840. Exacum wightianum. (Arnolt) stems very 847. Hoya ovaeifolia. (W. & A.) climbing, rooting
ramous and with the branches broadly winged : leaves along the stems, glabrous : leaves fleshy oval acuminated
oblong lauceolate acuminated subsessile : corymbs leafy ; at both ends : peduncles shorter than the leaves many
corolla five clift, lacinioe oval acute or acuminated : fruiti- flowered : corolla puberulous within, segments ovate acute,
fere us pedicels recurved : capsule globosely ellipsoidal, leaflets of the staminal crown oval, obtuse, interior angle
Arnott annals Nat. Hist. 3, p. 89. sh o rt: stigma muticous. Wight's contributions, p. 37.
This seems to be a rare plant, I have not myself met A handsome species but apparently of rare occurrence
with it the accompanying drawing having been prepared as Thave not met with it for several years, the specimen
during my absence from India. figured was found in Malabar. .
841. SoiiANUM (Nycterium) Wightii (Nees) herbaceous,
armed with aciculate prickles, and clothed with fasi-
cled hairs: leaves cordate, ovate or elliptic, repando-sinu-
ate : fruitiferous peduncles elongated reflexed: the three
inferior anthers larger: fruit covered by the persistent
calyx. Nees in Act. Acad. Coes. Nat. Cur. Vol. 18.
A rare plant found sparingly on the Neilgherries near
Coonoor in jungle, the specimen figured was not however
from that station.
842. Wahlenbergia perotifoeia. (W. & A. DC.
Dentilla Willd. Roxb.) stem erect, flexuose, pilose, angled
ramous : leaves alternate, sessile, lanceolate, acuminated
atteuuated'at the base, glabrous; the margin somewhat un~
dulately-crisp, denticulate : peduncles terminal pubescent
naked : tube of the calyx hairy ; with shorter,linear acuminate,
glabrous lobes: capsule globose. DC. Prod. 7, p. 434.
Found not uncommon in cultivated sandy soils near
the Coast. Leaves finely ciliate, capsule 3 celled.
843 ) Embryofteris glutenifera.—Male and female
844 j .(Roxl). Diospyras glutinosa Konig. in Roxb )
leaves linear lanceolate glabrous male peduncles from
three to four flowered with about 20 filaments and forty
anthers: fertile flowers solitary, with from one to four
sterile stamens styles four. Roxb. PI. Ind. 2, p. 533.
The specimens here figured were found in Malabar.
They seem to correspond so nearly with Roxburgh’s description
that 1 can scarcely doubt their being the same
species, though they vary in some points. Judging from
one or two I have seen cultivated at Madras it seems a
middle sized tree.
845. Ceropegia bulbosa. (Roxb. W. & A. Contributions)
twining, glabrous, rather fleshy : root tuberous;
leaves from suborbicular to lanceolate acuminated : peduncles
many flowered, shorter than the leaves : calyoine
segments much shorter than the ventricose base of the
corolla; tube of the corolla subclavate, segments of the
limb enlarging upwards, much shorter than the tube, ciliated
: middle lobes of the leaflets of the corona subulate
incurved at top, lateral ones minute, acuminated lying on
the primary ones. W. A. contributions p. 32.
The specimen figured was grown in my garden from a
root found in sandy soil on the sea coast near Point
Calimere, I am uncertain whether I have since met with
the plant.
846. Ceropegia mysorensis. (R. W.) suffrutecose,
glabrous, twining: leaves broad cordate ovate, acuminated
: peduncles about the length of the petiols, four to
eight flowered : lacinioe of the calyx acute, much shorter
than the greatly dilated base of the corolla : tube of the
corolla short, suddenly expanding into a large 5 clift
limb, segments short, broad ovate, adhering at the point,
glabrous on the margins : lobes of the corona all ligulate,
the lateral ones about equaling the primary: follicles long
slender irregularly curved.
Mysore twining in hedges December 1834.
I have not since met with this beautiful, copiously
flowering, plant. Flowers pale straw-coloured. It is most
nearly allied to Qelegans but is readily distinguished at
first sight by the uniform colour of its flowers, their being
quite glabrous, but more and satisfactorily by the divisions
of the staminal crown which are all equal in place of the
lateral ones only about half the length of the primary.
848. Tylophoba fasciculata. (Ham. W. & A. Contributions)
erect, or slightly twining, glabrous : leaves approximated
ovate somewhat fleshy, slightly decurrent to wards
the ends of the branches: peduncles erect flexuose,
bearing at the flexures two or three flowered facicl es :
leaflets of the staminal crown oblong ovate, bluntish : pollen
masses transverse: stigma apiculate. Wight's contributions,
l. c.
Copper mountains Bellary frequent, twining on grass
also on low grassy hills at Courtallum twining among long
grass. When .it meets with support it twines to a small
extent. In the analysis the peculiarities of this species
are not so well shown as I could have wished.
849. Ophioxylon serpentinum. (Linn.)
This is a plant of frequent occurrence in moist woods
and being one of great beauty is also much cultivated as an
ornamental shrub. The leaves are generally whorled, from
three to five round the joints, lanceolate acute or acuminated,
waved on the margin, glabrous; Gymes axillary on
long peduncles usually erect: pedicels and calyxes bright
shining red which, contrasting with the pure white flowers,
give the cymes a showy appearance especially when combined
with its clusters of black berries.
850. Aniseia uniflora. (Choisy.) stems glabrous or
pilose at the apex, prostrate: leaves oblong on very short
petiols, mucronate at the apex, glabrous : peduncles equal
in length to the petiols 1 flowered : outer sepals joined
obliquely at the base. Don. gard. diet. 4, p. 295.
A rare plant in Coromandel. I have only once met with
it near Negapatam, where this drawing was made. As I
found it growing on the edge of a tank in moist sandy
soil it may perhaps be more frequent in the more humid
climate of Malabar where Rheede also found it.
851. Argyreia speciosa.(Sweet Choisy. Rivea, R. W.)
tomentose : leaves large cordate, acute, glabrous above or
rarely villous, thickly nerved beneath and clothed with
silky silvery down : peduncles about equal in length to the
petiols, at first umbellately capitate the divisions afterwards
elongating, forming lax cymes: bracteas acute unequal
: sepals ovate very blunt. Don. gard. diet. 4, p. 254.
A most powerful twiner and splendid plant. The juice
like that of most of the genus is milky and viscid, the
flowers pink or rose colored within, but appear nearly white
exteriorly, owing to the.thick coat of white hair with which
the tube fis covered. Except in the campanulate corolla
this is a Rivea having the 4 celled ovary of that genus.
852. Datura alba. (Nees.—D. metel Roxb.) leaves
ovate, acuminated, repandly toothed, unequal at the base,
and are, as well as the stem, smoothish : stamens enclosed:
fruit prickly. Don. gard. diet. 4, p. 474.
A very common plant, possessing, in every part, intensely
narcotic properties which has led to its being beneficially
employed in medicine for the relief of various nervous
disorders and, among evil disposed persons, for other most
mischievous purposes.
853. Physalis somnifera. (Link. Nees,) shrubby:
leaves entire: flowers crowded, nearly sessile, subvertice-
late. Don. gard. diet. 4, p. 44.
This is a common plant but, so far as I am aware, a
useless one to man.
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