256 MELASTOMACE/E. 



(rarely broader), inflexed above the ovary, opening with one or two pores : cells connected 

 or rarely distinct. Ovary adherent, convex and unibilicated at the glabrous top. — Shrubs 

 or trees, not hispid ; panicle terminal : flowers usually sessile ; petals blunt. 



Sect. 1. Eumiconia. — Anthers oblong-linear, tapering towards the one-pored or parti- 

 tioned top : cells connected. — Panicle trichotomous or contracted : ultimate branches with 

 clustered or serial flowers. 



§ Panicle trichotomous. 



f Seeds pyramidal, icith the embryo usually inflexed. 



* Leaves whitened beneath. 



49. M. arjjyrophylla, DC. Tetragonal branches and under side of the leaves hoary 

 with a very short appressed down ; leaves elliptical-oblong, trinerved, glabrous above, sil- 

 very beneath, petioled ; panicle trichotomous, hoary : flowers serial ; calyx-tube furrowed ; 

 anthers 10 : filaments inflexed in the bud ; ovary 3-locular : stigma minute. — Sloan. 1. 198. 

 /. 1. Mart. Nov. Gen. t. 284.— M. holosericea, Steud. ! in PI. Hostm. (non DC). M. 

 holosericea, a, Crueg. ! — A tall shrub, usually about 20' high, but variable in growth ; leaves 

 4"-l 2" long, pointed, minutely denticulated or subentire; bracts minute, subulate; calyx- 

 tube shortly carupanulate, at length globose : teeth shortly ovate, blunt ; petals white or 

 flesh-coloured, obovate ; connective bitubercled at the base on the anterior and tumid on the 

 posterior side. — Hab. Jamaica (SI.), Barbadoes ; Trinidad !, Lockh., Cr., Pd., in savan- 

 nahs and woods ; [S. Thomas ; Mexico ! to Guiana !, Brazil ! and Bolivia]. 



50. M. holosericea, DC. Compressed-cylindrical branches aud under side of the 

 leaves hoary, with a short, appressed, white down ; leaves ovate-oblong, or elliptical-oblong, 

 subcordate at the base, subtripli nerved, petioled, shining glabrous above, silvery beneath ; 

 panicle trichotomous, hoary: flowers serial; calyx-tube furrowed; anthers 10; filaments 

 nodding in the bud ; ovary 3-locular : stigma funnel-shaped. — Bonpl. Mel. t. 23, 24. — 

 Melastoma, L. M. albicans, Sw. Miconia detcrgibilis, DC. M. rnfescens, Mac/. M. 

 holosericea, 0, moutana, Crueg.! — A shrub, 4'-12' high; leaves 4"-6" long, bluntish or 

 pointleted, subentire ; bracts minute, deciduous ; calyx-tube ovate, at length globose : teeth 

 minute or obsolete ; petals white ; anthers biauricled at the base ; berry blue. — Hab. Jamai- 

 ca !, all coll., to Trinidad !, Lockh., Sch., Or., common in all the West Indian islands, in 

 savannahs and thickets; [Veraguas! to Peru! and Bolivia, Venezuela, Guiana!, Brazil !]. 



** Leaves not white with down beneath. 



51. M. impetiolaris, Don. Branches rusty -downy ; leaves obovate-oblong, pointed, 

 or blunt, auricled at the subsessile or very shortly petioled base, triplinerved, at length gla- 

 brous above, rusty-downy beneath ; panicle trichotomous, spreading : primary branches in- 

 terruptedly spiciform, with clustered flowers ; calyx-tube at length obsoletely furrowed ; an- 

 thers 10 ; ovary 3-locular -. stigma minute. — Bonpl. Mel. t. 29. — Melastoma, Sw. ! Mico- 

 nia macrophylla, Macf. — A shrub, about 8' high, variable in the base of the leaves, which 

 are either stem-clasping or very shortly (l"'-2'") petioled, the lateral ribs always proceeding 

 from above the base of the midrib, easily recognized by its large (8"-12" long) leaves, nar- 

 rowing towards their small auricles; calyx-tube shortly campanulate, rusty-downy: teeth mi- 

 nute or obsolete ; petals white, l"'-2'" long ; anthers bitubercled at the base j berry blue. — 

 Hab. Jamaica !, Macf., Dist., M'Nab, Pd., Al., in damp mountain-woods ; [Guadeloupe !, 

 S. Thomas; Venezuela, Panama!, Ecuador!, equat. Brazil !]. 



52. M. splendens, Gr. Branches rusty-downy ; leaves elliptical or elliptical-oblong, 

 bluntish, narrowed at the petioled base, triplinerved, glabrous above, glabrescent beneath ; 

 panicle trichotomous, spreading, terminated by corymbiform cymes : ultimate clusters 3-1- 

 flowered ; calyx-tube not furrowed ; anthers 10; ovary 3-locular : stigma funnel-shaped. — 

 Plum. t. 140 sec. Sw. .- bad. — Melastoma, Sw. ! Cremanium, Macf. Miconia obovalis, 

 Naud. M. elliptica, Macf. — A shrub ; leaves 6"-8" long, crenulate or repand : petiole 

 scarcely i". long, usually winged upwards ; calyx-tube ovate, powdery : teeth minute or 

 obsolete; petals white, l'"-2'' ; long; anthers biauricled at the base; berry blue. — Hab. 

 Jamaica!, Sw., Macf, Pd., AL; Dominica!, Imr., in mountain woods. 



