84 FLORA VITIENSIS. 
Drawings of Tahit. Plants, t. 54 (forma floribus rubris). M. obovata, Hook. et Arn. Bot. Beech. 
p. 63. t. 12. M. diffusa, Hook. et Arn. Bot. Beech. p. 63, non Smith. Melaleuca villosa, Linn. 
fil. Suppl. p. 342. M. estuosa, Forst. Prodr. n. 215 ; Icon. (ined.) t. 157. Leptospermum collinum, - 
J. R. Forst. Char. Gen. p. 72. t. 38. f. m-p.—Nomen vernac. Tahitense, “Pua Rata” (i.e. flos 
ruber); Vitiense, “ Vuga."—Common all over Viti (Seemann! n. 169, 170, 171; Storck ! n. 889). 
Also collected in the Hawaiian (D. Nelson! Menzies! Macrae! Nuttall! Barclay! Seemann !), 
Society (Banks and Solander! D. Nelson! Forster! Barclay!), and Kermadec Islands (M‘Gilli- 
vray! in Mus. Brit.). 
Var. a. floribus rubris.—M. collina, var. Vitiensis, A. Gray, Bot. Wilkes, p. 559. t. 68 (See- 
mann ! n. 170, 168; Storck! n. 889). 
Var. B. floribus luteis; foliis elliptico-lanceolatis, pedunculis calycibusque glabris.—Interior of 
Viti Levu (Seemann! n. 171). 
This tree yields an excellent close-grained timber, much esteemed for posts of houses.* 
Orvo XXXVII. MELASTOMACEZ:. 
In the geographical distribution of this Natural Order, it is a singular fact that Melastomacee should 
be excluded from the Hawaiian and the Marquesas Islands; the same was formerly thought to be the case 
with regard to the tropical parts of New Holland, but we are now acquainted with several species from 
that country, viz. Osbeckia Chinensis, O. Australiana, Melastoma Nove-Hollandia, and M. velutinum. In the 
south-western parts of tropical Polynesia Melastomacee are tolerably abundant; and the number of known 
species, judging from scraps collected by the United States Exploring Expedition and others, will yet be 
increased when all the islands have been thoroughly explored. They belong to the genera Memecylon, 
Astronia, Astronidium, Naudinia, Amplectrum, Medinilla, Erpetina (from the Solomon Islands), and 
Melastoma. 
I. Memecylon, Linn. Gen. n. 481; Naudin, Melast. p. 684; Endl. Gen. n. 6269. Calyx lato- 
campanulatus v. hemisph:ricus, limbo nunc integerrimo nunc obtuse et breviter 4-lobo. Petala 4, 
ovata, aut etiam suborbicularia, nonnunquam in apiculum producta. Stamina 8, «qualia, antheris 
brevibus securiformibus rima antica duplici dehiscentibus, connectivo postice in calcar seu cornu 
conicum subtus excavatum producto. Ovarium omnino adherens, l-loculare; stylo magis minusve 
exserto, stigmate punctiformi. Ovula 6-12, reniformia, placente centrali affixa. Bacca globosa, 
seepius l-sperma (siccine semper?).—Frutices v. arbores, glaberrimi; foliis coriaceis integerrimis 
penninerviis aut nervulorum transversorum copia in parenchymate folii evanida 1-nerviis, rarius Me- 
lastomearum more 3—5-nerviis; cymis subumbellatis v. subcapitatis axillaribus aut in nodis ramorum 
annotinorum lateralibus; floribus pedicellatis, czeruleis v. czerulescentibus.— Valikana, Adans. Fam. 
vol. ii. p. 84. Seutula, Lour. Fl. Cochinch. vol. i. p. 290. 
l. M. Vitiense, A. Gray, Bot. Wilkes, p. 573; ramulis subteretibus ad articulos subnodosis ; 
foliis.subsecundis 1-nerviis, aveniis oblongis obtusis seepiusve in acumen obtusum v. retusum productis 
basi in petiolum breviuseulum attenuatis, siccatis subtus flavidis; pedunculis solitariis brevissimis o0- 
floris; pedicellis nudis fructu globoso seu ovoideo levi dimidio brevioribus.—Ovalau and Macuata 
coast of Vanua Levu, at the elevation of 1000-1500 feet (U. S. Expl. Exped.). 
* Another capsular Myrtacea was collected in New Caledonia, and named Beckea nelitroides, Seem. 
Journ. of Bot. vol. ii. p. 74. It must, however, be referred to the recently-established genus Cloézia, and 
seems to be identical with C. canescens, Brongn. et Gris. Li 
Supra, p. 76, in the account of Cupheanthus, there are two errata. Line 26 from below, omit the 
word “free,” and line 18 from below, read “inferum ” for “ liberum." 
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