Flora Medica

XYRIDACE^l.Nat. syst.ed. 2. p. 388.XYRIS.Head composed of roundish, imbricated, very compact,1 -flowered scales. Sepals 3. Petals 3, much larger, perishable,equal, waved. Hypogynous scales 3, bifid. Capsule 1 -celled,3-valved. Seeds numerous on parietal receptacles.1311. X. indica Linn. sp. pi. 62. Vahl. ii.symb. 7. Wittd.254. Eoxb. fl.ind. i. 179. (Rheede ix. t. 71.) Lowi.clayey soils in Bengal and Coromandel.Root fibrous, annual. Leaves radical, bifarious, straight, swordshaped,on 1 edge slit into a sheath for the scape, pointed, smooth ;from 6 to 12 inches long. Scape naked, round, striated, erect, lengthof the leaves, each supporting a round, flower-bearing head. Flowersa beautiful bright-yellow. Bracts or scales 1-flowered, orbicular,concave, hard, smooth. Calyx 3-leaved, hid within the scale, membranous.Petals 3, each supported on an unguis just long enough toraise their expanding oval crenate borders above the scales. Barrenfilaments inserted with the alternately petals round the base of theovary; apex 2-cleft, each division ending in a pencil of fine yellowhairs adhering firmly at the cleft to the edges of the petals, near theapex of the claws. Filaments 3, short, broad, erect, inserted on theinside of the apex of the claws of the petals. Anthers twin, erect,united by a continuation of the filament. Ovary superior, 3-sided.Style length of the claws of the petals, from thence 3-cleft. Stigmatorn. Capsule 3-valved, 1-celled. Seeds numerous, attached to a keeldown the inside of each valve. Roxb. The natives of Bengal considerthis of great value, because they think it an easy, speedy, andcertain cure for the ringworm. Rheede says the leaves are used forthis purpose mixed with vinegar and the ;leaves and roots boiled in oilare taken against leprosy.615 R R 4-