86 FLORA VITIENSIS. 
new genus, as the other genera named in honour of M. Naudin do not stand. The synonymy of the 
two plants would then be as follows :— 
l. Naudinia glabra, Dene. mss.; Melastoma glabra, Forst. Prodr. n. 194, nec Herb. et Icon. (ined.) 
nec Guill. Zephyr. Tait. Conostegia glabra, Don in Mem. Wern. Soc. vol. iv. p. 316. Astronia Forsteri, 
Naud. in Ann. Sc. Nat. 3 Ser. tom. xviii. p. 258, ex parte.— Tahiti (W. Anderson! anno 1774, Captain 
Cook !). 
2. Astronia fraterna, A. Gray, Bot. Wilkes, p. 576. t. 72 A. Melastoma glabra, Forst. Herb. Icon. 
(ined.) t. 137, 188, et in Guill Zeph. Tahit. p. 61, nec Prodr. Astronia Forsteri, Naud. l.c. p. 258, ex 
parte.—Tahiti (Forster! in Herb. Mus. Brit.). 
9. A. Pickeringii, A. Gray, Bot. Wilkes, p. 577. t. 72; glabra; foliis longe petiolatis ovalibus 
oblongisve utrinque subacutis nunc basi obtusis 3-5-nerviis; cyma corymbosa composita laxiflora ; 
pedicellis gracilibus; alabastris subglobosis; calycis limbo clauso demum aperto ultra ovarium lon- 
giuscule producto, margihe in dentibus brevissimis 9—20 irregulariter fisso; antherarum connectivo 
deorsum gibboso; ovario 5-loculari; placentis e fundo loculorum ortis.—Ovalau, on the mountains ` 
(U. S. Expl Exped.), Viti Levu, in woods (Milne!). Also collected in the Samoan Islands (U. S. 
Expl. Exped.). 
Var. Vitiensis, A. Gray, l.c.; inflorescentia glabriore; pedicellis paullo brevioribus. 
Milne’s are fruiting specimens, only the remnant of the berry remaining. The foliage has turned 
almost black in drying. 
3. A. confertiflora, A. Gray, Bot. Wilkes, p. 579; foliis longe petiolatis ovalibus obtusis basi 
rotundatis 8—-5-nerviis, costis subtus ramulisque junioribus cum cyma composita corymbosa conferti- 
flora rufo-pubescentibus ; floribus in ramulis ultimis capitato-congestis subsessilibus ; calyce glandulis 
rufis consperso, limbo ultra ovarium breviter producto, margine irregulariter 8-10-crenato; ovario 
3—4-loculari; placentis e fundo loculorum ortis.— Bua Bay, Vanua Levu, on the banks of streams 
(U. S. Expl. Exped.). | 
4. A. tomentosa, (sp. nov.) Seem.; fruticosa v. arbuscula; ramulis junioribus petiolis bracteis 
cymis calycibusque dense ferrugineo-tomentosis, demum glabratis; foliis ovatis v. subcordato-ovatis 
obtuse acuminatis 3-5-nerviis v. 9—5-plinerviis, supra glabris, subtus dense ferrugineo-tomentosis, 
demum glabratis; cymis corymbosis compositis, bracteis linearibus; alabastris globosis, calyce irre- 
gulariter rumpente? ; ovario 5-loculari; placentis e fundo loculorum ortis; seminibus oo subacicula- 
riformibus.—Summit of Voma Peak, near Namosi, interior of Viti Levu (Seemann! n. 174). 
_A shrub or small tree, with stiff, generally fistulose obtusely and obscurely 4-angular branches. 
Petioles 1-1} inch long. Blade of leaf 21-3 inches long, 1-14 inch broad. My flowering specimens being 
in very young bud, the dehiscence of the calyx cannot be satisfactorily ascertained. Capsule, as in other 
species, not properly dehiscent, but the dry ioi decays or falls away in fragments, and the thin 
endocarp splits into numerous pieces, leaving a frame of simple or forked nerves, which surround the placenta 
and columella. 
5. A. () robusta, (sp. nov.) Seem.; fruticosa, erecta, robusta, glabra; ramis crassis fistulosis ; 
foliis obovato-oblongis v. ovalibus acutis in petiolum attenuatis integerrimis 3-5-plinerviis, supra 
atro-viridibus, subtus pallidioribus; cymis paniculatis terminalibus, rachi pedunculis pedicellisque 
subcompressis; pedunculis ultimis 3-floris; floribus ignotis; capsula subglobosa infera 7—8-loculari 
calycis limbo irregulariter fisso coronata; placentis e fundo loculorum ortis; seminibus oo subdolabri- 
formibus; raphe laterali nigro.— Banks of the Rewa river, near Namosi, interior of Viti Levu (See- 
mann! n. 181). i i 
A robust plant, 4-6 feet high, with stout fistulose branches, of which I collected fruiting specimens : 
only, whilst the United States Exploring Expedition (as Professor A. Gray advises me) brought home the 
foliage only. I have provisionally referred it to Astronia, with which it agrees in habit and fruit, unless - 
exception is taken to the latter being 7-8-celled.  Petioles 14-2 inches long. Leaves opposite; blade 
4-10 inches long, 4-7 broad. Fruit as large as a sloe, and decaying like that of the préceding species. 
There is a specimen of an Astronia in young fruit, collected by Harvey in Viti, which may possibly be a 
