78 



OXYSPORA . PANICULATA. Tab. 88. 



Erecta; foliis subcordato-ovatis, acuminatis, crenulatis, subtus ramis; petiolis pedunculisque tomentoso-villosis, 

 \ illis puboscentibus ; panicula ovata, erecta ; connectivo antherarum longiorum obsolete calcarato ; calyce capsulifero 

 subenervio. 



Ojyspora paniculata, DeCand. Prodr. vol. 3. p. 123. Ejusd. Melastom. p. 33. tab. iv. 



Arthrostemma pantculatitm, Don Prodr. Flor. Nepal, p. 222. 



Habitat frequenter in montibus vallis Napalia?, florens sub pluviis, mensibus Julii — Sej)tembris, fructigera 

 Decembri. 



Frutex 2 — 3- quin 4-pcdalis, erecta, trichotomfe ramosa. Caulis subcylindricus, brevis, corticfe cinereo-obtectus. Rami subquadran- 

 gulares, cinerei, calloso-punctati, infernfe et aetata glabriusculi, supern^ uti ramuli petiolique obtecti et dum juniores quasi barbati tomento 

 copiosissiino, longo, laxo, solul)ili, stellato, ex cinereo ferrugineo, villis longis, subspongiosis, pubescentibus intermixto. Folia opposita, 

 patentia, approxinmta, ovata, attenuato-acuniinata, inargine subrccurvo crenulato-denticulata, basi rotundata levitfer retusa, 5 — 7-polli- 

 caria, aliquaudo 10-poUicaria, coriacea, supri atro-viridia, nitida, juxt4 nervorum venarumque tractus longitudinalitfer et transversa 

 rugosa, ferfe glabra, subtiYs gruinoso-tomentosa, 7-nervia, nervis densifis tomentosis, rufescentibus, intermediis crassis, totam paginoe longi- 

 tudinem percurreutibus, venis inter lios transversis, parallels, approxiinatis, proiuinentibus, venulis interjectis anastomosantibus ; sumrna 

 ■porta et Jloralia pauca, parva, lanceolata. Petioli crassi, teretes, l^-pollicares, densissimfe tomentosi, subbarbati, supra sulco exarati, 

 basi utrinque tuberculo camoso, conico inuniti, niinuin linea longiils et densiiis tomentosa ambientes. Panicula terminalis magna, san- 

 guiut'u, k'vitcr farinoso-tomentosa, petlunculata, ovata, attenuato-acuta, basi et ad divisuras primarias infiinas foliorum floraliimi paribus 

 aliquot aucta, fer^ pedalis ; rami oppositi, patentes, decussati. Pedunculi carnosi, obscur^ 4-angulares, colorati, suffulti hracteis oppositis, 

 parvis, lineari-subulatis, acutis, basi subtus gibbosis. Flores ruberrimi, ternati, brev^ pedicellati. Calyx oblongus, prismatico-4-gonus, 

 parc^ tomentosus, limbo subtus levissim^ constricto, parvo, cyathiforiui, patente, 4-lobo : lobis lato-ovatis, acutiusculis, dorso sub- 

 carinatis, persistentibus. Petala 4, IjEvia, nitida, fert; unguicularia, caiyce parilm longiora, ovata, obliqufe acuta, basi latiuscula. inter 

 lobos c^ycis inserta, aestivationc in conum cuspidatum convoluta. Stamina 8, quorum 4 longiora petala superantia, 4 iisdem ferfe 

 dimidid breviora. Filamenta subulata, colorata, basi compressiuscula. Anther^e staminum longiorum, petalis alternantium, poUine 

 vacuae, violacea', rmeari-cylindrica?, adscendenti-incurv<-e, subnutantes, apice 2-porap, basi incurva, levissim^ dilatata bilobae, posticfe 

 crispatula: et ad inferiorem conncctivi extremitatem obsoletissime calcarata; ; staminum hrcviorum polliniferiE, flavae, suberectee, istis ferfe 

 dimidi6 breviores, apice pore conimuni dehiscentes, basi bilobae, postic^ connectivo deorsilm elongato in calcar breve, descendens, filamento 

 pandlelum. Ovarium obloitgo-cylindricum, puberulum, 4-loculare, meinbranulis 4 angustissimis dcmum evanidis lateribus inferioris 

 dimidiae calycis partis accretum, ita ut formentur tubuli 4, angulis hujus correspondentes, antherasque longiores aestivationc deflexas 

 recipientes. Stylus cylindricus, levissimfe clavatus, lateralit^r decurvus, stamina breviora subaequans. Stigma convexum, simplex. Cap- 

 suLA ovata, 4-sulcata, levissimfe tomentosa, ferfc libera, calyce pan\m aucto, nutante, subquadrangulari, subenervio, pedicellum aequante, 

 inclusa eodemque terti6 brevior, 4-locularis, apice dehiscens in valvulas 4 breves, erectas, apice pariim incurvas. Semina copiosissima, 

 parva, dilute ferruginea, locula omnin6 replentia, horizontalia, nucleo cylindraceo, involuto test4 laxA, triangulari-obovata, compressa, 

 scabrida, venulos^, verticis truncatae angulis oppositis porrectis, altero brevi, lato, altero longo, subulato ; undique inserta placentis 4 

 jugiformibus, apice cuspidato-porrectis, o|x; membranae latiusculae axi capsulae superni; nuda?, deinum liberae adfixis, substipitatis. 



This is one of the commonest as well as most elegant plants of the tribe of Mclastomaceoe, inhabiting Nipal, where 

 it grows on almost all the hills surrounding the great valley, delighting in shady and moist situations, and producing 

 its numerous, large and red panicles during the rainy season. I am acquainted with another species of Oxyspora, 

 which, although resembling our plant very closely, is quite distinct. It is a native of the hills about Chittagong and 

 Sillet, and may be characterized in the following manner : 



Oxrjspora vagans : subscandens ; ramis nutantibus ; foliis subcordato-ovatis, acuminatis, crenulatis, ciliatis, subtus 

 ramulis petiolisque leviter tomentoso-pilosis, pilis simplicibus, denium fere glabris ; panicula elongata, nutante ; con- 

 necti\ o antherarum omnium deorsiim calcarato ; calyce capsulifero costato. 



Melastoma vagans, lloxb. MSS. Ej. Icon pict. in horto botanico Calcuttte asservata. 



fi cernua. ''Melastoma ccrnua, foliis ovato-lanceolatis, 5-nerviis, glabris; panicula terminali, gracili, elongata, 

 nutante, pedunculis 4.alatis." — Roxh. MSS. Hab. ad Chittagong. 



Plate LXXXVIII. Fig. 1. 2. Flower. 3. Flower-bud. 4. Ditto opened. 5. Flower opened. 6. Calyx opened. 7. Ova- 

 rium divided horizontallv. 



