Page:The Journal of Indian Botany, Volume III.djvu/25

SHE INDIAN SPECIES OF RRlOCADLON.

15 narrowed to the linear blade, 2-6 in. long. Peduncles 6-10 in. Heads 1/12-1/2 in., diam., few flowered. Involucre obtuse, black, horizontal. Receptacle glabrous tall. Female flowers normal. Anthers of male yellow. Plate 47.

Assam ; Silhet.

Var. mitophyllum Hook f. (Clarke 1S270 Jaintea at 4,000 ft. in Herb. Calc. !). F.B.I. vi 575, No. 13 ; Ruhl. No. 70 (as distinct species). Leaves longer and about 1/20 in. wide. Heads larger 1/6 in. A robuster plant. Plate 48,

Assam ; Khasia Hills, Jaintea, Goalpura.

Hooker in founding this as a species says it might be a form of E. miserum , but for the leaf-sheaths being larger and the receptacle globose not columnar. Ruhland says of E. miserum that well developed flowers had not been seen by Koerniche (the founder). Though I do not find this stated in Koerniche’s description in Linnaea I.c. having regard to the variability of submerged plants I feel this is almost certainly a robust form of E. miserum. The two occur in the same locality, but whether together or at different levels the sheets do not indicate.

50. E. fluvatile Trimen ; F.B.I. vi 581, “ imperfectly known Ruhl l.c. p. 115 “ ignofca but probably E. Barbeyanum Ruhl. n. sp. Plate 49.

Stem short, densely tufted. Leaves linear from a base 1/8 in. wide, very slender, solid and channelled above, drying black. Scapes several, up to 15 in. Heads 1/4 in. Involucral bracts pale edged with white, reflexed so that the head is globular. Flowers normal, but anthers yellow. Seeds round, reddish yellow.

Peninsular India ; N. Kanara in running water ; Ceylon.

These last three species are progressively more pronounced running water forms. The Kanara sheet of the last in Herb. Calc, is of a sturdier plant than the Ceylon, one, but this is probably only a chance difference. One Ceylon sheet marked “still water form” has the leaves of E. rivulare, and heads intemediate in size between the two species. Buhlands E. Barbeyanum is I think this species.

51, E. sieboldianum Sieb et Zacc ; F.B.I. vi 577, No. 21; Ruhl. No. 191,192. Stem 0, Leaves 1-2 — 2 in., acute. Scapes If — 5 in., Slen- der. Heads 1/10-1/6 in., ovate or conical. Involucral bracts obtuse, short. Floral oblong-acute, pale or dark, but usually with a dark central band and narrow scarious margins. Male flowers perfect, calyx limb ovate acute, black upwards, anthers white. Female sepals 3-2-0 narrow ; petals 0. Receptacle with a few hairs. Plates 50 and 51.

Widely distributed in India, China and Japan. In South India on damp sandy soil. '

This appears to be a much reduced land-form of this group. Though the scarious floral bracts might lead one at first to suspect an alliance with the