2 Dr. Jack on the Malayan Species of Melastoma. 
number of the cells corresponding with the divisions of the 
flower; in the peculiar inflexion of the anthers before expansion ; 
and in having polyspermous berries. ‘The points of difference 
to be principally attended to are the following: the similarity or 
dissimilarity of the alternate anthers; the number of the sta- 
mina; the anthers being with or without beaks, straight or ar- - 
cuate; the calyces being hispid or nearly smooth, and having 
deciduous or persistent segments ; the ovary being partially or 
completely adnate to the calyx. Of these characters, the only 
one which appears to me to point to a natural division of the 
species is that of the equality or inequality of the stamina, 
occasioned by the anthers being alternately pedicellate and ses- 
sile on the filaments, as in Melastoma Malabathrica, or being all 
sessile, as in M. exigua and others here described. "Those of the 
first division, with unequal stamina, have generally large and 
beautiful flowers, hispid calyces, with frequently deciduous seg- 
ments, stamina always double the number of petals, which are 
either five or four, and arcuate rostrate anthers which, before 
the expansion of the flower, have their beaks lodged in cells 
betwixt the calyx and ovary. Those of the second division, 
with equal stamina, have seldom such conspicuous flowers, have 
smoother calyces, with segments generally persistent, eight sta- 
mina, rarely or never ten, and occasionally only four ; anthers 
sometimes neither arcuate nor rostrate, and their points in that 
case do not reach before expansion below the summit of the 
ovary, which is then completely adnate to the calyx. The genus 
Maieta of Ventenat has been founded upon this latter character 
alone; but it is obviously insufficient for a generic distinction, 
as it can only be considered secondary to that of the relative 
length of the anthers, on which depends the complete or partial 
adhesion of the calyx and ovary: and a little attention to the 
relations of the different species to each other will show, that a 
division 
