62 

 • * • 



is so well characterised, that no one has ever thought of putting any part 

 of it in any other group, or even of introducing into it genera that do not 

 rightly belong to it." These distinct characters are, the opposite leaves, 

 with several great veins or ribs running from the base to the apex, some- 

 thing as in Monocotyledonous plants, and the long beaked anthers, to 

 which combined there is nothing to be compared in other families. Per- 

 manent, however, as this character undoubtedly is, yet the cause of no 

 uncertainty having been yet found in fixing the limits of the order, is rather 

 to be attributed to the small number of species that have been examined, 

 than to the want of connecting links : thus Diplogenea has traces of the 

 dots of Myrtacese, which vvere not known to exist in Melastomaceae until 

 that genus was described ; and several genera are now described with supe- 

 rior ovarium, a structure which was at one time supposed not to exist in the 

 order; and, finally, in the remarkable genus Sonerila, the leaves are some- 

 times not ribbed. 



The greatest affinity of Melastomacese is on the one hand with Sali- 

 cariae, on the other with Myrtacese ; from the former they differ in the 

 sestivation of their calyx not being valvate, from the latter in having the 

 petals twisted before expansion and no dots on the leaves, and from both, 

 and all others to which they can be compared, in their long anthers bent 

 down parallel to the filaments in the flower, and lying in niches between 

 the calyx and ovarium ; with the exception of Memecylese, in which, how- 

 ever, the union between the calyx and ovarium is complete, and which have 

 leaves destitute of the lateral ribs that so strongly point out Melastomaceae. 

 The structure of the seeds of Memecylese is also different. 



From differences in the dehiscence of the anthers, Decandolle forms two 

 sub-orders, viz. : — 



1. True Melastomas. 



Anthers opening by pores at the apex. 



Examples. Melastoma, Rhexia. 



2. Chariantiie;e. 



Anthers opening by 2 longitudinal fissures. 



Examples. Charianthus, Astronia. 



Geography. Found neither in Europe nor Asia in the temperate 

 zone, nor in Africa north of the desert of Zahara, nor south of Brazil in 

 South America, nor in extra-tropical Africa to the south. Beyond the tro- 

 pics, 8 are found in the United States, 3 in China, and 3 in New Holland. 

 Of the remainder, it appears that 78 are described from India or the Indian 

 Archipelago, 12 from Africa and the adjacent islands, and 620 from Ame- 

 rica. Dec. 



Properties. A slight degree of astringency is the prevailing character 

 of the order, which is, although one of the most extensive known, entirely 

 destitute of any unwholesome species. The succulent fruit of many is 

 eatable, some of which dye the mouth black, whence the name of Melas- 

 toma. Blakea tripiinervia produces a yellow fruit, which is pleasant and 

 eatable, in the woods of Guiana. Ilamilt. Prodr. 42. 



LV. MEMECYLE^. 



Wemecvlea:, Dec. Prodr. 3. 5. (182n.) 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with definite peiigynous sta- 

 mens, concrete carpella, an inferior ovarium with srvnal cells, 1 -ribbed 



