Page:Illustrations of Indian Botany, Vol. 2.djvu/174

84

ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY. II. Galium asperifolium, (Wall.)

1. Flowering branch, showing a whorl of 6 leaves, some of three and generally the upper ones reduced to pairs.

2. An expanded flower.

3. Corolla and stamens detached.

4. Anthers, back and front views.

5. Ovary.

6. cut vertically, the ovules ascending.

III. Asperula cynanchica.

1. Flowering branch, natural size.

2. Floriferous apex of a branch.

3. Detached flower.

4. Corolla split open, showing the stamens in situ.

5. Anthers, back and front views.

6. Ovary.

7. cut vertically.

IV. Vaillantia muralis.

1. Flowering plant, natural size.

2. A joint of the stem with the leaves and flowers in situ.

3. Fascicle of flowers, spread out to show the two exterior male ones and centre fertile one.

4. A detached male flower.

7. Ovary cut transversely.

8. A mature fruit of G. boreale.

9. One-half detached.

10. Cut vertically, showing the embryo in situ.

11. Cut transversely.

12. Detached embryo.

13. Portion of the stem.

14. Detached leaves, upper and under surfaces.

8. Ovary cut transversely.

9. Mature fruit.

10. cut transversely.

11. one-half detached.

12. cut vertically, showing the embryo.

13. Embryo detached.

14. Portion of the stem.

All more or less magnified.

5. Stamens, back and front.

6. A mature seed.

7. The same cut transversely. 3. Detached embryo.

My solitary specimen of this plant being rather old, the analysis is less perfect than I could have wished.

This is a small order of herbaceous plants, sometimes with perennial roots, more rarely suffruticose or twining. The distinguishing peculiarities of the family are, its having fewer stamens than lobes to the corolla, a usually 3-celled, cohering ovary with two of the cells empty, or occasionally wanting, the third fertile with a single pendulous ovule, the seed exalbumenous with the radicle of the embryo superior. As regards Indian Botany or more properly in its relation to the flora of the Indian Peninsula, this family is of secondary importance. Only 4 species having yet been discovered in Southern India and all these confined to the highest mountains. All four are indigenous on the Neilgherries, one is found on the Pulney moun- tains, and one in Ceylon.

Calyx with a limb of various kinds, either membranous or re- sembling a pappus. Corolla inserted into the top of the ovarium, tubular, usually 5-lobed, rarely 3-4-lobed, lobes obtuse : tube equal, or gibbous, or spurred, at the base. Stamens 1-5, inserted into the tube of the corolla, and alternate with its lobes : anthers ovate, 2-celled. Ovarium cohering with the tube of the calyx (inferior), 1-3-celled : ovule solitary, pendulous : style filiform : stigmas 1-3, distinct or combined. Fruit dry, indehiscent, crowned with the limb of the calyx, 1-celled, or 3-celled (2 cells being then abortive). Seed solitary, pendulous. Albu- men none. Embryo straight : radicle superior : cotyledons flat. — Leaves opposite, exstipulate.

The nearest relations of this family are Dipsacece and Compositce. From the former they are distinguished by their diffuse cymose not capitate inflorescence, the absence of an involucre, the 3-celled completely adherent ovary and exalbumenous seed : from the latter by their free anthers and pendulous not erect ovules. They are also related to Caprifoliacece through Viburnum which has a similar ovary, cymose inflorescence, and opposite leaves; but in most other respects are amply distinct.

This is essentially an extratropical order, the few found within the tropics being all remarkably alpine in their habits. As already mentioned only four have yet been discovered in the Indian Peninsula and these only on the highest hills. On the Himalayas and in Cashmere they are much more abundant, furnishing representatives