MYRTACE^. XXVII. Myrtus. 



835 



The broad-leaved Dutch myrtle. Leaves crowded, dark green. 

 The douhle-Jlowering myrtle appears to be of this variety. 



Var. d, mucronata (Lin. spec.) leaves linear-lanceolate, acu- 

 minated. M. minima, MilL Rosemary or thyme-leaved myrtle, 



B. leiicocdrpa (D. C. prod. 3. p. 239.) fruit white. Tj . H. 

 Native of Greece and the Balearic Islands. Smith, prod. fl. graec. 

 p. 36. The fruit of this kind is rather large, edible, with a grate- 

 ful taste and smell. 



The above varieties are constant ; but there are others in the 

 gardens which are more variable. It will suffice to give the 

 names of a few of these. 



1 Gold-striped broad-leaved myrtle. 



2 Broad-leaved Jews* myrtle. This variety has its leaves 

 frequently in threes, on which account it is said to be in esteem 

 among the Jews in their religious ceremonies. 



8 Gold-striped-leaved orange-myrtle, 



4 Silver-striped Italian myrtle, 



5 Striped box-leaved myrtle, 



6 Silver-striped rosemary-leaved myrtle, 



7 Silver-striped nutmeg myrtle, 



8 Cock's-comb or bird\s-nest myrtle, 



9 Spotted-leaved myrtle. 



axillary, solitary, 1-flowered, a little shorter than the leaves, bi- 

 bracteolate under the flower ; leaves ovate -oblong, acute, mem- 

 branous, reticulated, glabrous, shining ; branchlets hairy ; calyx 

 5-cleft. ^2 . S. Native of Peru, at Gonzanama, at the eleva- 

 tion of 3000 feetf where it is called, along with some other spe- 

 cies, Arayan, Leaves 20-22 lines long. Flowers size of those 

 of M, communis. Berry globose, red, 2-celled ; cells 1. seeded. 

 Arayan Myrtle. Sh. 6 to 8 ft. 



11 M. MULTiFLORA (Juss. herb. Jaume, in Duham. ed. nov. 

 1. p. 208.) pedicels solitary, axillary, elongated, and in terminal 

 racemes ; flowers 5-cleft ; leaves ovate -orbicular, mucronate, 

 opaque, coriaceous, hairy on the petioles, margins, and nerves 

 on both surfaces, as well as the branchlets and peduncles, Tj . S. 

 Native of Chili and Peru. Leaves 8-9 lines long and 6-7 broad, 

 green above, and white beneath. Pedicels 6 inches long, gla- 

 brous at the apex, as well as the calyxes, but hairy at the base. 

 Fruit and seeds unknown. Perhaps the same as M, Luma^ 

 Molin. chil. 173. but M, Liima of Spreng. syst. appears to be 

 different. The bark is astringent, and possesses the same qua- 

 lities as that of M. iigni, 



Many-Jlowered Myrtle. Shrub. 



12 M. ? Goethea'na (Mart. herb, ex D. C. prod. 3. p. 240.) 

 Common Myxde, FL July, Aug. Clt. 1597. Sh. 3 to 10 ft. pedicels l-flowered, 3 times shorter than the leaves, bearing 



2 acute bracteoles at the apex : lower ones axillary and solitary : 

 upper ones in umbellate fascicles ; leaves oval, acuminated, 

 rather coriaceous, quite glabrous, shining ; tube of calyx glo- 

 bose, with 5 oblong-oval lobes. ^2 • S. Native of Demerara, 

 and of Brazil at Rio Janeiro. Leaves 4* inches long, 15-16 lines 

 broad, opaque, dotted beneath. Peduncles 9 lines long. Flowers 

 large. Petals 7-9 lines long. Staminiferous disk broad, as in 

 Psidium, Ovarium globose, 2-3-celled. Stamens very nu- 

 merous, shorter than the petals. Fruit globose, yellowish, 5- 

 celled. Seeds many, oblong. 

 Goethe's Myrtle. Shrub. 



13 M.? e'legans (D. C. prod. 3. p. 240.) glabrous; pedicels 

 axillary, 1-flowered, solitary, about equal in length to the leaves; 

 bracteas small under the flowers ; lobes of calyx 4, broad, acut- 

 ish ; tube obovate ; leaves lanceolate, attenuated at both ends, 

 acute, stiff, opaque ; branches tetra^^onal. ^j . S. Native of 

 Brazil, in the province of Minas Geraes. Psidium elegans, 

 Mart. herb. Habit almost of M. communis var. Romana, In 

 habit it comes near Eugenia Pia ; but neither the flower-bud 

 nor fruit has been seen, and therefore the genus is very doubtful. 



Elegant Myrtle. Shrub. 



14 M. ? fascicula'ris (D. C. 1. c.) pedicels 1-flowered, 4-7- 



6 M. jtfYRicoiDEs (H. B. et Kunth, nov. gen. amer. C. p. 131. 

 t. 539.) peduncles axillary, 1-flowered, hardly shorter than the 

 leaveS; pubescent, furnished with 2 bracteoles at the apex ; 

 leaves oblong, coriaceous, veinless, glabrous above, puberulous 

 beneath as well as on the branchlets ; calyx 5-cleft. \i . S. Native 

 of Peru. Petals glabrous. Berry nearly globose, 3-4-celled. 

 Seeds numerous, nearly reniform. Embryo as in M. communis, 



Myrica-leaved Myrtle. Sh. 4 to 6 (t, 



7 M. saluta'ris (H. B. et Kunth, 1. c. p. 132.) pedicels ax- 

 illary, solitary, 1-flowered, shorter than the leaves, puberulous; 

 leaves ovate-oblong, obtuse, rather membranous, reticulated, 

 glabrous, shining; branchlets rather hairy ; calyx quinquefid. 

 ^ . S. Native near Carichana, on the banks of the Orinoco, where 

 it is called Gitayava-Arayan, Leaves 2 inches long, and an 

 inch broad. Petals ciliated, length of stamens. Berry nearly 

 globose, 2-celled, about the size of a sloe. Seeds bony, soli- 

 tary, or numerous in the cells. A decoction of the root of this 

 species is considered good against hsemorrhages- 



Salutary Myrtle. Sh. 4 to 6 ft. 



8 M, calophy'lla (H. B. et Kunth, 1. c. p. 133.) pedicels 

 axillary, 1-flowered, solitary, or twin, shorter than the leaves, 

 bibracteolate at the apex ; leaves elliptic-oblong, acute, running 

 into the petiole at the base, coriaceous, veinless, shining, and are 

 as well as the branchlets glabrous ; calyx 5-cleft. ^ , S, Na- 

 tive on the banks of the Orinoco, near Maypures. Leaves 2 

 inches long. Pedicels 10-14 lines long, when bearing the fruit. 

 Flowers as large as those of M, communis. Berry nearly glo- 

 bose, 2-celled, about the size of a sloe. Embryo probably like 



that of M, communis. 



Beautiful-leaved Myrtle. Sh. 6 to 8 ft. 



9 M. u'gni (Molin. chil. ed. gall. p. 133.) pedicels axillary, 

 1-flowered, a little recurved, rather longer than the leaves, 

 bearing each 2 linear bracteoles under the flower ; leaves ovate, 

 acute, glabrous; calyx 5-cleft, with the lobes reflexed. ^. G. 

 Native of Chili, where it is called U'gni, and by the Spaniards 

 Murtilla. Feuill. obs. 3. p. 44. t. 31, Lam^ diet. 4. p. 412. 



Petals almost like those of M. 



Fruit red, musky, 



nearly globose, 8-seeded, compressed. The natives of Chili 

 express the juice from the fruit and mix it with water, to which 

 it gives a beautiful red colour. It forms a very refreshing drink, 

 and has something of the odour of rosemary. 



Ugni Myrtle. Sh. 2 to 3 ft. 



10 M.? Ara'yan (H. B. et Kunth, L c. p. 133.) pedicels 



together, axillary, a little shorter than the leaves, bearing 2 

 linear bracteoles under the flowers ; leaves oval-oblong, acute at 

 both ends, full of pellucid dots, clothed with velvety pubescence 

 when young, as well as the calyxes ; calyx 5-lobed ; lobes very 

 obtuse. ^ . S. Native of Cayenne. Flowers and leaves rising 

 in fascicles from the axils of the' old leaves, as in Pyrus, Pedi- 

 cels 6 lines long. Fruit and seeds unknown. Limb of calyx 

 5-cleft, not 5-parted. 



Fascicled-Rowered Myrtle. Shrub. 



15 M. ? brachyste'mon (D. C. 1. c.) pedicels 1-flowered, 

 axillary, 3-5-together, 3 times shorter than the leaves, bearing 

 2 ovate bracteoles under the flowers ; leaves ovate, glabrous, 

 bluntly somewhat acuminated ; calyx 5-cleft; branchlets rather 

 downy. Tj . S. Native of St. Domingo and Porto Rico, in 

 hedges. Eugenia Patrisii, Spreng. in herb. Balb. but not of 

 Vahl. Leaves an inch long, and 6 lines broad. Pedicels 3-5 

 lines long. Flowers small. Stamens 20, shorter than the petals. 

 Fruit and seeds unknown. 



Short-stamened Myrtle. Shrub. 



Sect. II. Rhojdomy'etus (from /joSoi^, rhodon, a rose, and ui/p- 

 5o 2 ^ 



