MELASTOMACEAE. 129 



1. CASSYTHA [Osbeck] L. Vines with yellow or jiale-green stems and 

 branches, clinging to herbs and shrubs. 



1. C. filifonnis L. Stems matted, yellowish-green: flowers 3-6 in a spike: 

 inner sepals triangular-ovate, 2-3 times larger than the outer: drupe globose, 

 5-7 mm. in diameter. — Pinelands and coastal sand-dunes. — F. K. {Bah., 

 Cuba, Ant.) 



Order MYRTALES. 



Herbs, shrubs, or trees, sometimes aquatic or amphibious. Leaves 

 alternate or opposite. Flowers regular or irregular, complete or much 

 reduced. Hypanthium merely enclosing the ovary or adnate to it. Calyx 

 surmounting the hypanthium, the sepals distinct or rarely permanently 

 united. Corolla present or wanting. Androecium of few or many 

 stamens: anthers opening by slits or pores. Gynoeeium 1-several-car- 

 pellary. Fruit capsular, baccate, or achene-like. 



Style present, simple or compound : stigma terminal. 



Anthers opening by pores. Fam. 1. Melastomaceae. 



Antliers opening by longitudinal valves. 



Hypanthium merely enclosing the ovary. Fam. 2. Lythbaceae. 



Hypanthium adnate to the ovary or mainly so. 

 Cotyledons spirally convolute in the embryo. 

 Ovary several-celled : ovules numerous, not 



pendulous. Fam. 3. Punicaceae. 



Ovary 1-celled : ovules 2-5, pendulous. Fam. 4. Terminaliaceae. 



Cotyledons not spirally convolute. 



Sepals imbricated or united and the calyx 



falling away as a cap. Fam. 5. Mirtaceae. 



Sepals valvate. 



Leaves stipulate : sepals leathery. Fam. 6. Rhizophoraceae. 



Leaves not stipulate : sepals membran- 

 ous or herbaceous. Fam. 7. Epilobiaceae. 

 Styles wanting : stigmas sessile. Fam. 8. Gdnneeaceae. 



Family 1. MELASTOMACEAE. Me.\dow-beauty Family. 



Herbs, shrubs, or trees. Leaves opposite : blades with 3-several ribs. 

 Flowers perfect. Calyx of 3-6 sepals, surmounting the hypanthium. 

 Corolla of 3-6 oblique petals. Androecium of 6-12 stamens, those opi^o- 

 site the petals sometimes abortive. Gynoeeium of 3-5 united carpels. 

 Ovary enclosed in or adnate to the hjq)anthium. Fruit baccate or capsular. 



Herb: fruit a capsule. 1. Rhexia. 



Shrub or tree : fruit a berry. 2. Teteaztgia. 



1. BHEXIA L. Perennial herbs with rootstoeks. Leaf-blades usually 

 3-5-ribbed. Hypanthium urceolate, prolonged beyond the ovary. Sepals 4. 

 Petals 4, deciduous. Ovary 4-eelled, free. Capsule included. 4-valved. — 

 Meadow-beauty. 



Leaf-blades broad, prominently 3-ribbed : anthers short, oblong, not spurred. 



1. R. serrulata. 

 Leaf-blades narrow, prominently 1-ribbed : anthers elongate, linear, 



spurred at the base. 2. R. cuhensis. 



1. R. serrulata Nutt. Stems .5-30 cm. tall: leaf-blades ovate, oval, or sub- 

 orbicular, 0..5-1 cm. long: petals purple, about 10 mm. long: capsules about 4 

 mm. long, spheroidal. — Everglades. — F. K. 



2. R. cubensis Griseb. Stems 2-.5 dm. tall, glandular-hirsute: leaf-blades 

 linear, 1.5-4 cm. long: sej>als lanceolate or triangular-lanceolate: petals purple, 



Flora of Miami 9 



