t 



Mcesa.'] Lxx. myrsine.e.* 273 



mens 5, with slender filaineuts and short anthers. Ovaiy inferior or half- 

 inferior; style short. Berry crowned by the calyx-lobes or teeth. — Trees 

 or shrubs. Flowers small, in simple or compound racemes, either axillary 

 or rarely terminal. Bracts at the base of the pedicels, and 2 bracteoles under 

 the flower usually very small. 



The genus is limited to the tropical regions of the Old World. The two Australian 

 species are endemic, both readily distinguished from the Asiatic ones by their long simple 

 racemes. 



^oody climber. Leaves cordate or rounded at the base. Ovary 



almost entirely inferior ^ I, M, dej^endens. 



Erect tree. Leaves tapering at the base. Ovary half-superior . . %, M, hapiobotri/s, 



1. M. dependens, F. Muell. Fragm. t. 107. A tall woody climber, 

 tlie typical form quite glabrous. Leaves shortly petiolate, ovate, very shortly 

 acuminate, irregularly sinuate-toothed or almost entire, cordate or rounded at 

 the base, distantly penniveined, without any or veiy few intermediate 

 Temlets, usually 3 to 4 in. long, but on barren branches often twice that 

 size. Flowers rather distant, in" slender racemes often twice as long as the 

 leaves, these racemes sometimes 2 or 3 together, but usually if not always 

 simple. Pedicels about as long as the calyx or at length rather longer. 

 J^-alyx-tube ovoid; lobes broad, rounded, entire or minutely ciliolate, about i 

 me long. Corolla-tube broad, rather longer than the calyx ; lobes spread- 

 mg, shorter than the tube, imbricate in the bud. Stamens included in the 

 corolla-tube; anthers about as long as the filament. Ovary inferior, except 

 tlieveiy short conical summit, which tapers into a very short style; stigraa 

 capitate. Fruit ovoid, crowned by the closed calyx-lobes. Seeds im- 

 ffiei'sed in the placenta, but not seen ripe. 



Queensland. Rockingham Bay, BaUachy. 



var. pulescens, F. Muell. Branches, foliage, and inflorescence softly puhescent or shortly 

 '^s. _ Pedicels rather shorter, and young fruit more globular than in the glahrous form. 

 ^ockinKham Bav. mj},..h„ 



vin 



2. M. haplobotrys, F. Muell. Fragm. v. 161. A small erect tree, quite 

 glabrous. Leaves naiTow-ovate to elliptical-oblong, acuminate, entire or irre- 

 giuarly sinuate-toothed, narrowed into a petiole, which is usually short, dis- 

 tantly penniveiued with but few cross veiulets, 3 to 6 in. long. Flowers m 

 sjffiple racemes, longer or rather shorter than the leaves. Pedicels very 

 fort. Calyx-tube very' short and adivate to the base of the ovary, but en- 

 ^■"ging after flowering; lobes broad, almost acute, about i hue long. 



n„ 1,° iiuwcnug; looes uroau, tumuai, civui.^, ^ - 



^o'-olla-tube broad, nearly as long as the calyx, the lobes broad much mx- 

 Jf cate, at least as long as the tube. Anthers ovate, as long as the flattened 

 laments. Ovary at the time of flowering more than half-superior tapering 

 ^ a very short style. Young fruit nearly globular, crowned by the closed 

 HYX-lobes. Seeds not seen perfect. 



Q'^eeaslaud. Rockingham Bay, BaUachy. 



2. SAMARA, Linn. 



(Choripetaluin, A^ DC.) 



3%x free, deeply 4-lobed. Petals 4, distinct, spreading. Stamens in- 



