G2 



rib of their leaves, and with the latter in the want of dots and in the peculiar 

 form of the anthers ; their cotjdedons are those of Punica among Myrtaceae. 



Geography. All natives of the hottest parts of the East Indies and of the 

 Mauritanian Islands, with the exception of the Mouririas, which are West In- 

 dian, if they belong to the order; but this is uncertain. 



Properties. Unknown. 



Examples. Memecylon, Mouriri. 



LVI. MYRTACEAE. The Myrtle Tribe. 



Myrti, Juss. Gen. 323. (1789).— Myrte^e, Juss. Diet. Sc. Nat. 34. 79. (1825).— Myrtoideje, 

 Vent. Tabl. (1799).— Myrtixeje, Dec. Theoric, Elcm. (1819).— Myrtaceae, R. Broun in 

 Flinders, p. 14. (1814) ; Dec. Diet. Class, v. 11. (1826) ; Prodr. 3. 207. (1829) ;— Granate^, 

 Don in Ed. Phil. Journ. p. 134. (1826); Dec. Prodr. 3. 3. (1829) ; Von Martins H. Reg. 

 Monac. (1829.) 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with indefinite perigynous stamens, 

 concrete carpella, an inferior ovarium with several cells, ana opposite entire 

 leaves with pellucid dots. 



Anomalies. Chamselauciese have a 1-celled fruit, with erect ovula. A 

 species of Sonneratia is apetalous. The leaves of Barringtonia are alternate 

 and not dotted. 



Essential Character. — Calyx superior, 4- or 5-cleft, sometimes falling off like a cap, in 

 consequence of the cohesion of the apex. Petals equal in number to the segments of the ca- 

 lyx, with a quincuncial aestivation ; rarely none. Stamens either twice as many as the petals, 

 or indefinite; filaments either all distinct, or connected in scYeral parcels, curved inwards 

 before flowering; anthers ovate, 2-cellccl, small, bursting lengthwise. Ovarium inferior; 

 2- 4- 5- or 6-celled ; styles simple; stigma simple. Fruit cither dry or fleshy, dehiscent or 

 indehiscent. Seeds usually indefinite, variable in form ; embryo without albumen, straight 

 or curved, with its cotyledons and radicle distinguishable or conferruminated into a solid 

 mass. — Trees or shrubs. Leaves opposite, entire, with transparent dots, and with a vein run- 

 ning parallel with their margin. Inflorescence variable, usually axillary. Flowers red, 

 white, occasionally yellow, never blue. 



Affinities. One of the most natural among the tribes of plants, and the 

 most easily recognised. Its opposite exstipulate clotted entire leaves with a 

 marginal vein, are a certain indication of it, with the exception of a few plants, 

 which probably do not belong to the order, although at present placed in it. It 

 is closely allied to Rosacea?, Salicaria>, Onagrariae, Combretacea 3 , and Melasto- 

 macea?, but cannot well be confounded cither with them or any other tribe. It 

 offers a curious instance of the facility with which the calyx and corolla can 

 take upon themselves the same functions and transformations. In Eucalyptus, 

 as is well known, the sepals are consolidated into a cup-like lid, called the oper- 

 culum. In Eudesmia, a nearly-related genus, the calyx remains in its normal 

 state, while the petals are consolidated into an operculum. Punica is usually 

 referred to this order ; but the descriptions that have been published of it have 

 been founded upon so imperfect a view of its structure, that I may be permitted 

 to dwell upon it at some length, especially as I hope to show that it not only 

 does not differ from the order essentially, but that it does not require to be dis- 

 tinguished from true Myrlaccre even as a section. A consideration of the real 

 structure of this plant comes the more properly within the scope of the present 

 publication, because the genus has been considered the type of a particular 

 order (Granaterc) by Mr. Don, in which he is supported by the high authority 

 of Decandolle and Von Martins. The fruit of the Pomegranate is described 

 by Gartner and Decandolle as being divided into two unequal divisions by a 



