OF INDIA AND CEYLON. 
243 
ovary and stigmas. Staminodes shorter than ovary. Ovary globose 
or ellipsoidal, stigmas ovate to subulate or to obcuneate, usually more 
or less lobed or toothed, or even lacerate. Pedicel of ripe fruit 
1-8 mm. Capsule 1-2 mm., globular or ellipsoidal, shallowly and 
broadly 8-ribbed, the ribs often confluent below the apex of the 
capsule. Fruit anisolobous, with ribs on persistent valve decurrent 
into pedicel, sometimes with open space between them. 
On rocks in rapids and waterfalls, Burma, Assam, Bombay 
Ghats to Travancore, Ceylon ; common. 
This is the most widespread and one of the most variable 
species in our list, and occurs in many forms. I have given 
below the forms that seem distinct in my own supply of 
material, and it may^ be at once remarked that almost every 
locality showed a form distinguishable from others. Weddell 
made two species, Podostemon acuminatus and micro- 
carpus, from Assam and Burma material respectively, but 
his points of distinction are badly chosen. The fruit of 
P. microcarpus is ribbed, not smooth as he describes it ; 
the tips of the bracts in acuminatus, as already mentioned, 
fall at a later period as in most of the Indian species, and 
the size of the fruit is a most variable character. The 
Burma material is doubtless different from the Assam, but 
the distinction must be based on other characters. Kurz’ 
name was published, as indicated on p. 186, some time 
before Weddell’s, and must take precedence. The material 
of Kurz’ species, which I have seen at Calcutta, is evidently 
the same as that of Weddell’s P. microcarpus, both having 
been collected by Parish, but it is mere powder in both cases. 
In giving the following long list of forms, I by no means 
intend to imply that the species must be divided into just 
these varieties, or even that these forms have all varietal 
rank, but rather to point out the important fact of the dis- 
tinct forms to be met with in almost every locality where 
this species, like the others, is found. There will ultimately, 
I have little doubt, prove to be a large group of varieties of 
this species, each with many sub-varieties, the rank to be 
given to each form depending on the personal opinion of 
the worker. 
