312 THE JOURNAL OF INDIAN BOTANY.
gray. Floral bracts acute, cilate, entirely hidden when these are fully out by the very large protruding male petals. Receptacle hour- glass shape. Plate 29.
South India ; Nilgiris 5—6,000 ft.
Var. b. caulescens. Hook. f. and Thorns. F.B.I, vi, 572, No. 5 ; Ruhl. as E. atratum var. major No. 74.
Stem 3-10 in. branched, the lower parts covered with leaf-bases Leaves narrowed above the broad base, and then 1/4 in. wide or less by 3-6 in. Scapes 6-25 in. Involucre black. Plate 30.
Ceylon : Ilorton Plain. Adam's Peak. There is no real difference except in the stem and its branching from E. robust am. A piece of the Ceylon plant is indistinguishable from a not very robust Nilgiri one. I have therefore no hesitation in uniting this as a variety to E. robustovi, though Hooker founded a new species for it, and Ruhland followed Thwaites in calling it var major of E. atratum. The fresh flower heads have the scent of a Chrysanthemum.
33. E. cristatUUl Mart., F.B.I, vi, 574 ; Ruhl. No. 118, stom short, or up to 1 ia. Leaves linear to 6 in. by 1/6 in., many nerved, not much enlarged at the base. Scapes 6-15 in. Heads 1/3 in. In- volucre black or white. Floral bracts deltoid. Receptacle not very hairy. Plato 31.
Assam ; Khasia ; Bengal. Some of the heads have a fringe of protruding male petals as in E. longi- cuspis, but because of the broad leaf-bases I am inclined to regard this as more nearly related to E. ceylanicum.
V. SEARIOSAE
Both involucral and floral bracts scarious without any trace of dark colour, and tending to become hairy and acuminate. Receptacle villous. Flowers perfect or more often very small and reduced by omission of one or more parts. Stem in all disciform and leaves glabrous. Involucre hairy.
Key
Heads 1/3 in., conical ; floral bracts acu- minate ; female sepals 3. (Nepal to Pegu) ... 34 E. oryzetorum.
Heads 1/8 in, to 1/6 in., conical ; floral bracts acute ; female sepals 2 (Assam to Tavoy and Wostern Ghats) ... 35 E. Hamiltonianum;
Heads 1/6 in. globose ; female sepals 2, petals 2 or o ; involucral bracts longer than the head (Sikkim to Chota Nagpur) ... 36 E. Edwardii.
34. E. oryzetorum Mart. (Wall. Cat. 6069 in Herb. Calc. !) F.B.I, vi, 579, No. 25 in part; Ruhl. No. 126. Annual (Mart.)
