A Revision of the Podostemaceæ of 
India and Ceylon. 
family of Indian flowering plants is so imperfectly 
known as the Podostemaceæ. This is somewhat sur- 
prising when we remember how interesting these plants are 
on account of their peculiar habitat and mode of life in the 
swiftest waters of rushing mountain streams, their very 
extraordinary morphological construction, resembling in 
external and internal features that of Algæ or Bryophyta, 
and their great variability, to say nothing of the great diffi- 
culty of placing the order in its proper position in a natural 
system of classification. 
Living for the last six years near to the best known 
locality for Podostemaceæ — Hakinda rapids on the Mahaweli- 
ganga, a mile below the Peradeniya Gardens — where six 
species occur in profusion, I have devoted much attention to 
these plants. The interesting morphological and ecological 
observations which I have made will be described separately ; 
in the present paper I propose to describe the important 
changes in the nomenclature and classification of the Indian 
species, which I have found necessary in the course of my 
work. New species have been found, old ones proved to be 
identical with forms described under other names, new 
genera established, and other changes made. 
BY 
J. C. WILLIS. 
[Annals of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya, Vol I. Pt. III., May, 1902.] 
( 25 ) 
