Cattleiane. | | Tab. 16. 
PSIDIUM CATTLEIANUM. 
Nar. Orv. Myrtacex, Juss. Linn. Syst. Icosandria Monogynia: 
PSIDIUM, Linn., Juss. Guatava, Gertn. Cal. 5-partitus. Pet. 5. Stamina per totam tubi calycis parietem in 
ordinatim inserta. Ovarium 3-loculare ; loculis placenta septiformi ad marginem fiss4, utrinque reflex4, bipartitis. 
Ovula plurima, horizontalia, margini placente inserta. Stigma capitatum. Bacca calyce coronata, polysperma. 
Testa ossea. Embryo hippocrepicus: cotyledonibus quam radicula multoties brevioribus. Arbores (utriusque In 
die, presertim intra Tropicos). Flores axillares. Fructus magni, edules. 
Psipru, ramis teretibus, foliis obovatis petiolatis coriaceis elaberrimis, floribus solitartis, 
Psidium Cattleianum. Sabine, im Act. Soc. Hort. 4. 315. t. 1. 
Descr. Arbuscula foliosa, ramosa, compacta. ami teretes. Folia opposita, petiolata, obovata, coriacea, ¢laberrima, atro- 
viridia ; juniora venosa ; adulta subavenia. Calyx wstivatione 5-dentatus, crassus, pyriformis; expansus in lacinias quinque lace- 
rus; inter lacinias petala 5, cito decidua, vix unguiculata, gerens; et per superficiem integram usque ad ovarii verticem stami- 
nifer. Stamina estivatione inflexa. Anthere oblonge, incumbentes, utrinque emarginate, loculis discretis. Ovarium 3-locus 
lare ; loculis placenta, dissepimenti instar, ad marginem 2-furca, utrinque reflexa, bipartitis. Ovz/a indefinita, disticha, ob pla- 
centam reflexam versus axin versa. Stylus filiformis. Stigma capitatum. acca subrotunda, Pyri minoris magnitudine, atro- 
purpurea, cortice tenui undique foveolis impressa, sepalis 5 conniventibus coronata ; intis carne tenero, pallido, pulposo, acido- 
dulci repleta, placente vestigiis venis firmioribus ostensis. Semina 25—30, nidulantia, pallidé luteo-brunnea, oblonga, pulpa 
seu arillo tenero é funiculo orto obvoluta. Hilum infra extremitatem angustiorem, per substantiam téste canaliculatum, fu- 
niculum elongatum arillo (?) adherentem promens. Embryotega pars teste cuneoliformis inter hilum et extremitatem proximam, 
4 testa e radicule regione facilé separabilis. TZ'esta ossea, fragilis. Membrana interior alba, pellucida, tenuissima. Chalaza 
fungosa, brunnea, in extremitate embryonis hilo proxima. Embryo teres, hippocrepicus, in substantia teste ; Radicula feré to« 
tum corpus embryonis formans, extremitate inferiore embryotege appressa ; Cotyledones due, minime, hilo proxima, paulo con- 
torte, exteriore minore. 3 
TASES TAN 
The only account which has hitherto been published of this fine shrub is in the Transactions of the Horticultural 
Society, where Mr.Cattley has given a complete history of its introduction, and of the mode of its cultivation. A beau- 
tiful figure of the plant in a fruit-bearing state accompanies the memoir, which Mr. Sabine completed by naming the 
subject of it in honour of the gentleman by whom the plant was first brought into notice. 
As a species it stands very distinct, having little more than generic affinity with any of the recorded species of 
Guava. The excellent flavour of its fruit, which is very like that of strawberries and milk, is far superior to either 
P. pyriferum, pomiferum, or polycarpon. There is a plant in the nurseries called Psidium Chinense, which is more 
- jike this than any thing else; but that has never produced flowers here ; in which particular alone, not to mention 
others, it decidedly differs from this, which is seldom out of flower. 
The generic character of Psidium given by authors, if it be sufficient to distinguish it from Kugenia and Myrtus, 
is so defective that we have formed another, in which we have endeavoured to include all that is absolutely necessary 
to constitute a Psidiwm. The principal features by which it is characterized, are its stamens inserted over all the 
inner surface of the calyx, its capitate stigma, peculiar mode of placentation, true berry containing many seeds with 
an osseous covering, and an embryo curved like a borse-shoe, with very minute cotyledons. There is also a curious 
contrivance in its testa, by which the emission of the radicle, otherwise likely to be retarded, if not prevented, by the 
very hard nature of its covering, is greatly facilitated. Immediately over against the lower extremity of the embryo, 
a circular portion of the testa, with a diameter equal to that of the radicle, acquires such a tendency to separate from 
the rest, that the first effort of incipient germination suffices to loosen it, and finally to push it out ; just as the action 
of some power in the inside of a phial pushes out its stopper. ‘This very remarkable economy, for a dicotyledonous 
plant, has been entirely overlooked by Geertner in his figure and account of Guaiava. He may therefore have missed 
it in Nelitris also, where it may be expected to exist. 
The genus Nelitris, of which we have been allowed to examine specimens by favour of A. B. Lambert, Esq., not- 
