671 
MELASTOMA granulosa. 
Commerson’s Melastoma. 
— 
DECANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Nat. ord. MELASTOMACRE. Jussieu gen. 328, Brown bot. of Congo. 
15. Div. I. Germen infor: S Congo 
MELASTOMA. Supra vol. 5. fol. 363. 
Div. Foliis 5-nervibus. 
M. granulosa, ramis marginato-tetragonis, foliis ovali-lanceolatis longids 
acuminatis, suprà appresse hispidis lucidis, subtüs pannoso-villosis ; pe- 
talis Obovato-oblongis acumine brevi abrupto, filamentis supernè longè 
laxéque lanatis. Don MSS. 
Melastoma granulosa. Lamarck encyc. 4. 44. Smith in Rees's cyclop, in 
loco. Persoon syn. 1. 476. 
Frutex 10-pedalis, appresso-hispidus, supra brachiato-ramosus ramis ad- 
scendentibus, alato-4-gonis, superni foliosis virentibus alis subundulatis. 
Fol. coriacea, decussato-opposita, divaricata, intervallis multotiès longiora, 
immerse 5-nervia (nervis 3 subtús varicosioribus), integra, utrinque atte- 
nuate, cuspidato-acuminata, 4-6-uncialia latitudine sesquiunciali v. majore, 
suprà saturate virentia lucida carunculis muriciformibus (in siccá albicanti- 
bus atque conspicuioribus) adnato-decumbentibus setulá brevi appressá termi- 
matis antrorsüm directis subsymmetricè strigosa, sublüs preter nervos vari- 
cosos strigillosos laná brevi molli densá pallescentia inque nercorum intervallis 
transversé numerose parallelèque venosa: petioli fleriles, folio multotiès bre- 
tiores, scabri, è ciliis intermediis per paria connexi. Paniculæ terminales, 
decussato-ramulosæ, ramuli trichotomi breves axisque purpurascentia 4-gona 
hispida: pedicellittubo calycis pluries breviores, bracteis 2 oppositis majoribus 
gemmaceis caducis cum enascente flore inclusi, teretes, sericei. Flores rubro- 
purpurei, speciosissimi, diametro ferm? triunciali. Cal. tubuloso-5-fidus, tubo 
cylindrico, pedicelli turbinato-continuo, limbo membranaceo, colorato, re- 
curvo-rotato, segmentis oblongo-acuminatis, tubo subequalibus, intüs glabris. 
Cor. concaviüs rotata, extús lucida, petalis obovato-oblongis acumine brevi 
apiculatis, obsoletè unguiculatis, subdistantibus, subtilitér ciliatis. Stam. 10, 
alternó longiora, 3 v. circa corollá breviora, fasciculata, filamentis declinato- 
assurgentibus, albidis, gracilibus, inferné nudis, supernè land longé lar 
rubré barbatis: antheræ purpurascentes, lineari-subulate, filamento sub- 
equales, curvo brevi ángusto adscendentes, loculis introrsis transvers? rugatis 
intensits coloratis, receptaculo eztrorso pallente basi bidentato. Stylus eru- 
bescens glaber, staminibus. sublongior, filamentis subrobustior ; stigma aper 
obtusus puberulus. Germ. albidum, tubo ealycino equale, apice sericeo-vil- 
lon. Fructum nec nisi imperfectum, vidimus. Don MSS. 
This fine shrub grows to the height of ten feet, and from 
its deep green shining foliage, numerous and long-succeed- 
ing bunches of large purple blossom, is said to form one 
of the most splendid ornaments of the tropical groves. 
