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In a considerable part of the species published in the 

 '* monograph of Rhexia, by M. Bonpland, and in some 

 other genera of the Melastomacece, the manner in which 

 the germen is connected with the tube of the calyx is pe- 

 " culiar. This cohesion, instead of extending uniformly 

 u over the whole surface, is limited to 10 longitudinal equi- 

 " distant lines or membranous processes, apparently origin- 

 ating from the surface of the germen; the interstices, 

 which are tubular, and gradually narrowing towards the 

 " b*tse, being entirely free. 



■ " The function of these tubular interstices is as remark- 

 "able as their existence. 



"In Melastomacece, before the expansion of the corolla, 

 the tops of the filaments are inflected, and the antheree are 

 pendulous, and parallel to the lower or erect portion of 

 " the filament; their tips reaching either to the line of com- 

 " plete cohesion between the calyx and germen, where that 

 (i exists ; or, where this cohesion is partial, and such as I 

 have now described, being lodged in the tubular inter- 

 stices; the points extending to the base of the germen. 

 From these sheaths, to which they are exactly adapted, 

 the antherse seem to be disengaged in consequence of the 

 unequal growth of the different parts of the filament; the 

 w inflected portion ceasing to increase in length at an early 

 period, while that helow the curvature continues to elon- 

 gate considerably until the extrication is complete, when 

 0t expansion takes place. 



" It is singular that this mode of cohesion between the ger- 

 <" men and the calyx in certain genera of Melastomace.ee, and 

 ** the equally remarkable aestivation of the antherae accom- 

 " panying it, should have been universally overlooked v espe- 

 w cially in the late monograph of M. Bonpland; as both the 

 " structure and economy certainly exist in some, and proba- 

 " bly in the greater part of the plants which that author has 

 " figured and described as belonging to Rhexia." 



Swartz describes the present shrub as growing, on its 

 native spot, to the height of a man. Stem upright, 

 ^branched, smooth; branches upright, cylindrically angular, 

 smooth. Leaves petioled, decussatedly opposite, lanceo- 

 lately ovate, acuminate or long-pointed, entire, five-nerved, 

 veined, smooth on both sides, thinner than usual in the 

 genus, sometimes slightly wrinkled at the under side, some- 

 what shining, of a deep full green colour. Racemes terminal? 

 compound, upright, decussately panicled. 



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