340 WILLT8 : MORPHOLOGY OF THE PODOSTEMACEÆ 
the Eupodostemeæ, that the primary axis has become 
insignificant, and takes no part in the bearing of fiowers. 
P. Barberi shows the first sign we have yet met with of that 
flattening of the tballns which is so marked in some of the 
subsequent genera. 
DICRÆA, 
[(Du Pet. Tk.) Tul. ; Willis, Eev. Pod. lud,, Ann. Perad., I., p. 216.] 
I employ this genus, as already explained, in Tulasne’s 
sense. It is very abundant in all the districts of India and 
Ceylon where Podostemaceæ ha^e been found, except the 
more northern on each side of the continent. The species 
are variable and polymorphic, and much detailed study is 
needed to finally determine the specific limits ; by using 
very broad distinctions I have included all my material 
under five species, one of which is not, I think, really 
separable from the rest. 
This genus is characterized by the possession of very 
remarkable root-thalli, two forms of which have already been 
described by Prof. Warming, viz., those of D. elongata and 
of D. stylosa, var. fucoides (D. algæformis. Trim., Wrng.), 
both from material collected in Ceylon by Trimen at the 
beginning of the dry season. These accounts are very full 
and accurate, but a few corrections must be made in them, 
and they do not deal with any of the early stages of the life- 
history. 
Oicræa elongata^ Tul. 
(Plates XIV., and XVIII.-XX.) 
Our knowledge of this species is mainly due to Warming, 
who has described material collected at Hakinda by Trimen 
in the dry season. My account is therefore chiefly confined 
to the general life-history and the earlier stages, and to 
the correction of a few errors in previous descriptions. I 
have investigated the species at Hakinda, where it is very 
abundant. 
HaMtat . — This species is apparently confined to Ceylon, 
where it occurs from the lowest slopes of the hills up to 
