M YRTILLOCA CTUS 



44 1 



4- or 5-merous. K(s); (5); A 5, epipet. and opp. to the pets.; 

 anthers intr. ; stds. sometimes present, alt. with pets. G, rarely inf. 

 or semi-inferior, i-loc. ; placenta basal or free-central with oo ov., 

 semi-anatr. or semi-campylotr., sunk in placentar tissue; style and 

 stigma simple. As the fruit ripens, most of the ovules usu. abort, 

 and there results a one- or few-seeded drupe or berry. Embryo straight 

 or slightly curved ; endosp. fleshy or horny. 



Classification and chief genera (after Engler) : closely allied to 

 Primulaceae, distinguished chiefly by habit and fr. ; also to Sapota- 

 ceae, but the latter have a chambered ovary. 



I. MAESOIDEAE (ovary inf. or semi-inf., fr. many-seeded): 



Maesa. 



II. MYRSINOIDEAE (ovary sup., no stds. fr. i-seeded): 



Embelia, Myrsine, Ardisia, Aegiceras. 

 Myrsine L. (excl. Rapanea Aubl.). Myrsinaceae (n). 4 Madag. to 



China. 



Myrsiphyllum Willd. Asparagus Tourn. (Lili.). 

 Myrstiphyllum P. Br. = Psychotria L. p.p. (Rubi.). 

 Myrtaceae (EP.\ BH. incl. Lecythidaceae). Dicots. (Archichl. Myrti- 



florae; Myrtales BH.}. 72 gen., 2800 sp., trop. and subtrop. ; chief 



centres of distr. Austr. (Leptospennoideae} and trop. Am. (Myrtoideae}. 



Trees and shrubs, varying in size from a small creeper to the giant 



Eucalyptus, with oil-glands in 1., &c. L. usu. opp., exstip., evergr., 



entire. Fls. generally in cymes, 5 , reg. ; recept. hollow and united 



to the ovary. In Metrosideros and most of its allies the union is not 



very complete, but in the rest of the fam. it 



is complete, and the fl. is epig. K (4 5) or 



4 5, in some gen. not opening when the fl. 



opens, but thrown off as a lid, usu. quin- 



cuncial, with the second 1. post.; C4 5, 



the petals often nearly circular; A oo , free, 



rarely definite, usu. bent inwards in bud ; 



Goo i-loc. , with 2 ooanatr. or campylotr. 



ov. in each loc.; style and stigma simple; 



plac. usu. axile, rarely parietal. Berry, drupe, 



capsule, or nut. Seeds 'with no endosp. 



Several M. are economically important, e.g. 



Eucalyptus (timber, kino, oil), Eugenia 



(cloves, &c.), Psidium (guava), &c. 

 Classification and chief genera : 



I. MYRTOIDEAE (berry, rarely drupe) : 



i. Myrteae: Myrtus, Psidium, Pimenta, Eugenia, Syzygium. 

 II. LEPTOSPERMOIDEAE (dry fruit) : 



1. Leptospernieae(ovz\ym\\h\-\oc.}: Metrosideros, Eucalyptus, 



Callistemon, Melaleuca. 



2. Chamaelaucieae ( i -loc. ; i-seeded nut) : Darwinia. 

 Myrtales (BH.). The I2th order of Polypetalae. 

 Myrtiflorae. The 29th order (EP.} of Archichlamydeae. 



Myrtella F. Muell. (Baeckea p.p.). Myrtaceae (n. i). 2 New Guinea. 

 Myrteola Berg. (Myrtus p.p. BH.}. Myrtaceae (i). 8 S. Am. Ed. fr. 

 Myrtillocactua Console (Cerettsp.p.). Cactaceae (in. i). i Mexico. 



Floral diagram of Myrtus 

 coiiuniinis (after Eichler). 



