122 OKDEB 52. MELASTOMACE^B. 



V Stamens united Into 5 Rets. Fruit capsnlar. Lvs. alternate or opposite. Aostrl. .MKLALKCC.I. 2 



b Stamens distinct. e Flowers in dense lateral cymes. (Lvs. alternate.) Austrl. .CALLISTKMO.N. 3 



c Flowers solitary, axillary. Sepals equal. Lvs. opposite. . .MyRius. 4 



Flowers solitary, axillary. Sep. unequal. Opp. Gnacu. ..1'siDiUM. 5 



1. EUGENIA JAMBOS. Rose Apple. Tree (20 30f in India), with 

 lanceolate leaves. Flowers white, in terminal showy cymes. Fruit round-ovoid, crowned 

 with the calyx, 1^' diam., yellow, with a thick rind, which has a sweetish, rose-like flavor. 



2. MELALEUCA HYPERICIFOLIA. Shrubby, 5f, with opposite, ellip- 

 tic-oblong, shining, 3-veined leaves on the drooping branches. Flowers of a splendid 

 red, in slender spikes, with innumerable stamens (V long) radiaiing in ail direction?. 

 ID* LEUCAPENDRON, the famous Cajeput Tree of the East, has long lance-linear leaves, 

 white fls. spiked on the pendent branchlets. The trunk is black and the branches white. 



3. CALLISTEMON LAXCEOLATUM. Bottle-brush. Beautiful shrub, 

 with long, thick, lanceolate leaves, and the flowers in dense, cylindric spikes, crimson sta- 

 mens innumerable, radiant at right angles, suggesting the English name. Often cultivated. 



4. MYRTUS COMMUNIS. Myrtle. Evergreen shrub or tree of S. Eu- 

 rope, emblematic of victory in honorable contests. The leaves are long, ovate, shining, 

 the flowers pure white or roee-tinged, with innumerable stamens, and the berries black. 



ORDER LII. MELASTOMACE^E. MELASTOMES. 



Trees, shrubs, or herbs, with square branches and usually no stipules. 

 Leaves opposite, undivided, dotless, and 3-5-veined. Calyx tube urceolate, 

 adherent, at least to the angles of the ovary. Petals 4 6, convolute in bud. 

 Stamens definite. AntJicrs opening by terminal pores. Fruit capsnlar or 

 baccate. Genera more than a hundred, all tropical except the following. 



1. RHEXIA, L. DEER-GRASS. Calyx 4-cleft, swelling at the base. 

 Petals 4. Stamens 8, 1-celled. Styles declined. Capsules 4-celled, nearly 

 free from the investing calyx tube. Seeds numerous, li Leaves opposite, 

 exstipulate, 3-veined. Flowers showy. June September. 



Anthers curved, saccate and appendaged at base. Flowers purplish. . .(a) 



a Stem square, winged. Leaves ovate to lanceolate, bristly-serrate Nos. 1. 2 



a Stern-terete or teretish. Leaves lanceolate to linear Nos. 3. 4 



Anthers atraight, oblong. b Stems simple, with purple flowers Nos. 5. fi 



b Stems brachiate, with yellow flowers. No. 1 



1 R. Virginica L. Meadow Beauty. Stem narrowly 4-winged ; leaves sessile, and 



with the stem clothed with scattered hairs ; calyx hispid. Wet grounds, E. Mass., 

 S. and W. 12 !(/. Cymes corymbed. Flowers purple. July, August. 



2 R. stricta Ph. Stem tall, strongly 4-winged, glabrous ; leaves acuminate, glabrous ; 



calyx glabrous, tube very short. Bogs, S. 3 4f. Purple. June, July. 



3 R. Mariana L. Hairy; leaves lanceolate and lance-linear, acute, bristly -serrate, 



tapering to a short petiole. Sandy bogs, N. J. to Fla. 1 2f. Purple. 

 /3. Hnenri*. Diffusely branched ; Ivs. almost linear. South. (R. lanceolata Walt.) 



4 R. glabella Ph. Glabrous, glaucous ; Ivs. lanceolate, subserrulate, acute, sessile ; 



cal. glandular-hispid. Damp woods, S. 2 3f. Fls. few, large, purple. June Aug. 



5 R. ciliosa MX. Stem 1 2f, squarish ; leaves broad-ovate, sparsely hispid above, 



margin ciliate with long bristles ; flowers few, subsessile, terminal ; calyx glabrous, 

 lobes acute. Damp woods, Md. to Fla. Petals roundish. June August. 



6 R. serrnlata N. Stem 6 8'. square ; leaves small, roundish-oval, glabrous both 



sides, serralate-ciliate ; calyx glandular-hispid, lobes obtuse. Swamps, S. 



