352 
CLI. COMMELINACE^E. 
[Commelina. 
Seeds cylindric conic smooth .... 
Leaves linear-lanceolate. 
Prostrate plant in sand; leaves i in. long 
Erect diffuse plant; leaves 3 to 6 in. long 
Leaves elliptic or ovate blunt pubescent 
Capsule 2-celled, one cell empty, one 1- or 2-seeded. 
Stem creeping; leaves glabrous. Seeds nearly smooth 
Erect rather stout plant, spathe 1. Seeds rugose . 
Stout plant with large heads of funnel-shaped bracts 
(3) C, Hasskarli 
(4) C. attenuata 
(5) C. salicifolia 
(6) C. benghalensis 
(7) C. clavata 
(8) C, suffruticosa 
(9) C. obliqua 
(1) C. nudiflora Linn. Sp. PI. 41; Ridl. Mat. ii. 115. 
Stem long, creeping, slender. Leaves lanceolate acute, 2 to 3 
in. long, *5 in. wide, sheaths -25 in. long. Spathe ovate-lanceolate, 
•5 1 ° i *5 in- long; peduncles *5 in. long. Cymes 2. Sepals ovate, 
boat : shaped, blue, white-edged. Petals 2, reniform, clawed, 
•25 in. long and one much smaller, azure-blue. Stamens 6, 3 fertile; 
filaments blue. Capsule elliptic, 3-celled, 5-seeded. Seeds cylin¬ 
dric, reticulate. Hab. Very common in waste ground everywhere. 
Distrib. All tropics. Native name : Pulau Aur; Rumput Kukupu; 
Tapak Eti. Use : Leaves for poulticing sores, shoots as a vegetable. 
White-flowered forms occur. 
(2) C. sikkimensis Clarke, Comm, and Cyrt. Beng. t. 6; Monog. 
147 - 
Stem slender, widely creeping. Leaves lanceolate, base unequal, 
usually round, 2 to 3 in. long, -25 to -3 in. wide. Spathes 1-5 to 
2 in. long, glabrous acuminate, ovate-lanceolate cordate; peduncles 
•3 to 1 in. long. Cymes bifid, upper branch 6- to 12-flowered. 
Petals blue. Capsule 2-seeded, conic acute. Seeds pyramidal 
not reticulate, slightly rugose. Hab. Open country in the north. 
a Set&l, Bukit Rajah Wang. Perlis, Chupeng; Tebing Tinggi 
(Ridley). Distrib. Bengal. 
(3) C . Hasskarli Clarke, Comm, and Cyrt. Beng. t. 3, Monog. 157. 
Sparingly pubescent or glabrous. Leaves lanceolate, usually 
narrow, 2 in. long, -5 in. wide, with a short petiole; sheath -2 in. 
long, not hairy at mouth. Spathe very short, ovate broad, not 
acuminate, base round, -5 in. long; peduncle -i in. long. Raceme 
1- or 2-flowered. Flowers blue. Capsule 5-seeded, tip conic acute. 
Seeds cylindric conic, quite smooth. Hab. Tringganu (Yapp). 
Distrib. India, Sumatra, Philippines. 
I have only seen one poor specimen which does not altogether resemble 
ordinary Hasskarli, but Clarke seems to have passed it in the Kew herbarium 
as that species. It is very distinct from our other species in the very short, 
broad spathe and the smooth seeds. 
(4) C. attenuata Vahl. Enum. ii. 168; Ridl. Mat. ii. 116. 
Tufted creeping, prostrate, plant 1 ft. long. Leaves narrow 
linear-lanceolate recurved, 1 in. long, -12 in. wide, or none; sheath 
hairy. Spathe narrow lanceolate recurved, 1 in. long or less; 
peduncles -5 in. long, hairy. Sepals oblong. Petals bright blue. 
