filiform stigma 5 cleft. Capsule 5 valved separating
from the seed. Seed ovate, pendulous ; embryo folia-
cious, enclosed in a farinaceous albumen.
I have to apologize to Dr. Gibson for not introducing
some alterations and corrections which he suggested
on the drawing being submitted to him for comparison
with growing plants. This originated in his letter
having been mislaid and supposed lost when sending
the drawing to the printer. Since then I have found it,
and will do what I can towards correcting the first error
by introducing some extracts here, premising, however,
that the outline- of the figure correctly represents the
specimens first sent and that the errors are confined to
some of the details.
“ 1st. The leaves are considerably too lanceolate only
the younger ones are generally acuminate the older
ones rounded and sometimes crenate.”
“ 2d. The leaves have not the net work of veins shown,
but simple cross veins faintly visible ; colour of the
leaf light glaucous or sea green texture almost coriaceous.”
[The veinous net work is certainly more distinct
in the drawing than the specimen, but being on a white
ground that is unavoidable, it however exists in the
original.]
“ 3d. Foliamajorafirme, semper margine retroversa.”
“ 4th. The inflorescence is much too panicular it
should be more of a spike with a few branchlets, rather
converging than diffuse, the inflorescence also is too
rounded at the ends it should be considerably more
conical.” [As regards the outline of the inflorescence
the figure is correct for the specimen, which was the
roost luxuriant of those sent. For the rest I cannot so
well speak now as most of the flowers, owing to its having
got wet and injured in coming, fell off almost immediately
after it was opened.]
“ 5th. The same remark applies to the petals as
drawn previous to expansion : they are pointed, not
rounded and ventricose as in the drawing. Æstivation
is convolute as in Apocynete.”
These remarks are introduced in the hope that they
will tend, with the aid of the figure, to convey a more
correct idea of the varying forms of the plant, than even
the most correct figure of any one of them could give.
1076. Vernonia conyzoides (D. C.) suffruticose,
erect, striated, shortly pubescent: leaves ovate, or oblong
lanceolate, acuminated, attenuated into a short petiole,
serrated ; glabrous above pubescently villous beneath :
corymb compound, ramous, polycephalous : scales of
the involucrum linear lanceolate, acuminated, pubescently
villous, shorter than the disk.—D. C. Prod. 5-25.
On the plains, this is comparatively a small plant; on
the Neilgherries, especially, when growing among bushes
where it finds support, I have seen it 10 or 12 feet in
height. Flowering time February and March, flowers
rose coloured.
1077. Vernonia pecteniformïs (D. C.) shrubby,
branches teret« smoothish, younger ones angled, pubescent
: leaves short petioled, lanceolate, acuminated,
pectinately and deeply serrated, membranaceous ; glabrous
above pilose beneath : cymes terminal, corymbose,
naked : capitula long pedicelled, many flowered, ovate :
scales of the involucrum dry, glabrous, ciliated, ovate,
oblong, subacute.—D. C. Prod. 5. p. 31.
I have compared the Neilgherry plants from which
the drawing was made with the Dindigul one examined
and named by DeCandolle and cannot find any permanent
difference, where a number of specimens are under
examination : I therefore think the two plants should
be united as 1 species. V. Pecteni/'ormis being the older
published name by 2 years and moreover feeling sure
that this species, I adopt it.
1078. Vernonia Nilgherryensis (D. C.) herbaceous,
roundish, subpuberulous : leaves short petioled
ovate acuminate, prickly serrated; rough above, tawny
coloured beneath : cymes terminal panicle-shaped,
branches very famous polycephalous : capitulae ovate
crowded 2-5 flowered : scales of the involucrum dry,
oval oblong acute, glabrous, pilose at the apex :achaenium
glabrous: external series of the pappus very short
deciduous.—D. C. 1. c.
A large annual, common in hedges on the Neilgherries,
flowering in March and April: flowers pale pink.
This plant is so exceedingly like Decaneurum divergent
that they can only be distinguished by a reference to the
generic character.
1079. Vernonia salvifolia (R. W.) shrubby tomentose
: leaves long narrow lanceolate, rugose, glabrous
above, densely white—tomentose beneath : corymbs
axillary and terminal naked or with a few small
scattered leaves: capitulee numerous, densely aggregated,
subsessile, many flowered : involucrum subcampa-
nulate tomentose : scales lanceolate, subacute, callous
at the apex: achsenium glabrous somewhat 4 angled, the
sides sprinkled with glutinous- points, exterior pappus
paleaceous.
Courtallum. This species is nearly allied in habit to
V. Wightiana, Arnott, but is certainly most distinct in
its characters.
1080. D ecaneurum reticulatum (D. C.) stem
suffruticose, erect, ramous, every where rough with
bristly hairs: leaves sessile, ovate, mucronate, and
mucronately sub dentate ; rough above, densely whitish
tomentose beneath; nerves and veins scabrous
reticulated : peduncles few, axillary and terminal, capi-
tulae closely embraced by numerous foliacious bracts ;
interior scales of the involucrum scariose, glabrous,
longer than the bracteas.—D. C. Prod. 5. p. 866.
Neilgherries, frequent on the banks of streams all over
the hills, and in flower nearly all the year ; but in greatest
perfection from J une to September. Plant from 2 to 4
feet high flowers purple.
1081. D ecaneurum Courtallense (R. W.) stems
scabrous, suffruticose, erect, ramous : leaves attenuated
into the petiole, ovate lanceolate obtuse, slightly mucro-
nate-dentate; rough above, softly whitish tomentose
beneath, at first uniformly white afterwards reticulately
veined : peduncles axillary l-cephalous capitulae closely
bound by several ovate-obtuse mucronate 3 nerved
bracts: interior scales of the involucrum scariose, glabrous,
longer than the bracts.
Courtallum flowering in February, this species seems
intermediate between D. reticulatum and molle but very
distinct from both.
1082. D ecaneurum molle (D.C.) stem herbaceous
erect, somewhat scabrous, tomentose towards the apex:
leaves attenuated into the petiole, ovate lanceolate acuminate,
coursely and irregularly serrated; above setosely
scabrous or nearly glabrous; beneath whitish tomentose:
interior scales of the involucrum scariose, glabrous,
subacute.—D. C. 1. c. p. 67.
This seems to be a widely distributed and variable
species. I have specimens from the Southern extremity
of the Peninsula and others communicated by Mr.
Law, from the vicinity of Bombay. Between the
Southern and Northern forms there is considerable dif-
( « )