55 



OSBECKIA stellata, imr. 

 Starry Osbeckia^ with small scales. 



OCTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 

 Nat. ord. MelastomacejE. 



OSBECKIA, Linn. Calyx tubo ovato v. oblongo, inferne cum ovarii 

 basi connato, saepe setis a basi palmatis v. pube stellata aut rarissime siraplici 

 vestito, limbi quadri quinquefidi laciniis cum totidem appendicibus alternan- 

 tibus. CorollcB petala 4 v. 5, calycis fauci inserta, ejusdem laciniis alterna, 

 ovata V. obovata. Stamina 8 v. 10, cum petalis insei'ta, subsequalia ; antherce 

 oblongo-lineares, subarcuatse, rostratse, uniporosse, conuectivo ad basim in- 

 crassato, autice breviter bicalcarato v. biauriculato sive mutico. Ovarium 

 semiinferum, vertice libero, couico setosum, quadri-quinqueloculare, loculis 

 multiovulatis. Stylus filiformis, infra apicem incrassatus ; stiyma puuctiforme. 

 Capsula sicca, calycis tubo sursum truncato inclusa, quadri-quinquelocularis, 



superne loculicede quadri-quinquevalvis. Semina plurima, cochleata. 



Frutices v. suffrutices, in Asia et Africa tropica crescentes, plerumque setoso- 

 asperi; ramulis mayis minusve tetrayonis, foliis oppositis, rarissime verticil- 

 latis, nervosis, subinteyerrimis, floribus termhialibus, saepe capitatis, hracteaio- 

 involucratis, nunc solitariis, rarius raceniosis v. subcorymbosis, purpurascentibus, 

 speciosis. — Endl. gen. 6221. 



Sect. IV. OsBECKiARiA, DC. Cat. 4-5 fidi, setis a basi palmatis per totum 

 tubum ornati ; appendices plumosse aut ssepius pectinatse ; lobi demum 

 cum appendicibus decidui ore calycis truncato. 



0. stellata ; caule sufFruticoso tetragono sursCim pilis adpressis scabro, foliis 

 petiolatis oblongo-lanceolatis septemnerviis utrinque praesertim supra 

 pilosis subtus viridibus, peduncidis trifloris termiualibus, bracteis ovatis 

 patulis cito deciduis, calycis appendicibus in setis longis solutis, petalis 

 4 subrotundis calyce multo longioribus. 



0. stellata /3, DeCand. Prodr. 3. 142. 



Of this fine plant, seldom seen now in our gardens, there 

 are two very distinct varieties. Of these one has the curious 

 fringed scales with which the calyx is coated, so closely 

 arranged that the whole surface is covered over with a mat 

 of entangled bristles. A figure of this has already been given 

 at plate 674 of this work. The other, with a narrower calyx, 

 whose scales stand wide apart, so as to shew its sides between 



