Page:Illustrations of Indian Botany, Vol. 2.djvu/189

 ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY.

95

the present time amounts to 1050. According to this estimate the Indian portion of the Order has representa- tives of about one-eighth of the whole number of gen- era, but only about one-fourteenth or one-fifteenth of the species.

SYNOPSIS OF THE GENERA OF INDIAN COMPOSITE.

TUB ULIFL ORJE.

Tribe I. Vernoniace.e.

Sub-tribe. Vernonie^:. Capitula discoid homogamous. Branches of the style elongated or acuminate.

Div. I. Euvernonieje. Anthers ecaudate, involucre not compressed, polyphyllous.


 * Pappus none, or simple, crown-like.

1. Oiospermum (Less. D. C. Prod. 5-11). Capitula many-flowered, flowers equal. Achaenia rounded at the apex, 10-ribbed. Pappus wanting. — Herbaceous, diffuse, opposite-leaved plants. Capitula solitary, long pedun- cled, opposite the leaves. Involucre spreading, terete, surrounded at the base by unequal-sized leaves, longer than the capitulum. Receptacle naked, broad. Cor- olla regular, 5-cleft, pale. Peninsula, one species, station unknown.

2. Ethulia (Cass. D. C. 5-12). Capitula many-flow- ered. Achaenia obpyramidal, 4-sided, 4-ribbed, glab- rous, glandular, truncated at the apex. Pappus minute, entire, fleshy, crown-like. — Erect, ramous herbs ; leaves alternate, pellucid, dotted. Involucre terete, many se- ries, scales sub-foliaceous. Receptacle naked. Corolla rosecoloured or purple. Bengal, one species.

hristle-like.
 * Pappus 1, or several series; interior ones always

3. Vernonia (Schreb. D. C. 5-15, R. W. Icon. 829 and 1076 to 79). Capitula usually many-flowered. Achaenia with a cartilaginous callous at the base, and a large epigynous disk. Pappus usually a double series, the interior one bristly, much longer than the paleaceous outer one. — Herbs, shrubs or trees; leaves alternate, often glandulose. Involucre imbricated, interior squamas longest. Receptacle naked, or rarely sub-fimbrillose. Flowers few or many. Corolla regular, 5-cleft, usually purple or rose-coloured. Generally diffused over India.

4. Decaneurum (D. C. 5-66, R. W. Icon. 1080 to 84). Capitula many-flowered. Achasnia usually glabrous, marked with 10 prominent ribs. Pappus 1 series, bris- tles thick, rigid, densely barbellate. — Herbaceous or suffruticose ; leaves alternate. Involucre imbricated, often surrounded with foliaceous bracts. Receptacle flat, alveolate. Flowers regular, 5-cleft, purplish. Widely diffused, preferring alpine ranges.

5. Cyanopis (Bl. D. C. 5-69). Capitula many-flow- ered, homogamous. Achasnia prismatico-pentagonal, glabrous, the terminal areola broad sub-capitulate. Pap- pus 1 series ; bristles rigid, distinct to the base, decidu- ous, rough. — Erect, ramous herbs, probably annuals; leaves alternate. Capitula few on the points of the

branches. Involucre hemispherical, scales many series, imbricating. Flowers bluish. Java, Burma, Moluccas.

6. Monosis (D. C. 5-77, R. W. Icon. 1085). Capitula 1-flowered. Achaenia glabrous, terete. Pappus 2-3 series, bristles rigid, scabrous. — Arboreous or suffruti- cose, leaves alternate. Panicles naked, the apices of the branchlets bearing numerous sub-umbellate, sessile capitulae. Scales of the involucre imbricated, obtuse, shorter than the flowers. Corolla rose-coloured. [M. Wightiana is a considerable tree, with large obovate leaves, traversed by thick transverse veins, like those of a Dillenia.] Eastern slopes, Neilgherries.

Div. II. Elephantopeje. Anthers ecaudate. Involucre compressed; scales alternately conduplicate.

7. Elephantopus (Cass. Lin. D. C. 5-85, R. W. Icon. 1086). Capitula of several (3-5, usually 4) equal flow- ers, densely congested into a glomerulous, enclosed by leaves. Achaenia slightly compressed, many-ribbed, pilose. Pappus 1 series, some of the bristles dilated at the base. — Perennial, erect, pilose herbs with alternate, sessile leaves and terminal glomerulus. Involucre com- pressed, scales in a double series, alternately flat and conduplicate. Rachis naked. Corolla palmate, limb 5- cleft, one of the fissures deeper. Generally diffused.

Tribe II. Edpatoriace-e.

Sub-tribe. Eupatorie^:. Capitula homogamous. Flow- ers never, strictly speaking, yellow.

late.
 * Agerate*. Pappus paleaceous or partly squamel-

8. Agerattjm (Lin. D. C. 5-108). Capitula many- flowered. Achaenia somewhat 5-angled, attenuated at the base. Pappus 5-10, free paleaceous scales, aristato- acuminate, or pectinate obtuse. — Annual, erect herbs, with opposite leaves. Involucre imbricated. Recepta- cle naked. Flowers blue or white. A common weed every where.

9. Adenostemma (Forst. D. C. 5-110, R. W. Icon. 1087-88). Capitula many-flowered. Achaenia obovate oblong, surmounted by 3-5 rigid bristles, glandular, globose or clavate at the apex. — Herbs with opposite leaves and corymbosely panicled capitula. Involucre campanulate, somewhat shorter than the flowers. Squa- mae 1 series, foliaceous, oblong. Receptacle flat, naked, foviolate. Corolla white. Stigmas long exserted, thick- ened at the point and coloured. Alpine plants, widely distributed over India.


 * Pappus selose, barbellate or plumose.

10. Eupatorium (Tourn. D. C. Prod. 5-141). Capi- tula many-flowered. Achaenia angled or striated. Pap- pus 1 series, pilose, rough. — Herbs or under-shrubs. Leaves usually opposite. Capitula corymbose or pani- cled. Scales of the involucre 1 to several series im- bricating. Receptacle fiat, naked. Corolla dilated at the throat, purple, blue, or white. Branches of the style exserted, obtuse. Nepaul, Khassya mountains, &c.

11. Mikania (Willd. D. C. Prod. 5-187). Capitula 4- flowered. Achasnia angled. Pappus 1 series, pilose

H