ACANTHACEAE. 



63 



Barleria. — A neglected genus rarely met with in our houses ; there 

 are, however, some very beautiful species, 

 cristata, L., "Sp. PI." 636; (fig. "Bot. Mag." 1615;.— India. 

 Leaves lanceolate, entire ; flowers axillary ; calyx of 4 sepals, the 

 two outer ovate, acuminate, pectinate, the two inner awl-shaped ; 

 corolla funnel-shaped, tube long, straight ; flowers violet with 

 paler spots. 



flava, Jacq., "Eel." 67, t. 46; (fig. " Bot. Mag." t. 4113).— Arabia. 

 Spikes terminal, ovate, with numerous bracteated yellow flowers ; 

 calyx of 4 sepals, the two larger ovate, acute, nerved, serrate, 

 ciliate ; corolla infundibuliform, the tube rather short, but longer 

 than the calyx. See also " Bot. Reg." 3, t. 191. Common in 

 cultivation. 



Gibsoni, Dalz., "Kew Jour. Bot." 2, 339 ; (fig. " Bot. Mag." t. 5628).— 

 India, Western Ghats. Leaves lanceolate, 2-4 inches long ; flowers 

 in short spikes, terminal or from the upper axils ; calyx 1\ inch 

 long, outer sepals narrow-subulate, not half the length of the 

 inner, which are oblong, obtuse, convex, and nerved ; corolla large, 

 2| inches long, pale bluish-purple, tube as long as calyx, funnel- 

 shaped ; seeds glabrous. A very fine species formerly in cultiva- 

 tion at Kew. 



involuerata, Nees, "Wall. PI. As. Rar." iii. 92 ; (fig. Wight, "111." 

 t. 164). — India, Western Ghats. Leaves elliptic, long-pstioled ; 

 racemes axillary, few-flowered ; calyx, 2 outer sepals 1 inch 

 long, narrow-lanceolate, very acuminate, strongly nerved, inner 

 ones linear, small ; corolla tube 2 inches long, blue. A species 

 with large handsome flowers. 



Lichtensteiniana, DC. "Prod." xi. 235; (fig. "Gard. Chron." 

 1873, p. 73). — S. Africa. Shrub ; leaves opposite, linear-lanceolate, 

 entire, mucronate, 2 inches long ; spikes axillary, 3 inches long, 

 ovoid ; bracts closely packed, ovate, mucronate, spine-toothed, 

 || inch long; corolla brownish, tube dilated at base, contracted 

 just below the apex, lobes 5, short, erect, ovate. 



longifolia, L., " Suppl." 200 = Hygrophila spinosa. 



lupulina, Lindl. (fig. "Bot. Mag." t. 1483). — Mauritius; cultivated 

 and run wild in India. Leaves narrow-lanceolate, spinous in the 

 axils ; spikes terminal, short, oval (like those of the hop) ; flowers 

 yellow, 1 inch long, tube straight ; bracts ovate, concave, im- 

 bricate. 



Mackenii, Hook. (fig. "Bot. Mag." t. 5866).— Natal. Flowers few, 

 solitary in the upper axils, purple ; calyx, outer sepals 1 inch long 

 and about as broad, broadly ovate-cordate, obtuse ; corolla tube 

 funnel-shaped, shorter than the outer sepals, limb 2 inches across, 

 flat. A very fine species. 



Prionitis, DC, "Prod." xi. 237; (fig. Wight, "Icones," t. 452).— 

 S. India. A small shrub, very prickly ; leaves elliptic, acuminate 

 at both ends, spine-tipped, sub-glabrous ; flowers axillary, 1-3, 

 upper ones spiked ; bracts large, elliptic, spine- tipped, bracteoles 

 very small; corolla yellow, 1J inch long. Of botanical interest 

 only. 



