114 LIII. MELASTOMACER. 
slightly thickened upwards. Capsules included in the urceo- 
late calyx-tube, 5-celled. Seeds cochleate.—Benth. in Niger 
Flora, p. 346. Osbeckia, Fl. Cap. ex parte, ii. p. 518. 
To this genus belong Osbeckia eximia, Sond., and O. pheotricha, Hochst., 
both found near Natal; the former has 5-merous, panicled flowers; the 
latter 4-merous, capitate. 
3. MEMECYLON, Linn. 
Calyx-tube hemispherical or subglobose, adnate to the ovary; 
limb very short or cup-like, obsoletely 4-toothed or subentire. 
Petals 4, oval. Stamens 8, mostly longer than the petals ; 
filaments filiform; anthers short, with a thick connective, 
forming a conical spur at base, opening at base by a short slit. 
Ovary inferior, 1-celled ; ovules on a central placenta; style 
fihform; stigma simple. Berry crowned with the limb of 
calyx, frequently 1-seeded. Seeds with convolute cotyledons. 
—Lndl. Gen, n. 6269; Benth. Hongkong Flora, p. 117. 
Trees or shrubs, chiefly Asiatic. Twigs 4-sided, with tumid nodes. 
Leaves opposite, impunctate, 1-ribbed, coriaceous, quite entire. Flowers 
axillary, tufted or subcapitate-—A species (as yet undescribed) of this 
genus has recently been found, by Mr. Gerrard, near Natal. 
4. OLINIA, Th. 
Calyx tubular, adhering to the ovary ; limb of 5, rarely 4, 
minute teeth. Petals 5-4. Scales 5-4, minute, obovate, al- 
ternating with the petals. Stamens 5-4; filaments very short, 
adnate to the calyx below the scales ; anthers subglobose, 2- 
celled, introrse, with a thick connective. Ovary inferior, 
5-4-celled; cells 38-ovuled; style subulate; stigma obtuse. 
Fruit drupaceous, subglobose, truncate, 38-4-celled; cells 
mostly 1-seeded. Seeds with a spirally rolled embryo.— FV. 
Cap. i. p. 519. 
O. cymosa, Thunb., is a glabrous shrub or tree, with 4-sided twigs. 
Leaves opposite, petioled, coriaceous, green, shiny above, impunctate, 1- 
ribbed and penninerved, quite entire, varying in shape from obovate obtuse 
to ovato-lanceolate acuminate. Cymes terminal or axillary, densely many- 
flowered. Flowers white-——Found in kloofs, throughout the colony, and 
beyond the Eastern frontier. 
Orver LIV. LYTHRARIEZ. 
Flowers bisexual, rarely polygamous. Calyx free, persis- 
tent, tubular or bell-shaped, 4-12-toothed, often ribbed. Pe- 
tals on the summit of the calyx-tube, deciduous. Stamens 
usually inserted at or below the middle of the calyx-tube, as 
many or twice as many as the petals; rarely inserted at the 
summit of the tube and opposite the petals. Ovary free, 2-6- 
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