Tas. 4558. 
MYRTUS orsicuLata. 
Orbicular-leaved Myrtle. 
Nat. Ord. Myrrace®.—IcosanpDRIA POLYANDRIA. 
Gen. Char. Calyx tubo campanulato, cum ovario connato, limbo quinquefido, 
supero vel semisupero, deciduo vel rarius persistente. Corolle petala 5, calycis 
fauci inserta, ejusdem laciniis alterna, breviter unguiculata, orbiculata. Stamina 
20-60, cum petalis inserta, iisdem breviora vel vix longiora ; filamenta filiformia 
libera ; anthere biloculares, longitudinaliter dehiscentes. Ovarium inferum vel 
semisuperum, quadri-quinqueloculare, Joculis multiovulatis. Stylus filiformis ; 
stigma capitatum. Capsula infera vel semisupera, quadri-quinquelocularis, apice 
loculicide dehiscens. Semina plurima, minima, oblongo-compressa.—Frutices vel 
arbores, in Nova Hollandia et Nova Zelandia crescentes 3 foliis alternis, exstipu- 
latis, integerrimis ; floribus pedicellatis, solitariis, sparsis, nudis v. scariose bracteo- 
latis, albis. Endl. 
Myrrvus (Jossinia) orbiculata ; foliis subsessilibus elliptico-orbicularibus coriaceis 
rigidis glabris marginibus subreflexis, pedicellis brevibus unifloris axillari- 
bus fasciculatis, calycis tubo bibracteolato, limbi dentibus brevissimis, pe- 
talis orbicularibus concavis extus punctatis, staminibus numerosissimis. 
Myrrvs orbiculata. Spreng. Syst. Veget. v. 2. p. 480. 
Evcenta orbiculata. Lam. Dist. v. 8. p. 202. 
JOSSINIA orbiculata. De Cand. Prodr. v. 3. p. 337. 
A groupe of the Myrtle family, having very thick coriaceous 
leaves, axillary single-flowered peduncles, quaternary flowers, 
a bibracteolated calyx and numerous stamens, inhabiting Mau- 
ritius and the adjacent islands (Bourbon and Madagascar), 
called Bois de Neéfle (Medlar-wood), or Bois de Clous, on 
account of the hardness, by the colonists of Mauritius, were — 
formed into a genus (Jossiaia) by Commerson, adopted“ by De _ 
Candolle ; but by other botanists these plants are incorporated = 
with Myrtus, and apparently justly so. The present species 1s 
from Mauritius, whence it was introduced into Kew Gardens 
in the year 1824, and raised from seeds. Its flowering season 
is November, when its Myrtle-like flowers, copiously nestled 
among the dark green foliage, exhale the most delightful fra- 
grance. on 
JANUARY lst, 1851. 
