1780 



A TEXTBOOK OF THEORETICAL BOTANY 



top by the sepals which form a cap. The stamens are borne on the margin 

 of the receptacle and at an early stage are folded in around the style. The 

 sepal cap drops off as a whole and after it is shed the stamens open up, 

 forming a fringe around the single style. After fertilization the receptacle 

 contributes to the formation of a loculicidal capsule which liberates, in 

 some species, wdnged seeds. 



E. globulus yields the Oil of Eucalyptus, as do certain other related 

 species. For this reason they are of economic importance and are exten- 

 sively planted, particularly in California and Italy. They are supposed to 

 keep away malaria mosquitoes. As might be expected many species provide 

 valuable timber. 



Several species of Metrosideros and Melaleuca yield valuable timbers, 

 while Melaleuca leucadendron yields Cajeput oil. Finally species of Cal- 

 listemon are often cultivated on account of their peculiar inflorescences 

 which has earned them the name of Bottle-brushes (Fig. 1672). 



'I' 



Fig. 1672. — Callistemon lanceohitus. Flower 

 spike with long scarlet stamens. 



Turning from the Myrtaceae to the last family of this order, the Melasto- 

 maceae, we have a large group of plants arranged in 200 genera and about 

 2,500 species, which live in the tropics and subtropics, particularly in South 



