OF CEYLON AND INDIA. 
293 
Trisficha ramosissima (Wight), Willis. 
rPlates V.-IX. and XXXVIII.) 
My first acquaintance with this species was from material 
kindly collected for me by Mr. T. F. Bourdillon at Munda- 
kayam in Travancore in July and December, 1898. Subse- 
quently Mr, C. A. Barber collected a splendid supply of 
material in S. Kanara, and I have myself obtained some in 
the Anamalais. As I have already mentioned in a preceding 
paper, most of the Indian Podostemaceæ differ in detail in 
almost every locality in which they grow, and therefore in 
describing the material I have examined I shall in general 
mention its exact origin. The plant still needs detailed 
investigation at different times of year on the spot where it 
grows ; its germination phenomena in particular ought to 
prove of considerable interest. 
Hahitat.—^Ï1\LQ plant lives in slow-moving or somewhat 
rapid water at elevations to 4,000 feet, forming tangled masses 
of green weed. Mr. Bourdillon found it in waterfalls. It 
is sometimes mixed with Griffithella Hookeriana. 
Dry Season Appearance . — We shall begin with the dry 
season appearance of the plants, as seen in Mr. Barber’s 
Nos. 2,517, 2,518. The rocks above water are covered with a 
muddy tangle of dead weed ; if we remove the loose parts 
we find the rock thickly covered with creeping filamentous 
rhizome-like thalli (PI. XXXVIII., fig. 6) running in all 
directions, frequently branched, the branches usually at 
right angles to the main thallus (PI. VII., 1). At frequent 
intervals along the thalli are curious “ feet,” thin flat disc- 
like organs springing from the sides of the thalli (Pi. VII., 1) 
and spreading out upon the rock, to which they are fastened 
very firmly. These discs are most commonly in pairs, one 
on either side, and examination shows that the tall withered 
shoots which we have removed spring from their upper 
surfaces. These shoots can be seen to have a complex 
branching ; they bear numerous solitary flowers (PI. VI.), 
represented now by the stalked fruits, which all point one 
