MELASTOMACE^. (mELASTOMA FAMILY.) 131 



* Flowers in ttxillari/ cymes. 



1. E. dichotoma, DC. Leaves oblong-obovate, obtuse or emarginate, 

 tigiil, and, like tiie branches, roughened with appressed hairs, at lengtli smooth- 

 ish, the margins rcvolute ; peduncles twice as long as the leaves, 3 - 7-flowered, 

 the central flowers sessile ; calyx-tube obconical, 2-braeted, downy and hoary, 

 the lobes roundish, spreading ; petals orbicular, ciliate ; stamens numerous. — 

 South Florida. — A small tree. Leaves 1' long. Branches compressed. 



* * Flowers soJltary or vmhellate. 



2. E. procera, Poir. Smooth ; leaves ovate, tapering but obtuse at the 

 apex, abruptly contracted at the base into a short petiole ; peduncles solitary or 

 2-4 together, filiform, not half the length of the leaves, 1 -flowered; calyx-tube 

 hemispherical; petals orbicular, ciliate; berry globose, 1 -seeded. — South Flor- 

 ida. May. — A small tree. Leaves l^'-2' long. Flowers conspicuous, white 

 and fragrant. Berry as large as a grain of pepper. 



* * * Flowers minute, in very short cluster-like racemes. 



3. E. monticola, DC. Smootli ; leaves coriaceous, ovate-oblong, some- 

 what tapering towards the apex, but obtuse or emargiiuite, contracted at the base 

 into a distinct petiole ; racemes clustered, several-flowered, shorter than the peti- 

 ole ; stamens numerous ; berry globose. — South Florida. — Shrub 4° - 6° high. 

 Branches compressed. Leaves 2' long. Flowers white. Berries abundant, as 

 large as a grain of pepper, black. 



4. E. buxifolia, Willd. ? Leaves smooth, coriaceous, obovate-oblong, 

 rounded at the apex, short-petioled ; racemes single or clustered, few-flowered, 

 about as long as the petiole ; flowers minute ; stamens few (9- 12) or numerous ; 

 berry 1 - 3-seeded. — South Florida. — Varies much in the size of the leaves and 

 berries, length of the petiole, and number of stamens, and probably includes two 

 or more species. 



2. CALYPTRANTHES, Swartz. 



Calyx-tube obovate ; the limb entire, opening across like a lid, deciduous. 

 Petals none. Stamens numerous. Ovary 2-3-celled, with 2 ovules in each 

 cell. Berry 1-celled, 1-4-seeded. Seeds roundish: testa smooth. Embryo 

 curved ; the long and slender radicle coiled around the distinct unequal folded 

 and contorted cotyledons. — Shrubs or trees. Peduncles axillary, many-flow- 

 ered. 



1. C. Chytraculia, Swartz. Leaves ovate and ovate-lanceolate, acumi- 

 nate but obtuse, pubescent, becoming smooth above ; peduncles longer than the 

 leaves, cymose-panicled, tomentose ; flowers minute; berry dry, globose, 1-2- 

 secded. — South Florida. — A small tree. 



Order 51. MELASTOMACE^. (Melastoma Family.) 



Herbs, shrubs, or trees, with opposite 3 - 9-ribbefl leaves, without dots 

 or stipules, and showy flowers. — Calyx urn-shaped, 4 - 6-lo'De(!i, persigient^ 



