( 2337 ) 



Melastoma heteromalla. Wooly-leaved 

 Melastoma. 



***************** 



Class and Order. 

 Degandria Monogynia. 



Generic Character. 



Cal. 5-fidus, campanulatus. Petala 5, calyci inserta. 

 Bacca 5-locularis, calyce obvoluta. 



Specific Character. 



Melastoma heteromalla; foliis cordato-ovalibus integerri- 

 mis petiolatis subtus flocculoso-lanatis, calycis limbo 

 membranaceo caduco, petalis obcordatis, antheris basi 

 arcuatis. Don Mscr. 



Descr. Stem shrubby, straight, robust, four-sided, three- 

 or-four feet high, densely pubescent; two of the sides 

 convex, the others plane, covered at the lower part with a 

 brownish bark, and throwing out near the top several 

 short thickish silky branches. Leaves opposite, petioled, 

 broad-cordate oval, quite entire, 5-nerved and reticulately 

 veined, from four to seven inches long, and from three to 

 five broad, covered underneath with a dense, white, floc- 

 culent wool ; upper surface green, with numerous adpressed 

 bristly hairs, giving a silky hue to the young leaves. 

 Panicle terminal, many-flowered, decussately branched: 

 branches short, thick, stiff, silky. Peduncles short, bifid or 

 triad. Flowers violet-coloured on very short pedicles, which 

 are furnished at the base with two small, coloured, membra- 

 nous, caducous scales. Calyx oblong, tubular, five-sided, 

 silky-pubescent : limb five- rarely six-parted, membranous, 

 reddish, generally falling off with the petals : segments 

 oblong, obtuse. Petals five, or rarely six, obcordate. Sta- 

 mens 



