Metrosideros. icosandria monogynia. 477 



ceolate. Flowers solitary, with two bractes below the ca- 

 lyx. 



A native of the Moluccas. It has the habit of a Myr- 

 tiis, but from the capsule which is from eight to ten-celled, 

 I conclude it is not of that family. The stamina are very 

 numerous, the length of the oval petal. The stigma is 

 truncate, not capitate. The floral leaves are so small, and 

 the flowers so numerous toward the end of the braachlets, 

 as to appear like a panicle. 



METROSIDEROS. Schreb.gen. n. 791. 

 Calyx four or five-cleft, seraisupera. Petals four or 

 five. Stamina very long, standing out. Stigma simple. 

 Capsule three or four-celled. 



J. M. vera. R. 



Leaves opposite, short-petioled, oblons^, polished. Co- 

 rymbs axillary, brachiate, shorter than the leaves. Ca- 

 lyx four-toothed. 



Metrosideros vera. Rumph. Amb. 3. t. 7. 



Rumphius describes it to be a tree of great size, growing 

 in the forests of Amboyna, and the other Molucca Islands. 

 It was introduced from the former place into the B jtanic 

 garden at Calcutta in 1801, and in July 1804, the larg- 

 est plants blossomed for the first time, when only about 

 seven feet high. It has a slender trunk, smooth baik, and 

 few branches. No part of the tree, so far as I have yet 

 observed, possesses any kind of fragrance. 



Leaves opposite, short-petioled, oblong, firm, smooth, 

 polished, perfectly entire, rather acute, with small and 

 parallel veins, about six inches long, and from two 

 to three broad. Corymbs axillary, solitary, shorter 

 than the leaves, brachiate, bearing a few pretty large, 

 pale greenish white inodorous flowers; pedicels flat- 

 tened. Bractes oblong, or lanceolate, smooth, acute. 



