14 NEILGHERRY PLANTS.
X.-CARYOPHYLLACEÆ.-CHICKWEED TRIBE.
To this family belong, alike the beautiful and much admired Pinks, Carnations, Piccotees, Sweet-williams, Catch flies and Corn-cockles and the almost inconspicuous flowered Starworts and Chick-weeds. In the former division there are no indigenous species found on the hills, and only three or four of the latter. The one here represented, which is a true native, is introduced rather to show the contrast, as compared with the gay pinks, the aristocra- tic members of this Natural family, than for any beauty of its own. Such being the case, it is unnecessary to dwell long on this order. Of the first division (Sileneae) several are cultivated in our gardens such as Dianthus including carnation, sweet-william, &c., Silene or catch-fly and Argostemma, or corn-cockle of the second (Alsinee) several are sufficiently abundant as weeds, among which may be mentioned the Cerastium or chick weed and Stellaria or starwort, the Arenaria or sandwort, here figured, rarely met with about gardens but is abundant on the road side leading to Dodabet, and other equally retired situations.
The bulk of the family is extra-tropical, it therefore seems rather curious that the Neilgherries should have only one representative that they can undisputedly claim as their own. All the others being European plants and probably introduced.
ARENARIA.-Sandwort.
Sepals 5. Petals 5, entire. Stamens 10 (or fewer by abortion). Styles 2, 3 or 4. Capsule opening by 3, usually bipartite, valves. Seeds numerous, roundish. small. Stipules none.
The plants of this genus are generally more weeds, usually growing in sandy soil, very diffuse, spread- ing extensively, or if growing among bushes climbing among their branches to a considerable height such.is the habit of our plant.
ARENARIA NEILGHERRSNSI (W & A.:) stems elon- gated, much branched, procumbent, with an alternate line of hairs on one side: leaves distant, obovate, mueronulate, glabrous, with minute whithish points, 1-nerved; margins thickened, nerve-like, ciliated towards the petiole: flowers axillary, or in terminal sub-dichotomous panicles: pedicels viscidly pube- scent all round,longish, slender: sepals oblong, acute, with 1 dorsal hairy nerve; margin membranaceous: petals longer than the calyx: styles usually 3 (some- times 2 or 4): capsules ovate, nearly the length of the calyx.-W. and A. Prod. p. 43.
XI-MALVACE.-MALLOW TRIBE.
This is a large, and in its relations to man, a most important family as supplying him with food and clothing and medicine. Within the tropics, where they abound, several species, are cultivated for the first, such as Hibiscus esculentus, canabinus &c.; cotton, one of the products of this family, is employed as clothing in every part of the globe; while sundry species of mallow, sida &c., are in request in domestic medicine as emollients, de- mulcents, and for fomentations in all sorts of ailments, requiring such remedies. Though many of them rejoice in handsome flowers, a few only have found their way into the flower garden, among these may be mentioned the splendid Hollyhock (Althea rosea) the Tree mallows (Malope trifida and malacoides and Lavatera abarea) the Shoeflower and changeable rose Hibis- cus. (Hibiscus Rosa Sinensis and mutabilis). Of these the Hollyhock and Malope, and occasi- onally a large species of Mallow, perhaps Malva sylvestris, find a place in the Hill gardens.
