Maba.] LXXII, EBENACEiE. 2S9 



Trees or slirubs, with the habit and inflorescence of the Order, the leaves and 

 fmits often but not always smaller than in Diospjros. 



The genus csteiuls over the tropical regions of the Old World, and more especially over 

 the Indian Archipelago and the islands of the South Pacific. The Australian species appear 

 to be endemic, but may require some further coniparisou with the New Caledouian ones 

 ^hen these shall be better known. Y. Mueller, in his 'Report of the Intercolonial Exhibi- 

 UoQ of 1867/ proposes to unite CargUl'ia and Maha with Biospjros, but, as far as known, 

 the want of the septum between the two ovules of each carpel appears to be constant, and 

 the uniou would entail the reducing the whole Order to a single genus, of which the present 

 geuera would be sections, — a nominal rather than any real change, involving great iuconve- 

 nienee without any corresponding advantage. 



Li^aves (mostly 3 to 4 in. long) shortly and obtusely acuminate. 



Calyx, corolla, and I'ruit silky-hairy. 



Leaves quite glabrous i 1. 3f. lamina. 



Leaves with appresscd silky hairs, at least underneath . . . . 2. iW. sencocarj)a. 



1-eaves (mostly 3 to 4 in. long) shortly acuminate, glabrous. Fruit 

 glabrous. 



Calyx not above 1 line long. Corolla small. 



lemale flowers solitary, almost sessile 3. M. hemicycloides. 



Male flowers in loose dichotomous cymes 4. JIf. laxifora. 



^alys at the time of flowering 2 lines long, with broad obtuse 



lobes. Flowers in dense sessile clusters . " 5. M,fasclculosa. 



^e^jves (rarely 3 in.) obovate, ovate or oblong, very obtuse. 

 l^eaves (mostly 2 to 3 in.) strongly reticulate. Berry globular. 



rrmtmg calyx very flat and open 6. 3f. compacta, 



frmtmg calyx cup-shapcd ..." T. M, reticulata. 



Leaves not much reticulate. Berry ovoid. Fruiting calyx cup- 

 shaped. 



Wes mostly about 2 in., obovate, oval or oblong . . , . 8. Jf. geminata. 

 Leaves mostly about 1 in. or less, orbicular, obovate or oblong- 

 cuneate . , . . 9. Jtf. humUis. 



M 



A small tree, the young shoots 



sprinkled with a few appressed hairs. Leaves shortly petiolate, ovate- 

 \'^."S' very obtuse or shortly and obtusely acuminate, rigid, coriaceous. 

 Joining above, reticulate, 3 to 4 in. long. Flowers nearly sessile, the males 

 lew together, the females solitary, larger than in any of the following species. 

 1 ,'>'^ nearly globular, about 3 lines long, silky-vilious with rusty hairs; 

 «"Jes short, rounded. Corolla yellowish-white {R. Brown), the tube shortly 

 «serted, the lobes half as long as the tube, all silky-villous outside. Sta- 

 ?jeiis ni the males 9, the filaments alternately free and united in pairs, none 

 i ^'je females. Ovary rudimentary but villous in the males, very villous. 

 _ celled or rarely 2-ceired in the females, with 2 ovules in each cell, without 

 y spurious dissepiment between thein. Fruit not seen. 



Queensland. Cnmbeiland islands, R. Broion {Serb. R. Brown). 



Irl' ^' ^^^•^cocarpa, F. Muell. Fragm. v. 164. A tree with slender 

 /^chlets, silky-pubescent with rust-coloured hairs. Leaves on very short 

 cov )' ^''^^-elliptical or oblong, shortly and obtuscdy acuminate, coriaceous, 

 uiuf ?' ^P""kled with appressed hairs, which are more abundant on the 

 «(-i7'i^ ''' becoming nearly glabrous above when old, the reticulate veinlets 

 biiT!/ *'*^'^*picuou3, 3 to 4 in. long. Male flowers only seen m very young 

 '^' tUey are tlieu 3 to 5 to-ct!ier on an exceedingly short peduncle, densely 



