346 Oedeb 49.— MTRTACE^E. 



in many rows, lanceolate, somewhat coriaceous and fleshy, colored; 

 stamens unequal, about 12, outer ones fertile; anthers extrorse ; pistils 

 few or many, inclosed in the calyx tube, fruit many times larger than 

 that of the rose, loosely enclosing the large achenia. — The bark and 

 lvs. exhale the odor of camphor. Fls. of a lurid purple. 



C. fldridus L. Lvs. oval, mostly acuto or acuminate, tomenlous beneath; 

 branches spreading ; fls. nearly sessile. — Fertile soils, along streams, Va. and all 

 the S. States. Not uncommon in gardens farther north, and valued for its ex- 

 quisite, strawberry-like fragrance. Shrub 3 to If high. Lvs. 3 to 5 to V long. 

 Fls. on short branches. Fr. rare, of the size and form of a fig, acute at base, 

 truncate and involute at top, longitudinally veined. (Sent by Prof. Pond.) 

 f3. l^evigatus T. & G. Lvs. oblong or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate or gradually 

 acute, glabrous or somewhat scabrous above ; branches erect, f (C. laeviga- 

 ta Willd.) 

 y. glaucus T. k G. Lvs. oblong or ovate-lanceolate, much acuminate, large, 

 glaucous and glabrous or minutely downy beneath ; branches spreading, f 

 (C. glaucus Willd.) 

 6. inodorus T. & G. Lvs. lanceolate, scabrous and shining above, smooth be- 

 low ; branches spreading ; fls. inodorous. (C. inodorus Ell.) 



Order XLIX. MYRTACEvE. Myrtleblooms. 



Trees and shrubs, without stipules. Lvs. opposite, entire, punctate, usually with a 

 vein running close to the margin. Gal. adherent below to the compound ovary, 

 the limb 4 or 5-cleft, valvate. Petals as many as the segments of the calyx. 

 Stamens indefinite. Anthers introrsc. Style and stigma simple. Fruit with many 

 seeds. Albumen none. 



A fine order of 45 genera and 1300 species, native of warm and torrid countries, especially of 

 8. America, and the. E. Indies. 



Properties. — A fragrant or pungent volatile oil, residing chiefly in the pellucid dotting of the 

 leaves, pervades the odor. The Caryophyllus nromaticus, native of Arabia, a tree about 20f in 

 height, yields the clove (clou, Fr. a nail), which is the dried flower. Cajeput oil is distilled from 

 the leaves of the Malaleuca Cnjeputi, native of the E. Indies. A kind of gum kino is obtained 

 from Eucalyptus resinifera, also a native of India. The root of the Pomegranate yields an ex- 

 tract which is an excellent vermifuge. All the genera are exotic with us. Many of them ar« 

 highly ornamental in culture. 



i. MYR'TUS, Tourn. Myrtle. (Gr. fivpov, perfume.) Calyx 5- 

 cleft ; petals 5 ; berry 2 or 3-celled ; radicle and cotyledons distinct — 

 Shrubs with evergreen lvs. marked by a marginal vein. 



M. communis L. Lvs. oblong-ovate; fls. solitary; involucre 2-leaved. — 

 This popular shrub is a native of S. Europe. In this country it is reared only in 

 houses and conservatories. Leaves about 1 by 6'. Flowers white. Among the 

 ancients it was a great favorite for its elegance of form, and its fragrant, ever- 

 green leaves. It was sacred to Venus. The brows of bloodless victors wero 

 adorned with myrtle wreaths, and at Athens it was an emblem of civic au- 

 thority. 



2. PITNICA, L. Pomegranate. (Lat. punka ; Carthaginian or 

 of Carthage, where it first grew.) Calyx 5-cleft ; petals 5 ; berry 

 many-celled, many-seeded, seeds baccate ; placenta parietal. — Deci- 

 duous trees and shrubs. 



1 P. Granatum L. Arborescent ; lvs. lanceolate, with no marginal vein. 

 — A thorny bush when wild, from S. Europe, where it is sometimes used for 

 hedges like the hawthorn. In Fla., &c, it is a tree 15 to 20f high. Lvs. entire, 

 smooth, 2 to 3' by 1 to 10", obtuse. The fls. are scarlet, large, and make a fine 

 appearance. The fr. is large, highly ornamental, and of a fine flavor. Much 

 eare is requisite for its cultivation. It requires a rich loam, a sunny situa- 



