XXXVIII. LYTHRACEJE 
193 
Woodfordia floribunda, Salisb. ; FI. Br. Ind. ii. 572. A 
pubescent shrub ; branches long, spreading. Leaves opposite, 
sometimes in whorls of three, sessile, lanceolate, 2-4 in., tapering 
to a fine point ; upper surface green, lower white, black-dotted. 
Flowers clustered^ numerous, shortly stalked. Calyx tubular, 
in., bright red ; teeth 6, short, alternating with 6 minute, 
accessory teeth. Petals 6, red, hardly longer than the calyx-teeth. 
Stamens 12 ; filaments long, red, far protruding, inserted below the 
middle of the calyx-tube. Ovary oblong, 2-celled ; style far pro- 
truding. Capsule enclosed within the calyx-tube, opening by 2 
valves. (Fig. 57.) 
Valleys below Simla ; flowers during the cold season. — Throughout India, 
ascending to 5000 ft. — China, Africa, Madagascar. 
This plant varies in the relative length of the stamens and styles as 
described by Darwin in the case of Lythrum Salicaria ( Forms of Flowers, 
p. 137), a species omitted from the FI. Br. Ind., but which occurs, undoubtedly 
wild, near Sultanpur in the Kulu Valley and in Kashmir. The flowers of 
Woodfordia floribunda are used for dyeing silk. 
XXXIX. ONAGRACEAi 
Annual or perennial herbs ; stems erect or ascending. Leaves 
opposite and alternate, simple, usually toothed ; stipules none. 
Flowers 2-sexual, regular, in racemes. Calyx-tube adnate to the 
ovary ; limb 2- or 4-parted, lobes valvate. Petals 2 or 4. Stamens 
8 or 2, inserted with the petals on the top of the ovary, filaments 
thread-like, anthers 2-celled. Ovary inferior, 1-, 2- or 4-celled ; 
style thread-like ; stigma capitate or 4-lobed, lobes distinct or 
combined; ovules numerous or only one in each cell. Capsule 
long, linear and opening by 4 valves or short, ovoid and inde- 
hiscent ; seeds small, numerous or only 1 or 2, tipped with a 
tuft of long hairs or naked. — Temperate regions ; rare in the 
tropics. 
Several species of Evening Primrose, (Enothera , have become naturalised 
about Simla. 
Petals 4. Stamens 8. Capsule many-seeded, opening by 4 valves 1. Epilobium. 
Petals 2. Stamens 2. Capsule 1- or 2-seede, indehiscent . .2. Girccea. 
1. EPILOBIUM. From the Greek epi, upon, and lobos, a pod ; 
referring to the position of the corolla. — Very widely spread in 
temperate and cold regions and particularly abundant in New 
Zealand (Britain, Willowherb). 
Herbs ; stems leafy. Leaves opposite and alternate, usually 
toothed. Flowers axillary, pink or purple, rarely white, forming 
long or short, leafy racemes towards the end of the stems or 
branches. Calyx-tube linear, 4-angled or nearly cylindric ; limb 
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