1007. Bdplsurum Ramosissimum (W. & A. :)
perennial, diffuse and much branched, leaves oblong-
linear with a long mucro, narrowed towards the
base ’amplexicaul, 5-9 nerved, between coriaceous
and membranaceous : general umbels with 5-8 rays ;
partial with 8-12 flowers : leaflets of the involucre and
involuced about 5, oblong-linear, mucronate ; the
former 2-3 times shorter than the rays; the latter
rather longer than the flowers, shorter than the fru it:
fruit about ahalf longer than the pedicels, strongly ribbed
;interstices with 1-2 v'Wi&.— W.frA. Prod. p. 370.
Common among bushes and thickets. Iu such
situations it is frequent on every road side, frequently
attaining a large size. I have, seen plants seven
or eight feet or more in height. It is well named
ramosissimum but that of mucronatum seems equally
appropria'e, and after comparing many specimens
in all states and forms, I am now satisfied that one
of these species must be reduced. B. virgatum seems
also too nearly allied to these.
1008. P astinaca Springediana (R. W. Hera-
cleum S p r e n g e l ia n u m W.andA,)Stem much branched,
furrowed when dry, rough; leaves puberulous on
both sides, unequally pinnate, purnae pinnatifid
divisions ovate, irregularly lobed, ultimate division
3, lobed, lobes acute serrated : petals equal: nearly
orbicular vittae on the back, linear acute, shorter than
the fruit the lateral ones in the middle of the
insterstices; vittse on the commissure, 4 slightly
clavate and unequal.
A very large coarse growing species frequent about
hedges and enclosures, perhaps in other situations
among thickets in moist rich soil: of this however
I am not quite certain, as I find there are two species
closely resembling each other, which 1 have hitherto
confounded.
1009. Pastinaca rigens (R. W. Heracleum
rigens Wall D. C. W. and A.) stem slightly
branched, furrowed, pubescent or hirsute: leaves
ternate ; divisions roundish, somewhat cordate at the
base, toothed, upper side more or less seabrous with
short hairs, under densely pubescent or tomentose,
lateral ones on a short, terminal one on a long
petiole, the latter bluntly 3-lobed or ternate ; leaflets
of the involucel ovate : petals equal: fruit obovate ;
vittse ®n the back linear, much shorter than the fruit,
the lateral ones in pairs, and close to the intermediate
ridges: vittse on the commissura 4, acute, unequal,
the two outer the shorter.— W. and A. Prod. p. 373.
Frequent in pastures, flowering during the rainy
autumnal months. The radical leaves are usually
pinnated and lie on the ground. The specimens
selected for representation is a small one, but as compared
with many of the others, this is a small species,
though larger than the next.
1010. Pastinaca H ookeriana, (R. W. Heracleum
Hooherianum. W. and A.) Stem nearly simple, furrowed,
coarsely pubescent or somewhat hirsute with
short glutinous hairs ; leaves nearly radical, 3-lobed,
toothed, sparingly pubescent or hairy on the upper
side, shortly tomentose on the under ; lobes roundish,'
toothed, the terminal one the largest and often 3-
lobed ; upper stem-leaves few, and sometimes almost
reduced to the mere sheaths; umbels long-peduncled,
with 6-10 rays: leaflets of the involucre persistent
during flowering, afterwards deciduous, lanceolate-
subulate : of the involucel oblong lanceolate, longer
than the flowers : petals (whitish with a tinge of red)
unequal : fruit (very immature) sprinkled with a
few short hairs ; commissura with 2 vittse.— W. and
A. Prod. p. 337.
Like the preceding this frequents pastures, on the
slopes of the hills, and during the rainy season,
is equally abundant : it is readily distinguished by
its naked stems, the leaves being all radical and lying
flat on the ground.
Being unable to discover any characters, by which
these species and several others in my collection, may
be distinguished generally from Pastinaca, the older
genus of the two, I have been induced to refer them
all to thatgenus in preference to retaining both it aud
Heracleum in the Indian Flora. It is my impression
that there is no difference between the two genera but
I leave that for those who have better means of determining
the point to decide. So far as^written characters
go there is no difference but there may be in habit,
with which I,am unacquainted.
1011 & 12 Hedera (P.) obovata (R. W.) arboreous,
glabrous, leaves digitate ; leaflets about 5, petio-
led, obovate, cuuiate, very obtuse or sometimes obcor-
date, coriaceous : thyrses numerous, aggregated towards
the ends of the branches, ebractiate : umbels
numerous, solitary in each peduncle, flowers pedicel-
led : petals, stamens and stigmas from six to eight
ovary 6-8-celIed.
A rather widely distributed tree, of small size,'
occurring in alpine jungles. I have specimens from
Courtallum; Shevagherry Hills ; Hills near Coimbatore,
and from the jangles about Coonoor. The
specimen from which the drawing was taken is from
the latter station, where it flowers in April and May.
1013-14. H edera (P.) rostrata (R. W.) arboreous,
glabrous : leaves digitate ; leaflets 5 to 9 lon-
gish petioled, ovate lanceolate acuminated, serrated :
thyrses solitary, terminal, at first furnished'with several
sheathing Cuspidate bracts : (abortive leaves)
lateral peduncles bracteated, from oue to three um-
belled : flowers numerous pedicelled : petals 5, dehis-
ing before falling : stamens and styles 5, exserted,
cohering and forming a beak, persistent in the fruit :
ovary aud fruit 5-celled.
A considerable tree frequent in woods near
Nedawuttem and Sisparah on the Neilgherries. The
serrated leaves and long beak-like style at once distinguish
this species. The branches of the thyrse,
in the specimen from which the drawing was made,
seem all to have borne solitary umbels,my specimens,
however, in some instances, have three umbels on
one branch. This species seems to go far towards
reducing the genus Gilibertia.
1015. Hedera (P.) racemosa (R. W.) arboreous,
leaves digitate : leaflets about 7 form oblong,
lanceolate acuminated, undulate on the margin, to
elliptic cuspidate: thyrses panicled, usually lateral
(from the previous year’s wood) branches racemose ,
flowers pedicelled, furnished at the base of the pedicel
with a small somewhat subulate bractea: petals and
stamens 5, styles 5 sh o rt; stigmas distinct obtuse:
fruit 5-celled.
A large tree of rather rare occurrence. A few fine
trees 70 or 80 feet high, and large in proportion are
growing in the woods behind Kelso land in Ootaca-
mund. I have met with it in several other places,
but no where abundant. The very peculiar inflorescence
at once distinguishes it from the rest of the
genus. The leaflets vary a good deal iu form and
size ; in some of my specimens they are scarcely
waved nearly elliptic with a short cuspidate point,
under 4 inches long, and 1 £ broad, in others they are
6 or 7 inches long and about 2-broad, much waved.
Flowers June and July. •