442 COMPOSITE, [Elephantopus. 



about k in. in diam., in rounded or open and flat-topped corymbs ; 

 peduncles slender, bracteate. Bracts of the involucre linear-lanceolate, 

 mucronate or awned, silky outside. Corolla pink or lilac, the lobea 

 pubescent. A chenes ^^ in., terete, not ribbed, clothed with appressed 

 white hairs. Pappus ^ in., white or dirty white, outer row very short. 



Abundant within the area and very variable, especially in regard to ita 

 foliage. Flowers towards the end of the cold season. Distrib. 

 Throughout India up to 8,000 ft. on the Himalaya also in China. 

 The seeds are used medicinally, and the leaves are sometimes eaten as a 

 pot herb. 



2. ELEPHANT0PU5, Linn.; Fl. Brit. Ind. iii, 242. 



Rigid herbs. Leaves alternate. Heads homogamous, of 2-5 

 flowers collected into a head-like cluster. Involucre compressed; 

 5rac^5 about 8, dry, stiff, alternately flat and conduplicate. Recep- 

 tacle naked. Flowers all equally 4-lobed and cleft on one side and with 

 the lobes spreading somewhat palmately. Anthers sagittate at the 

 base, with obtuse auricles. Style-arms subulate. Achenes truncate, 

 10-ribbed. JPappus-hristles rigid, shining, slender and dilated below 

 or chaff-like. — Species 10-12, chiefly tropical American. 



E. scaber, Linn. 8p. PL 814; Boxh. Fl. Ind. iii, 445 ; Boyle 

 m. 248 ; Don. Prod. 169. F. B. I. iii, 242 ; Watt F. D. ,• Cooke 

 Fl. Bomb, a, 12. 



A dichotomously branched herb with stout deeply penetrating roots. 

 Stem 1 to 2 ft. high, erect, rigid, terste, seabrid strigose and villous. 

 Leaves mostly radical, 4-5 in. long, obovate-oblong, tapering towards 

 the base, margins crenate ; cauline few, sessile or nearly so, scabrous 

 on both surfaces, ciliate on the margins, veins prominent beneath. 

 Heads xaa,ny, sessile, forming a large terminal flat-topped inflorescence 

 about 1 in. in diam. and surrounded at the base by 3 cordate leaf-like 

 bracts. Bracts of involucre 8, in two towb, linear, acuminate, pungent, 

 the inner scarious. Flowers violet or purple. Achenes somewhat hairy. 

 Pappus of 4-5 rigid bristles dilated at the base. 



E/ohilkhand and N. Oudh (Duthie's collector), Bundelkhand (Edgeworth, 

 Dutbie). Flowers ii;i October. Distbib. Throughout India and in 

 Ceylon ; extending to the Malay Peninsula, China Australia, Trop. Africa 

 and America. The root and leaves are used medicinally, the latter as 

 an external application to wounds and bruises. 



3. ADENOSTEMUA. Forst. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. iii, 242. 



Glabrous or glandular-pubescent herbs. Leaves mostly opposite. 

 Heads coiymbose, homogamous. Involucre campanulate; bracts^ 



