THE FLORA OF THE MALAY· PENINSULA

352
CLI. COMMELINACElE.
Seeds cylIndric conic smooth .
Leaves linear-lanceolate.
Prostrate plant in sand; leaves I in. long
Erect diffuse plant; leaves 3 to 6 in long
Leaves elliptic or ovate blunt pubescent . .
[ Cammelina.
(3) C. Hasskarli
(4) C. attenuata
(5) C. salicifolia
(6) C. benghalensis
Capsule 2-celled, one cell empty, one 1- or 2-seeded.
Stem creeping; leaves glabrous Seeds nearly smooth (7) C. clavata
Erect rather stout plant, spathe I. Seeds rugose . (8) C. suffruticosa
Stout plant with large heads of funnel-shaped bracts (9) C.obliqua
(I) C. nudiflora Linn. Sp. Pl. 41; Ridl. Mat. ii. II5.
Stem. long, creeping, slender. Leaves lanceolate acute, 2 to 3
in. long, '5 in. wide, sheaths '25 in. long. Spathe ovate-Ianceolate,
'5 to 1'5 in. long; peduncles'5 in. long. Cymes 2. Sepals ovate,
boat-shaped, blue, white-edged. Petals 2, reniform, clawed,
'25 in. long and one much smaller, azure-blue. Stamens 6,3 fertile;
filaments blue. Capsule elliptic, 3-celled, 5-seeded. Seeds cylindric,
reticulate. Hab. Very common in waste ground everywhere.
Distrib. All tropics. Native name: Pulau Aur; Rumput Kukupu;
Tapak Eti. Use: Leaves for poulticing sores, shoots as a vegetable.
White-flowered forms occur.
(2) C. sikkimensis Clarke, Camm. and Cyrt. Beng. t. 6; Manag.
147· Stem slender, widely creeping. Leaves lanceolate, base unequal,
usually round, 2 to 3 in. long, '25 to '3 in. wide. Spathes 1'5 to
2 in. long, glabrous acuminate, ovate-Ianceolate cordate; peduncles
'3 to I in. long. Cymes bifid, upper branch 6- to I2-flowered.
Petals blue. Capsule 2-seeded, conic acute. Seeds pyramidal
not reticulate, slightly rugose. Hab. Open country in the north.
Setal, Bukit Rajah Wang. Perlis, Chupeng; Tebing Tinggi
(Ridley). Distrib. Bengal.
(3) C. Hasskarli Clarke, Camm. and Cyrt. Beng. t. 3, Manag. 157.
Sparingly pubescent or glabrous. Leaves lanceolate, usually
narrow, 2 in. long, '5 in. wide, with a short petiole; sheath '2 in.
long, not hairy at mouth. Spathe very short, ovate broad, not
acuminate, base round, 'S in. long; peduncle'I in. long. Raceme
1- or 2-flowered. Flowers blue. Capsule s-seeded, tip conic acute.
Seeds cylindric conic, quite smooth. Hab. Tringganu (Yapp).
Distrib. India, Sumatra, Philippines.
I have only seen one poor specimen which does not altogether resemble
ordinary Hasskarli, but Clarke seems to have passed it in the Kew herbanum
as that species. It is very distinct from our other species in the very short,
broad spathe and the smooth seeds.
(4) C. attenuata Vahl. Enum. ii. 168; Ridl. Mat. ii. II6.
Tufted creeping, prostrate, plant I ft. long. Leaves narrow
linear-lanceolate recurved, I in. long, '12 in. wide, or none; sheath
hairy. Spathe narrow lanceolate recurved, I in. long or less;
peduncles '5 in. long, hairy. Sepals oblong. Petals bright blue.