Page:The Journal of Indian Botany, Volume III.djvu/23

THE INDIAN SPECIES OE ERXOCAULON.

13 Two Indian species given by Ruhland as having white or yellow anthers, which I have not seen are distinguished by him as follows : —

Sheath truncate, the mouth nearly entire ... E. melaieueum Mart.

Mouth of the sheath oblique, leaves 6-10 in. peduncle solitary 4-6 cm. ... E. Ritchieanum Buhl.

The melaieueum of Hooker's F. B. I may possibly have been a different plant from that taken by Ruhland, for Hooker described the receptacle as glabrous, and the female petals as without glands, while Ruhland described the receptacle as hairy, the petals as with glands. Martius in Wall PI. As. Rar iii p. 29 described the anthers as “ flavescentes tandem nigrescantes.” Koerniche who gives a very full description omits mention of the receptacle (see note in Appendix I).

The Indian species are here arranged in order of progressive lengthening of the leaves, which in the last species but one are threadlike in conformity with a habit at in running water. The last species is a land plant with short acicular leaves.


 * Plants of marshy ground, leaves short.

Scapes 6-10 in., heads 1/3-1/2 in. ... 46 E. horsley-kundae.

Scapes 2-5 in., heads 1/10-1/6 in. ... 51 E. Sieboldianum.


 * Plants of running water, -leaves

linear ...

t Leaves 1/10-1/6 in, wide, involucre black (Kanara) ... 47 E. breviscapon.

H Leaves less than 1/10 in.

Involucre pale (Kanara) ... 48 E. rivulare.

Involucre black (Khasia) ... 49 E. miserum.

„ „ (Kanara and Ceylon) ... 50 E, fluvatile.

46. E. horsley-kundae Eyson, sp. nov. (Gamble No. 20985 in Herb. Calc. ! Caulis perbrevis. Eolia 3-5 cm. plana, basi 3mm. lata