6 



ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY. 



Geogiiapmical Distribution. Found widely distributed over Asia but every where cul- 

 tivated. Arabia is however supposed to be its native country. 



Medical Properties. For these see Myrtaccae the order under which I at first included 

 this genus. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE 97. 



1. Punica granatum, flowering branch — natural size. 



2. Flower and ovary cut vertically. 



3. Ovary cut trausversely, section near the apex of the 

 ovary ; apparently the section seen and described by Don. 



4. Stauieus. 



5. A young fruit cut transversely, showing the parietal 

 attachment of the upper row of carpels. 



6. A seed covered with pulp. 



7. The same cut transversely. 



8. The saiue more highly magnified, showing the spi- 

 rally convolute cotyledons. 



9. A longitudinal section of the seed showing the em- 

 bryo in situ. 



10. Cotyledons unrolled — all more or less magnijied. 

 For further dissections of the ovary of this plant see 



plate 97.* 



LXV.-MYRTACEiE. 



This is a large and very natural order, especially as now limited by the exclusion of the 

 albuminous seeded genera, which Lindley, in the last edition of his natural system, has kept dis- 

 tinct under the names of Barn?igf,onleae Lind., Lecijthedece Richard, and Philadelpheae Don. 

 To this arrangement Meisner objects, and recombines the whole under his order Myrtineae, 

 forming tribes of those groups which others have thought ought to be considered distinct 

 orders. With the lin>ited means I possess for examining this question, it would ill become me 

 to attempt to set myself up as umpire between such accomplished Botanists, but, I 

 will so far depart from the arrangement already adopted in our Prodromous, as to follow Lindley 

 in viewing the section Barringtoneae as at least a suborder, on account of its very remarkable 

 seed and general habit, which appears to distinguish it sufficiently from the rest of the order. 



I have at different times befere expressed doubts of the propriety of attaching so much 

 importance to the absence or presence of albumen, until we have attained such an acquaintance 

 with Its functions in the vegetable economy as might enable us to assign a uniform value to 

 characters taken from it, and would not therefore now insist on its being pressed into service 

 unless supported by other characters. On these grounds, I should hesitate to separate Phila- 

 delpheae the habit of which sufficiently accords with true Myrtaceae, simply because of their al- 

 buminous seed and leaves without dots, but as they besides differ in the estivation of the corolla, 

 in having distinct styles, and serrated leaves, all of which are absent in true Murtaceae there 

 certain y seems much reason on the side of those who propose their separation, at the same 

 time It IS quite undeniable that the present fashion in Botany seems to run too strongly in that 



h'J^tZ T\) 7k "' ?"V^^° 'P* °" ^^''}^ '^'^"'^^^ S^^""^^« ^^ ^i^5^« ^^"^ilies that might 

 better be kept together, wh.ch, as m some other instances, may perhaps be the case here. ^ 



Ihe order for the most part consists of trees or shrubs with opposite leaves DPiforated 

 w.th pellucid dots and abounding in fragrant resinous oil. The inflorLc nee L very va" 

 often axillary, and sessile occasionally, as in Syzygium, forming large corymbose cvmes The 

 fiowers are usually either white or red, seldom yellow and never blue ^'^y'"^^'^ ''^'^^^' "^^^ 



then Mrnrofft.k^;tlf ;nt/'"'p??''^^ '°^'""^ ^" ''"" P'^^'^«"«> someti.... .„. 



imperfect, and hence 1-to l5-celled': style and stigma "IiTple KentL n Ar^"'-' ' '"'"^ 



Embrjo slraight or curved : radicle neL the hLZ ZllT^ll .'"±'^""'- Albumen 



mes m one 



and 



none. 



