274 R r * Smith'j Botamail Characters of ' fome Plants 



multa, longirlima, connata ill 5 corpora. Stylus 1. Capfula 

 3rlocularis. 



Perhaps this genus is not naturally ditfinct from the laft, the 

 union of the filaments being all that diftinguifhes Melaleuca; for in 

 the reft of the fructification, as well as in habit, they agree. Ac- 

 cordingly the younger Linnaeus, the two Forftcrs, and Schrebcr 

 unite them into one, and Juflieu feems inclined to do fo. Unfor- 

 tunately thefe great authorities fall to the ground, and their opi- 

 nion can by no means be confidered as of any weight in this cafe, 

 as we find them confounding with the above the true genus of 

 Leptofpermitm, than which nothing can be more diftinct, in every 

 circumftance that characterizes a natural or artificial genus. Gart- 

 ner, fo little attentive in general to any thing but the fruit, pre- 

 ferves all the three feparate ; though feveral of his fpecies of Metro- 

 jideros^ which he knew only in fruit, prove to be Melaleuca, 



The following eleven very diftinct: fpecies of Melaleuca I have 

 examined in flower, and am therefore certain of their genus. 



* Fohis altcrnls, 



p Melaleuca JLcucadtndron, foliis alternis lanceolatis acu- 

 minatis falcato-obliquis quinquenerviis, ramulis petio- 

 lifque glabris. 



M. Leucadendron. Linn. Mant. 1. 105. Supph 342 a. 



Arbor alba. Rumph. Anib. v. 2. 72. /. 16. 



This tree is a native of fome parts of the Eaft Indies, and from 

 it is diftilied the green aromatic oil called Cajeput, from Caju Puti, a 

 white tree, the Malay name of the plant ; hence Linnaeus gave 

 the name of heucadrendon to this fpecies. 



2. M. vir'i- 



