MALPIGHIACEiK. 147 



axillary, shorter than the leaf, solitary : common peduncle half 

 an inch in length with appressed hairs ; pedicels of the same 

 length, one-flowered, with a pair of minute bracteoles below 

 the middle : flowers purple. Calycine segments oblong, con- 

 cave, 6-8 glandulose (one of the segments being eglandulose 

 and those on each side having in general only one glandule). 

 Petals with the limb crisped, fimbriated. Filaments subulate, 

 connate at the base: anthers yellow, tetragonal. Ovary ovoid, 

 glabrous : styles 3 : stigmata simple. Drupe spherical, from 

 the size of a large pea to that of a small cherry, smooth, shining, 

 scarlet, bearing the persistent remains of the styles : seed 3, 

 triquetrous with the angles acute, and with a sharp longitudi- 

 nal ridge running down the centre of the outer side. 



The fruit of this species is juicy and of a sweet but rather 

 insipid taste, and is scarcely ever brought to the dessert. In 

 the wild state, this is a lowly shrub. When cultivated in gar- 

 dens, however, it attains the size of a small tree and the fruit 

 is much larger and more juicy ; but the leaves are usually smaller. 

 I have no doubt, but that the fruit might be still more improved, 

 by further cultivation. 



3. Malpighia punicifolia. Pomegranate-leaved 

 West-India Cherry. 



Leaves ovate very entire glabrous, peduncles axil- 

 lary 1 -flowered. 



M. fruticosa erecta, floribus solitariis, jBrowwe, 230. — M. naali 

 panici facie, Plum. Gen. 46. t. 160. f. 2. — M. punicifolia, 

 Lamarck, Encycl. IV. 303. 



HAB. Woods near Bath, St Thomas in the East. 



FL. Autumn. 



This has a great resemblance to m. glabra, of which it pro- 

 bably is only a variety. 



II. Byrsonima. 



Calyx 5-partite, externally at the base 8-10 glan- 

 dulose. Petals clawed. Stamens 10 shortly mona- 

 delphous at the base. Styles 3. Drupe with a nut 

 3-celled, 3-seeded. — De Cand. 



Racemes spiked, terminal, simple or branched. 



1. Byrsonima coriacea. Lotus-berry Tree. 



Leaves oblongo-ovate acuminate ; the young leaves 

 ferrugineo-sericeo-tomentose, the adult subglabrous ; 



