Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753002447982).pdf/184

NEILGHERRY PLANTS. ing branches only are four-sided, the older ones be- come nearly round. The drawing was made at Ko- tagherry in August, where it comes into flower during the rainy season.

HEDYOTIS STYLOSA (Brown :) shrubby, gla- brous branches somewhat terete or obtusely 4-an- gled leaves from oval to oblong-lanceolate, acumi- nated at both ends, petioled; the nerves on the under side strong, armed, slightly branched: stipules some- what permanent, triangular-ovate; their margin pec- tinately pinnatifid, the segments long, filiform, hir- sute panicle spreading: calyx-limb cup-shaped, 4- toothed corolla externally glabrous, villous in the mouth on the segments: filaments considerably pro- truded: style much protruded: capsule ovoid, dicoc- cous.-W. and A. Prod. p. 389.

This is a much more abundant shrub than the preceding, and the clusters of flowers being larger, it is really a showy plant; but I have not once seen it in cultivation though abundant in the woods. The flowers are nearly white, and it is in flower at nearly all seasons.

HEDYOTIS (D.) VERTICELLARIS (Wall Hed. plantaginifolia Arn. pug?) perennial herbaceous, leaves nearly all radical, linear-lanceolate, nerved, plaited be- tween the nerves glabrous, overlapping at the base; those of the scapes linear lanceolate: scapes as long or longer than the leaves, leafy; lower pairs of leaves dis- tant opposite; upper ones approximated verticelled: stipules between the distant pairs bristle toothed: flowers sessile, capitate and terminal, or verticelled in the axils of the upper leaves: heads from the axils of the lower pairs peduncled: calyx segments linear lanceolate as €79 long or longer than the tube of the corolla: corolla infundibuliform, hairy in the throat: stamens more or less exserted or included.

This unlike the other two, is a low herbaceous plant with perennial roots, or more correctly under- ground stems, the leaves spreading on all sides like a star on the ground. They have much the appearance of a Plantago, and like it are traversed by strong nerves running from the base to the apex, when young somewhat plaited. It grows in low, wet or even mar- shy soil. On the banks of the Pycarah river it is met with in considerable abundance, but on the Koon- dahs it is most abundant, every piece of marshy ground being full of it. It is every where in flower during the earlier months of February, March and April, but I first found it at Pycarah, in full flower in November; I therefore infer it is in flower at all seasons. It will form a very distinct section of the genus along with one or two Ceylon ones agreeing in its acauline plantago like habit. The flowers are lilac coloured interruptedly panicled on axillary peduncles. The leaves are so nume- rous and closely set at the base, that they hold water, hence I have always found a quantity of water in their axils however dry the weather, as if they had recently been exposed to a shower of rain. When in full flower it is certainly a beautiful plant. I can see no difference between this and H. plantaginifolia Arnott, and feel confident this last has been added to the list of describ- ed species, owing to Dr. Arnott not having a specimen to compare, and our description having been made from a scape only, not a perfect plant. The proper stems of both are under ground rhizoms, the leaves and scapes are the same in both-and so are the flowers and seed.

Calyx-tube somewhat globose, often striated: the limb very short, composed of 5 small persistent teeth. Corolla with the tube longer than the calyx, widest at the throat, glabrous or nearly so on the outside: limb spreading, 5-lobed; the lobes oblong or lanceolate, acute or obtuse, imbricated and slightly twisted in æstiva- tion, and forming a globose or oval head to the flower-bud. Stamens 5: filaments springing from the very top of the tube, often very short: anthers oblong, exserted, oscillatory. Ovary crowned with a fleshy disk. Style exserted, filiform. Stigma of two pretty large, oval, thickish segments. Capsule globose, crowned with the limb of the calyx, 2-celled, splitting at the apex, loculicidal. Seeds minute, numerous in each cell.- Trees or shrubs. Leaves coriaceous, oval or lanceolate, petioled. Stipules solitary on each side, broad at the base, acuminated. Panicles thyrsoid, terminal, many flowered. Flowers white, small, very shortly pedicel- led, forming spikes or fascicles along the ultimate ramifications of the panicle.-W. and A. Prod. p. 402.

There is, so far as I have been able to make out, only one species of this genus on the Hills, and that does not ascend to the higher ranges. About Cooncor and on that level it is very abundant; it also abounds about Kaitie Falls, where I obtained the specimen here delineated, in February, just coming into flower. When in flower this is a very handsome shrub, each branch terminating in a large panicle of whitish or pale rose coloured flowers.

WENDLANDIA NOTONIANA (Wall. :) arboreous, with the young shoots hirsute: leaves petioled, oblong, slightly tapering at both ends; upper side glabrous, under somewhat glaucous, more or less minutely pube- scent, often nearly quite glabrous except on the nerves and veins stipules triangular-ovate: hirsute at the base; the upper part glabrous, recurved: branches of the panicle hirsute, somewhat erect, flowers crowded and forming interrupted spikes: calyx hoary, the teeth triangular, acuminated: corolla glabrous, 6-8 times longer than the limb of the calyx tube widened at the mouth; divisions of the limb oval, obtuse, recurved; anthers nearly sessile: capsule sprinkled with short hairs.-W. and A. Prod. p. 403.

A large and very beautiful shrub frequent about Coonoor and Kotagherry, but not ascending to the elevation of Ootacamund. It also occurs abundantly, and in great perfection about Kaitie Falls, flowering in February and March, when it is most ornamental, of- ten attaining a height of from 10 to 15 feet, with every branch terminated by a large panicle of reddish white flowers.