Dr. Jack on the Malayan Species of Melasioma. 9 



Obs. This is a very beautiful large flowered species, and is a 

 great ornament to the thickets which it frequents. I have 

 met with it in various places, as on Sumatra, Pulo Nias, &c. 



7. Melastoma bracteata, fV.J. 



M. octandra, floribus paniculatis terminalibus, bracteis magnis 

 ovatis, foliis cordato-ovatis quinquenerviis, calyce stellulato 

 piloso, limbo subintegro. 



Oosa. Wlalay. 



Native of Pulo Penang. 



The whole shrub with the exception of the upper surface of the 

 mature leaves is covered with ferruginous points or dots of 

 stellate hairs. Branches round. Leaves opposite, short- 

 petioled, ovate, acuminate, cordate at the base, entire, 

 smooth above, pilose with stellate hairs beneath, five-nerved. 

 Panicles long, terminal, Avith opposite ramifications. Bracts 

 large, pale, and membranaceous, ovate, obtuse, attenuated 

 to the base, as if petiolate. Calyx oblong, greenish, adher- 

 ing to the ovarium by eight septa, limb almost entire, with 

 four obscure toothlets. Corolla of a pale rose-colour, four- 

 petalled, spreading, petals ovate, obtuse, and as if truncate. 

 Stamina eight, filaments red, furnished with two bristles at 

 the insertion of the anthers. Anthers arcuate, rostrate ; 

 four are red, and rather longer than the other four which 

 are yellow and more incurved. Style declinate, as long as 

 the stamina. Stigma simple. Fridt inclosed in the calyx, 

 four-celled, manj'- seeded. 



Obs. The large bracts which envelop the young flowers di- 

 stinguish this species ; the flowers are not large, but their 

 number compensates for it. 



VOL. XIV. c ** An- 



