f DICOTYLEDONS. 157 



P. GRANATUM. POMEGRANATE. Erect, branching shrubs; 

 leaves lanceolate or ovate, acute at the apex, rounded at the base, 

 entire ; flowers solitary, short-peduncled ; calyx and corolla bright 

 red; calyx lobes 5, triangular, persistent; petals 5, oval, erect; fruit 

 globose, crimson, 3-4 in. in diameter, 3-celled below and 5-celled 

 above, edible; seeds many, surrounded by a pulpy aril having a 

 pleasant acid taste. May-June. Introduced from Europe. 



87. MELASTOMACE^. MEADOW-BEAUTY FAMILY. 



Perennial herbs ; leaves simple, opposite, 3-9-ribbed, ex- 

 stipulate ; flowers in terminal cymes ; calyx tube urn-shaped, 

 constricted at the neck, 4-lobed, persistent ; petals 4, inserted 

 in the throat of the calyx tube, oblique ; stamens usually 

 twice the number of the petals, anthers often long, curving 

 upward and spurred at the base; ovary superior, 4-celled, 

 placentae central, style single, bent to one side ; fruit a 

 many-seeded, 4-celled capsule. 



RHEXIA. 



Characters of the family. 



1. R. Mariana L. Deer-grass. Stem erect, branched, terete 

 or G-angled, bristly, 1-2 ft. high; leaves lanceolate or linear-oblong, 

 sliort-i)eliole(l, acute, 3-nerved, bristly on both sides, ciliate-serrate; 

 flowers purple, 1^-2 in. wide; calyx tube bristly or nearly smooth, 

 the neck as long as the globose portion; i)etals rounded; anthers 

 curved, saccate at the base. June-September. In wet, sandy soil. 



2. R. ViRGiNiCA L. Meadow-heauty. Stem erect, nearly 

 simple, hairy or bristly, 4-angled, 10-15 in. high; leaves oval or 

 ovate-lanceolate, sessile, 3-5-nerved, both surfaces with scattered 

 hairs, bristly serrate; flowers bright purple, 1-H in. wide; calyx 

 liristly, the neck shorter than the globose portion; petals rounded, 

 usually truncate at the apex; anthers curved, H\n\v small. June- 

 September. In swamps. 



3. R. GLABELLA Michx. Smootii Mkadow-heai'tv. Stem 

 erect, njostly simple, smootli, 2-3 ft. high; leaves lanceolate or elli))- 

 tical, sessile, entires or faintly serrate, thick, smooth, and glaucous; 

 llowers bright ])ur])le, U-2 in. wide; calyx often glandular-hisitid ; 

 petals obovate; anthers long and curved. June-August. Low ]>ine 

 Itarrens. 



