# The Journal of Indian Botany/Volume 3/May 1922/The Indian Species of Eriocaulon

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THE INDIAN SPECIES OF ERIOCAULON
By P. F. Fyson, M.A., B.L.S.,
Presidency College, Madras.
(Continued from Vol. IX, p. 320.)
VII. CONNATO-SEPALAE.
Sepals of the female flower united as a calyx opening at the back, as in the males of most other species. Petals distinctly clawed, glabrous or hairy, with a gland inserted close inside the apical margin. Scapes usually ( ? always) many. Eeceptacle more or less hairy. Male flowers similar to other sections with black anthers.
Species about 10, nearly ail in Japan or China, one Himalayan and possibly one in Brazil.
45. E. alpestre Hooker et Thomson. (H. and T. coll. No. 58 in Herb. Calc. !); F.B.L vi 578, No. 23 ; Kuhl* No. 148. Stem short, leaves flat, tapering to a fine point, from 1/2 in. to 3 or 4 in. in vigor- ous specimens. Scapes numerous, slender. Involucral bracts glab- rous, pale obtuse, shorter than the floral. Eeceptacle convex, glab- rous, Female flowers :■ — Calyx spatheaceous, but showing partial divi- sion into three sepals. Claws of the petals nearly as long as the blades ; glands terminal. Male flowers : — Corolla lobes small, anthers black. Seeds oblong, light brown. Plate 42.
Himalayas ; Kumaon 3—4,000 ft. Sikkim 8— -13,000 ft ; Khasia 5,000 ft.
The connate sepals of the female flower mark this species as quite dis- tinct from ail other Indian ones, while the short rounded involucral bracts , the clawed petals and very densely tufted habit, though not unique, are very characteristic.
VIII. LEUCANTHERAE.
The anthers are yellow or white. Most of the species have the long narrow leaves of plants submerged in running water, but except that the female petals are rather broader and almost spathulate, nothing beside the anthers distinguish this group from the SIMPLICES sub-sect {a) (Vol. 1, p. 195.) Stems may be short or elongated. Heads 1/6-1/2 in.; involucral bracts pale or edged with black; receptacle glabrous. Floral bracts usually black, but covered with white hairs, which make the heads grey or white.
About 15 species, 5 African, 9 Indian, 1 Chinese. ​ Two Indian species given by Ruhland as having white or yellow anthers, which I have not seen are distinguished by him as follows : —
Sheath truncate, the mouth nearly entire ... E. melaieueum Mart .
Mouth of the sheath oblique, leaves 6-10 in. peduncle solitary 4-6 cm. ... E. Ritchieanum Buhl.
The melaieueum of Hooker's F. B. I may possibly have been a different plant from that taken by Ruhland, for Hooker described the receptacle as glabrous, and the female petals as without glands, while Ruhland described the receptacle as hairy, the petals as with glands. Martius in Wall PI. As. Rar iii p. 29 described the anthers as “ flavescentes tandem nigrescantes.” Koerniche who gives a very full description omits mention of the receptacle (see note in Appendix I).
The Indian species are here arranged in order of progressive lengthening of the leaves, which in the last species but one are threadlike in conformity with a habit at in running water. The last species is a land plant with short acicular leaves.
Key to the Lencantherae.
Scapes 6-10 in., heads 1/3-1/2 in. ... 46 E. horsley-kundae.
Scapes 2-5 in., heads 1/10-1/6 in. ... 51 E. Sieboldianum.
linear ...
t Leaves 1/10-1/6 in, wide, involucre black (Kanara) ... 47 E. breviscapon.
H Leaves less than 1/10 in.
Involucre pale (Kanara) ... 48 E. rivulare.
Involucre black (Khasia) ... 49 E. miserum.
„ „ (Kanara and Ceylon) ... 50 E, fluvatile.
46. E. horsley-kundae Eyson, sp. nov. (Gamble No. 20985 in Herb. Calc. ! Caulis perbrevis. Eolia 3-5 cm. plana, basi 3mm. lata ​ad apicem sensim angustiora. Pedunculi 15-24 cm., a glabri ; vaginae 5 cm., ore acutae. Oapitula 6 mm. lata, globosa, nigronivea. Recepfea- culum glabrum, Flores ferimeres. Flos : — petala externe visiblia, magnis nigris glandulis instrucfca. Flos S ; sepala ad spatham anfcice Assam connata. Petala gequalia. Anthrae albae. Plate 43.
Peninsular India; Pancbgani, N. Kanara. Horsley-Knnda In Cuddappa District.
Scapes and leaves rather flaccid. Leaves very short compared with the scapes, otherwise the plants with the habit in general of E . collinum Hook f. Heads rather small floral bracts black, but covered with white hairs. Receptacle glabrous. Flowers 3-merous, normal but anthers white.
Var. megalocephala, Oapitula valde majora, 8-12 mm. lata. ; pedunculi breviores, 8-12 cm. Plate 44.
Central Provinces, Mandla District, Peninsular India, Mysore, Nilgiris 5.000 ft.
Peduncles much shorter and heads larger, possibly a distinct species. In habit like E. Geoffreyi, of which it might almost be thought to be a white anthered variety.
See App. I. E. Ritchieanum and E. melaleucum.
47. E. breviscapon Koern. ; F. B. I. vi 575, No. 16 ; Ruhl.
No. 7B. Stem short. Leaveswith broad sheathing base, then suddenly narrowed to a long linear blade, about 1/6 in. by 8-10 in. Scapes a little longer. Heads 1/3-1/2 in. Involucre black, or the outer bracts pale, reflexed. Plate 45. /
Peninsular India ; N. Kanara, in streams, etc. at 2,000 ft.
48. E. rivulare Dalziel ; F.BJ. vi 580, No. 30 (E. Dalzeli) ; Ruhl No. 138. Stem a few inches or 0, thickly covered with the very numerous leaves. Leaves linear, barely 1/12 in. wide not much enlarged at the base, 4 to 9 in. long. Scapes numerous, to 13 in. in length. Involucral bracts pale, at length slightly reflexed. One male petal longer than the others. Plate 46.
Peninsular India ; on the Ghats, at Castle Rock, etc. in streams.
A close connection of the last species of which it may be regarded as the more pronounced aquatic form.
Koerniche l.c. p. 605, rejected Dalziel's name rimdare because of a plant of W est Africa so named previously by Don. But Ruhland identifying Don’s plant with a still earlier E. lati folium Sm. restored Dalziel’s name.
49. E. miserum Koern. (Wall. Cat. 6070 in Herb. Calc.!); r.B.I. vi 575, No. 19 ; Ruhl. No. 72. Stem 1/6 in. thick, up to lj in. long branched at the base and so tufted, clothed below by the nume- rous filiform dead leaves. Leaves sheathing at the base, but soon ​narrowed to the linear blade, 2-6 in. long. Peduncles 6-10 in. Heads 1/12-1/2 in., diam., few flowered. Involucre obtuse, black, horizontal. Receptacle glabrous tall. Female flowers normal. Anthers of male yellow. Plate 47.
Assam ; Silhet.
Var. mitophyllum Hook f. (Clarke 1S270 Jaintea at 4,000 ft. in Herb. Calc. !). F.B.I. vi 575, No. 13 ; Ruhl. No. 70 (as distinct species). Leaves longer and about 1/20 in. wide. Heads larger 1/6 in. A robuster plant. Plate 48,
Assam ; Khasia Hills, Jaintea, Goalpura.
Hooker in founding this as a species says it might be a form of E. miserum , but for the leaf-sheaths being larger and the receptacle globose not columnar. Ruhland says of E . miserum that well developed flowers had not been seen by Koerniche (the founder). Though I do not find this stated in Koerniche’s description in Linnaea I.c. having regard to the variability of submerged plants I feel this is almost certainly a robust form of E. miserum. The two occur in the same locality, but whether together or at different levels the sheets do not indicate.
50. E. fluvatile Trimen ; F.B.I. vi 581, “ imperfectly known Ruhl l.c. p. 115 “ ignofca but probably E. Barbeyanum Ruhl. n. sp. Plate 49.
Stem short, densely tufted. Leaves linear from a base 1/8 in. wide, very slender, solid and channelled above, drying black. Scapes several, up to 15 in. Heads 1/4 in. Involucral bracts pale edged with white, reflexed so that the head is globular. Flowers normal, but anthers yellow. Seeds round, reddish yellow.
Peninsular India ; N. Kanara in running water ; Ceylon.
These last three species are progressively more pronounced running water forms. The Kanara sheet of the last in Herb. Calc, is of a sturdier plant than the Ceylon, one, but this is probably only a chance difference. One Ceylon sheet marked “still water form” has the leaves of E. rivulare, and heads intemediate in size between the two species. Buhlands E . Barbeyanum is I think this species.
51, E. sieboldianum Sieb et Zacc ; F.B.I. vi 577, No. 21; Ruhl. No. 191,192. Stem 0, Leaves 1-2 — 2 in., acute. Scapes If — 5 in., Slen- der. Heads 1/10-1/6 in., ovate or conical. Involucral bracts obtuse, short. Floral oblong-acute, pale or dark, but usually with a dark central band and narrow scarious margins. Male flowers perfect, calyx limb ovate acute, black upwards, anthers white. Female sepals 3-2-0 narrow ; petals 0. Receptacle with a few hairs. Plates 50 and 51.
Widely distributed in India, China and Japan. In South India on damp sandy soil. '
This appears to be a much reduced land-form of this group. Though the scarious floral bracts might lead one at first to suspect an alliance with the ​“SCARIOSAE ”, the dark distinctive band present in nearly all heads, is pro- bably derived from the dark bracts of the others of this group. In the fresh state this is more conspicuous on the lower floral bracts giving them a brownish tinge. The black calyx limbs appear as black spots among this white glistering bracts of the upper flowers.
Ruhland divides the species as defined above into four species according to the distribution and the development of female sepals, and calls some of the Indian forms JET. redactum , as having only 2 or 3 minute female sepals. This separation of the species involves very careful dissectum under a high powered lens, and since as explained in the introduction, it is clear that in the genus Eriocaulon the flowers are highly plastic, and moreover the female sepals of this species are so quickly caducous that it is impossible in seeding heads to be certain of their number, every object of systematic botany would appear to be best served by considering these forms as variations of one widely distributed species.
APPENDIX I.
Species not seen or identified by me.
The following species given in Ruhland’s monograph or elsewhere, some of them as “ dubiae vel imperfecte cognitae ”, have not been seen and are unknown to me.
E. Ritchieanum Ruhl. No. 84. Stem 0. leaves linear acuminate, thin, 4-7 nerved, glabrous 4-5 cm. long, 1*3 mm. wide at the middle. Peduncles solitary, 16 cm. long, compressed when dry. Head 4-5 mm, broad, villously white. Involucral bracts obtuse, glabrous ; floral simi- lar, yellowish black, puberous at the back. Sepals and petals 3 each* Anthers white.
Belgaum Ritchie 1248 in Herb. Bois-Bar. (This may be my E, horseley - kundae ( No. 46) in which case the latter name will not hold.
E. pseudo-quinquangulare Ruhl. No. 86. Stem 0. Leaves 5-8 cm. long. Peduncles 10-23 cm. Heads 3 mm. wide. Floral.bracts ob- long-obovate, acuminate, blackish, hairy at the back. Sepals and petals 3 each ; female sepals obovate-acute, crested. Anthers black.
In the Botanic Gardens Sharampur.
E. heteroiepis Steud. Steud. Syn. PL Gyp. p. 271. Ruhl. No. 87. Stem 0. Leaves 5 cm. long, lanceolate obtuse from a broader base, 9-11 nerved. Peduncles very many, 13 cm. high. Involuoral bracts scarious, 2 seriate ; outer deciduous the inner shorter than the others. Moral bracts olive-green, densely hairy. Sepals and petals 3 ; female sepals with crest, one a little shorter than the others, and narrow linear.
Bombay (Raux, Steude and Korniehe).
Strndel Lc. described the sepals as linear, not mentioning any crest. ICoerniche l.c. p. 652 wrote “ Planta raihi valde dubia, an mutato nomine jam descripta?” ​ E. pectinatum Buhl n. sp. No. 121. Stem 0, Leaves 1 — 1'6 cm. long. Peduncles solitary 5-6 cm. Head viliousiy white, 4-5 mm. broad. Involucral bracts broadly obovate, acute, glabrous, yellow always conspicuous. Eloral bracts obovate, cuspidate keeled, pilose on the back at the apex. Sepals and petals 3, one male petal much longer than others. Anthers black,
Nilgherries (Perrottet, 1167).
The solitary scapes make it possible that this is the species which I named E, Qeoffreyi> (No. 3), in which case of course the latter name must go.
E. Bombayamim Euhl. n. sp. No. 169. Stem 0, Leaves linear, lanceolate, acute, 1.5 — 2 cm. Peduncles numerous, 8-10 cm. Heads densely white, puberous. Involucral bracts greenish, glabrous, con- spicuous. Eloral olive black, oblong-obovate, acute. Sepal 2 only in both sexes. Petals 3 ; female petals linear oblanceolate, ciliate, Anthers black.
Bombay (Warburg 867 in Herb. Beroi). Possibly my E. Thomasi (No. 44) is this, but no mention is made of the very striking inflation of the peduncle just below the head. (But see E. Neesianum Koern. below).
E. eor ypeplon Koern. Euhl. No. 170 ; E.B.I. vi 585, “imperfecte cognita.” Stem 0. Leaves 3-9 cm. long. Peduncles crowded 15-25 cm., 4 winged. Heads subglobose 3-4 mm, diam. In- volucral bracts very broadly ovate acute, olive brown, puberous on the back. Eloral bracts rhombo-cuneate, acuminate. Eeceptacle villous, Sepals of both sexes 2 ; petals 3. Male sepals emargineto-truncate afc the apex with winged keel. Anthers black, Eemale sepals deeply concave, crested on the keel : petals without glands.
Malabar, Goncan, etc. (Stocks, Huegal).
I cannot trace this at ail, the emarginate truncate male sepals seem like that of E . truncatum Ham. The only sheet in Herb Calc, bearing this name was collected by Clarke in Dhaka and is I consider H. truncatum .
E. minimum Lamk. Euhl. No. 182, E.B.I. No. 585 “ imper- fecte cognita.’’ Leaves 2| cm. Peduncles 2J-5 cm, Involucral. bracts obtuse, straw-coloured, glabrous. Eloral similar. Sepals of both sexes 2 ; petals 3. Male sepals falcate, irregularly toothed, glabrous ; female sepals, similar. Anthers black.
East Indies (Sonnerat in Herb. Lamarch, Eceper).
Koerniche, LinnaeaxxviL p.635, placedjjhis closest to E. truncatum Han, and suggested that it is a form of it : and I think so too. Hooker in F. B. I- preferred i£* Sieboldianum as its nearest ally, but the black anthers suffi- ciently distinguish it. Ruhland had not seen a specimen,
E. glaucutn Griff. Not. Ill, 113 ; Euhl and l.c.p. 115 as “ im- perfecta cognita.”
8152—3 ​ E. Rouxianum Steud. Steudel Syn PI. Oyp. p. 271 ; Euhl. p. 116, imperfects cognita ” Leaves Iinaar-lanceolate from a broad bass, 1—1 1 in. Head § in. diam. Involucral bracts, herbaceous, erect, linear-oblong obtuse, 1/4 longer than the white villous head. Moral bracts, obovate-obtuse, ciliate. Sepals lanceolate, ciliate at the apex- Near Bombay.
Euhland remarks that Koerniche thinks that is JE. Thwaitcsii , but he him- self thinks this very doubtful. Putting aside the herbaceous character of the involucral bracts, their length suggests my E Diance , but the description does not suffice for more.
E. melaleucurn Mart. Wall PI. As. Ear. Ill p. 29 ; E.B.I. vi 574 ; Euhl. No. 80. An annual {Mart). Leaves 1-2 in. 3-7 nerved linear subulate or accuminate. Sheaths twice as long, truncate. Peduncles solitary or few, 3-6 in. high. Involucral bracts black, obtuse ; floral acuminate, black, thickly bearded. Sepals and petals' 3 each. Eemale sepals 2 boat shaped 1 flat ; petals oblaneeolate, ciliate. One male petals slightly longer than the others. Anthers globose, yellow but turning blackish, “ Mavescentes tandem nigricantes,” {Mart). Seeds elliptic. S. India— Ooramandel (Mart. Wall Cat. 608o’) E.B.I. gives Nilgiris (Heyne and Schmidt) and Arrakan (King).
Euhland quote also Perrottet 1166 (Nilgiris) and Wight 2856.
Inspite of the wide range attributed to the species there is no sheet with this name m the Calcutta Herbarium. But this very wide distribution, from Burma to the Coromandel, and from the plains to the Nilgiris suggests a mix- ture of more than one species. The blackening of the yellow anthers is also strange. Martms, plant may be m yE. hmsley-kundce, but I have not had access to Wallich‘s collection, and this latter species has not a markedly truncate
bu e tta?h thS °t r ^ Hookf. on the Nilgiris ofSnh as
but its anthers are black, and except by the anthers which were not noticed y Hooker.it is easy to confuse E. collmum what I call E. horsleu-hundae with var megalocephala, (No. 46), for both grow on the Nilgiris at 5,000 ft.
E. subglaucum Ruhl., Euhl. No. 68. This name Euhland gave the plant named by Thwaites E. atratum var. major, (No 61 ) which . Hooker reduced in Trimens Elora of Ceylon to E. zeylanmm Koerniche. But see my note on E. atratum, (No. 30).
p T f Neesfonwn. Koerniche; Euhl. No. 172. Very similar to E. Thwaitem Koem. but the involucral bract not longer than the head.
But in Koermche’s description in Linnaea xxvii, p. 630, the female seDals were given “as naviculari-carinatae et spongiosa-alatae ’’ an d !
alliesas E. truncatum Mart, and E. achiton . P The sponeev win the , nearest
head. It is m probably the small form of JE. Thwaitesii Kn*™ ut j E, Mariae (Pi. Nil. and Pul. H. T. t. 277). See note on No 14.
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