OF INDIA AND CEYLON. 
199 
genus, without representatives in Asia and America. 
Sphærothylax is a characteristic Abyssinian genus, and 
Leiothy lax is near to it. Cladopus, another very peculiar form 
in many respects, appears to be a good genus, confined, so 
far as we yet know, to Java. Castelnavia is probably a 
compound or polyphyletic genus, but at least has no repre- 
sentatives in Asia. We must consider the others in more 
detail. 
All the American Podostemons, so far as we know them 
(chiefiy from the beautiful work of Professor Warming) 
have long cylindrical or slightly flattened narrow creeping 
roots, bearing complexly-branched many-flowered secondary 
shoots, whose leaves are often compound, and which show 
no formation of scales or bracts in the way seen in most of 
the forms found in India. The capsule is ribbed, with one 
deciduous valve (see figures in Warming, lx. I., III., V.). The 
x^merican Mniopses have similar morphological construction, 
but smooth capsules and multifid stigmas with large 
papillæ {lx. I., III., V.). It seems therefore that the latter is 
a genus of which there are no Asiatic representatives, unless 
Podostemon Hookerianus, Benth. (Mniopsis Hookeriana, 
Tul.), or P. selaginoides, Benth. (M. selaginoides, Bedd.), 
belong to it. Neither of these has the stigma of the 
American forms, nor the vegetative morphological construc- 
tion, and both come as near to other genera as to Mniopsis 
proper. I think, therefore, that we may provisionally accept 
Mniopsis as a good genus, characterized especially by the 
capsules and stigmas, and confined to America. Oserya § 
Devillea, also American, comes near to it, but has not the 
same stigma, and has only one stamen. Probably it is 
distinct, but further study is needed, and it does not con- 
cern us here ; Oserya § Euoserya is evidently a Podostemon, 
differing from the other species only in being monandrous. 
Turning to Podostemon, we soon find that the only Asiatic 
forms which approach the American in all the characters 
mentioned above are Podostemon subulatus, Gardn.. in 
Ceylon, and P. Barberi, Willis, lately discovered in south-west 
