually 4-merous. Petals small, yellow. Capside ^-h in. long, 

 inflated, obscurely i-angled. Seeds in many rows in each cell, not separ- 

 ately distinguishable through the walls of the capsule- 

 Common in wet ground. Distrib. Throughout the plains of India and 

 in Ceylon, extending to the Malay Penins., Persia, Abyssinia and N. 

 Australia. 



2. L. prostrata, Eoxh. Eort. Beng. 11 ; Fl. Ind. i, 420; F. B. L ii, 588. 

 L. diffusa, Buch.-Ham. ; Royle III. 211. 



