274 Lxx. MYRSTNE^. [Samara. 



sertcJ at the base of tlie petals aiul longer than tliem, with filiform filaments 

 and short anthers. Ovary superior ; style short. — Shrubs, often luilf-trail- 

 iiig or climbing. Tlowers small, in short axillary racemes. Bracts and 

 bracteoles very small. 



A small genus dispersed over tropical Asia and Africa. The only Australian species is 

 endemic. 



1. S. australiana, F. Muell. Fragm. vi. 164. A tall woody climber, 

 quite glabrous. Leaves ovate-elliptical or obovate, obtuse of shortly acumi- 

 nate, nan-owed into a petiole, thinly coriaceous, shining above, prominently 

 penniveined, and with intermediate veinlets, 1|- to 3 in. long. Flowers very 

 small, in sliort, loose, axillaiy racemes, the rhachis rarely above \ in. long 

 and the pedicels i in. Calyx-lobes 4, about I line long. Petals 4, about 1 

 line long, imbricate in the bud. Filaments exceedingly short; anthers 

 ovate. Ovary tapering into a style, sometimes nearly as long as the petals, 

 but usually much shorter; stigma broad. Drupe hard, globular, about 3 

 lines diameter. Seeds apparently embedded in the globular placenta, but 

 destroyed by grubs in all the fruits ovenQd.—Choripetalim australianim, 

 F. Muell. Fragm. iii. 36. 



W, S. Wales. Maclcay and Clarence rivers, JSecHer. Very difTerent in foliage from 

 any extra-Australian species known to me. Leiclibardt's specimens from the Arancana 

 woods, BLirnett river, mentioned by F. IMueller, seem to me to belong to the same species. 

 iliey are, however, very imperfect, in fruit only. 



3, MYRSIlsrE, Linn. 



Calyx free, 4- or 5-lobed. Corolla deeplv 4- or 5-lobed. Stamens In- 

 serted at the base of the corolla-lobes, with very short filaments ; the anthers 

 much longer, erect and lanceolate. Ovary superior ; style short, with a 

 capitate or fringed stigma.— Shrubs or small trees. Leaves coriaceous, 

 entn-e or rarely toothed. Flowers small, often polygamous, in umbels or 

 clusters, sessile in the axils or at the nodes, usually on the old wood. Bracts 

 mmute, deciduous. 



. ^.T'^it'^^^^^'"''^' 'F^^^ o^ei" ^I^e tropical and subtropical regions of hoth the Ne« 

 and the Old World. The four Australian species appear to be endemic, although tvs'o ol 

 them are very nearly allied to a common south Asiatic one. 



Corolla urceolate, the lobes shorter than the tube l^ ^I nrceolata. 



Corolla-lobes much longer than the short open tube. .^ y. 



leaves nearly sessile or the petiole not 2 lines Ion- • . > • * 3- ^- crassifoU^' 



Leaves on petioles of i to 1 in. long. 



Ca yx not i as long as the corolla. CoroUadobes narrow . , 8. 3f. variabilis^ 



Imi ''^^l'^^^^^^^^' n^o^c than half ^ long as the eorolla. Co- , ,..;•. 



roHa-lobes broad and thick 4. M. achadtjons- 



1. M, urc 



Leaves ell 



a rather lo 

 Calj-x very 



uarroived 



v.c.^_.v ..y .uuu., witn Short broad lobes. Corolla narrow-urceolate au- 

 1^ lines long, the lobes (usually 4) scarcely half as long as tube, ^n? 



nearly sessile near the base of the corolla-tube and included in it.-A. DC^ 



