264 MELASTOMACE.E. 



dotted with black beneath, triplinerved ; calyx one-third the length of the corolla : lobes 

 blunt, sometimes evanescent ; petals oblong ; anthers short, somewhat recurved duriug an- 

 thesis. — BonpL Mel. t. 14. — Melastoma, Rich. M. alpina, Sw. — A low shrub, 1-2' high : 

 branches cylindrical ; leaves 2" long, entire ; petals 8"'-9'" long (sometimes smaller) ; an- 

 thers V" long. — Hab. Dominica \, Imr. ; S.Vincent!, Guild.; [Martinique, Guadeloupe, on 

 the volcanoes, above 3000']. 



80. Ch. g-laberrimus, BC. Glabrous ; leaves ovate, acuminate and pointed, without 

 any dots, B-h -nerved ; calyx one-half the length of the corolla : limb 4-lobed to the middle ; 

 petals oval ; anthers linear, recurved during anthesis. — Melastoma splendens, Sieb. Mart. 

 120 ! ; Trinit. 58 ! M. martiuieensis, Prl. ! Ch. tinifolius, Bon, is probably the same 

 plant, and if this can be confirmed by authentic specimens, De Candolle's name must cede to 

 this. — Branches somewhat four-edged ; leaves 3"~4" long, entire, or crenulate-repand : the 

 point variable in length (sometimes wanting) ; petals 4"'-5'" long ; anthers 2'" long. In 

 habit it agrees with the preceding, but is easily recognized by the absolute want of the black 

 dots on the under side of leaves, which are characteristic for Ch. coccineus and Ch. Fadyeni. 

 — Hab. Dominica, Imr. ; [Martinique !, Guadeloupe !]. 



81. Oh. purpureus, Bon. Branches hairy; leaves ovate, sometimes subcordate at 

 the base, without dots, triplinerved : younger ones with distant hairs, and these persisting 

 on the margin ; calyx one-half the length of the corolla •. limb repand, with 4 minute 

 teeth; petals oval; anthers linear. — Vahl; Eclog. Jmer. t. 16. — Ch. ciliatus, B6. Ch. 

 crinitus, Naud. : a form with larger leaves. Melastoma Dodandianum, Ham. : a decandrous 

 aberration, not seen. — A shrub : the branches somewhat four-edged, at length cylindrical ; 

 leaves 3"-4" long or larger, less leathery than in the other species, pointed or Tbluntish, 

 creuulate or repand; petals 4"'-5"' long; anthers 2'" long. — Hab. Montserrat, Vahl ; 

 [Martinique, Guadeloupe !, on the mountains]. 



Sect. 2. Eccharianthus. — Anthers opening with a single terminal pore. Ovary 



2-locular. 



82. Ch. Fadyeni, Gr. Glabrous ; leaves ovate, blunt, dotted with black beneath, 

 triplinerved ; calyx one-third the length of the corolla: limb repand, with obsolete teeth; 

 anthers linear, elongated, straightish during anthesis, opening with a terminal pore. — Hook. 

 Journ. of Bot. 1. t. 12. — Tetrazygia, Hook.! — A small tree or shrub, 4'-15' high : branches 

 subcompressed, at length cylindrical; leaves 2" long, or smaller, entire; petals 4"'-5'" 

 long; anthers 2£"' long. — Hab. Jamaica!, Mac/., Pd.,Al.,m rocky situations, on the 

 mountains of the northern and central districts of S. Anus and S. Thomas-in-the-Vale, at 

 2000'-2500' alt. 



20. MERIANIA, Sw.; Naud. (1. c. IS. p. 124. t. 5./. 2). 



Calyx-limb spreading, 5-lobed, with the lobes inserted below the repand margin. An- 

 thers 10, opening with 1-2 terminal pores: connective (either in all or the alternate 

 ones) produced at its base into a conical, posterior spur, (hfary free from the begin- 

 ning, 5-locular, 5-lobed at the top. — Shrubs or small trees ; leaves leathery, shining, 

 pelioled, usually S-nerved : nerves communicating by numerous transverse veins ; flowers 

 large, arranged in simple, terminal cymes, or solitary, supported by 2 or 4 bracts, which 

 are distant from the calyx by a short internode ; petals obovate, purple, rose-coloured or 

 white. 



The West Indian species of Meriania, much confused by authors, are very variable in the 

 number of the bracts, the form of the leaves, and the colour of the flower, and as even the 

 anthers do not always present positive characters, they must be reduced in number : the two 

 remaining ones, beautifully figured by Tussac, are easily distinguished by the form of the 

 bracts, and by the two small tumours on the upper side of leaves at their base, peculiar to 

 M. bullifera. 



83. M. rosea, Tuss. Leaves without tumours at the base ; bracts 2-4, elliptical or 

 obovate, trinerved ; calyx-lobes subulate ; anther-spurs short, alternately conical and bita- 

 bercled. — Tuss. Ft. 1. t. 6. Besc. Ft. 4. t. 303. — M. leucantha et purpurea, Sw. {non Tuss.). 

 M. nana et bifrons, Naud. — An arborescent shrub, 30'-5' high; leaves elliptical or orate- 

 lanceolate, the younger ones minutely serrate with glandular teeth. 



