60 



of Ceratopetalum. Congo, 437, This order agrees with Cunoniacese in its 

 opposite leaves and intermediate stipulse, and with great part of them in the 

 aestivation of its calyx, and in the structure and cohesion of ovarium. JR. Brown, 

 Flinders, 549. Decandolle points out its relation to Vochjaceas and Combre- 

 tacese, and even to Memecyleae through the genus Olisbea. The genera were 

 comprehended in Lorantheae by Jussieu. Cassipourea, mentioned as an anoma- 

 lous plant, is probably the type of a distinct order. 



Geography. Natives of the shores of the tropics, where they root in the 

 mud, and form a dense thicket down to the verge of the ocean. 



Properties. The bark is usually astringent ; that of Rhizophora gymno 

 rhiza is used in India for dyeing black. Dec. 



Examples. Rhizophora, Bruguiera. 



LIV. MELASTOMACEiE. 



Melastomb, Juss. Gen. p. 328. (1789); Diet. Sc. Nat. 29. 507. (1823).— Melastomaceje, Don in 

 Mem. Wcrn. Sue. 4. 281. (1823) ; Dec. Prodr. 3. 99. (1828) ; Memoirc (1828.) 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with definite perigynous stamens, 

 concrete carpella, an inferior ovarium of several cells, long inflexed anthers, in- 

 definite seeds, and opposite ribbed leaves without dots. 



Anomalies. Traces of pellucid dots in Diplogenea. Ovarium more or less 

 superior in several. Leaves sometimes not ribbed in Sonerila. 



Essential Char acteh. — Calyx divided into 4, 5, or 6" lobes, cohering' more or less with the 

 angles of the ovarium, but distinct from the surface between the angles, and thus forming a 

 number of cavities, within which the young anthers are curved downwards. Petals equal to 

 the segments of the calyx, arising from their base, or from the edge of a disk that lines the 

 calyx ; twisted in aestivation. Stamens usually twice as many as the petals, sometimes equal 

 to them in number ; in the former case, those which arc opposite the segments of the ealyx are 

 alone fertile ; filaments curved downwards in aestivation ; anthers long, 2-celled, usually burst- 

 ing by two pores at the apex, which is rostrate, and elongated in various ways beyond the in- 

 sertion of the filament ; sometimes bursting longitudinally ; before flowering, contained with- 

 in the cases between the ovarium and sides of the calyx. Ovarium more or less coherent with 

 the calyx, witli several cells, and indefinite ovules; style 1 ; stigma simple, either capitate or 

 minute; a cup often present upon the apex of the ovarium, surrounding the style. Pericar- 

 pium either dry and distinct from the calyx, or succulent and combined with the calyx, with 

 several cells ; if dehiscent, bursting through the valves, which therefore bear the septa in the 

 middle ; placenta: attached to a central column. Seeds innumerable, minute, with a brittle 

 testa, and no albumen ; usually with appendages of some kind ; embryo straight, or curved, 

 with equal or unequal cotyledons. — TVecffj shrubs, or herbaceous plants. Leaves opposite, undi- 

 vided, usually entire, without dots, with several ribs. Mowers terminal, usually thyrsoid. 



Affinities. " The family of Melastomaceae," remarks M. Decandolle, in 

 an excellent memoir upon the subject, " although composed entirely of exotic 

 plants, and established at a period when but few species were known, is so well 

 characterized, 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 arc, the opposite leaves, with several great veins 

 or ribs running from the base to the apex, something as in Monocotyledonons 

 plants, and the long beaked anthers, to which combined there is nothing to be 

 compared in other families. Permanent, however, as this character undoubt- 

 edly 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 Myrtaceoa, which were not known to exist in Melasto- 

 macere until that genus was described ; and several genera are now described 



