94 Flora of the Malayan Peninsula. 



valvate, often gland-dotted or -striate. Stamens opposite to the corolla- 

 lobes and equal to them in number, free or adnate to the lobes or in an 

 inner ring, generally erect ; filaments long or short ; anthers opening 

 by slits, usually introrsely, sometimes septate as in ^giceras and 

 Ardisia littoralis, sometimes with terminal openings as well, free or 

 adherent by their edges ; the connective often thickened and produced, 

 sometimes glandular ; staminodes sometimes present, though not in 

 Malay species. Ovary globose, ovoid or oblong, free (in Mcesa adherent 

 to the calyx- tube), 1-celled, narrowed into or surmounted by the style ; 

 style filiform or columnar, stigma usually simple ; ovules few or many, 

 inserted on or immersed in a free usually globose central placenta. 

 Fruit usually small, globose (in JEgiceras linear, curved, acuminate) ; 

 epicarp fleshy, mesocarp crustaceous, endocarp membranous, separable; 

 usually one- rarely several-seeded (as in McBsa), indehiscent. Seeds 

 usually globose, hollowed at the base : in Mcesa many and angled ; 

 albumen pitted or ruminate ; embryo transverse, cylindric ; radicle 

 usually elongate. — Distrib. Tropical or sub-tropical regions of both 

 hemispheres, chiefly in Asia and South America ; genera 32, species 

 upwards of 900 (according to Mez Monog. Myrsinece). 



Calyx-tube adnate to the ovary ; fruit many-seeded (Tribe I. 



M^.SE^) : — 



Trees or shrubs ; calyx 2-bracteolate ; flowers in simple or com- 

 pound racemes . . . . . . . . . . 1. M^sa. 



Calyx-tube free from the ovary ; fruit one-seeded (Tribe II. 



EUMYESINES;) : — 



Fruit round ; anther-cells usually opening by slits, rarely sep- 

 tate : — 



Corolla-lobes imbricate in bud :— 



Flowers in axillary or lateral fascicles ; trees or shrubs . . 2. Myhsine. 



Flowers in racemes or panicles; climbing plants, rarely 



shrubs . . . . . . . . . . 3. Embelia. 



Corolla-lobes valvate in bud ; flowers in paniculate spike-like 



racemes ; small shrubs with parallel-veined leaves . . 4. Labisia. 



Corolla-lobes contorted in bud : — 



Anthers sagittate, rarely septate ; corolla-lobes overlapping 



to the right . . . . . . . . . . 5. Ardisia. 



Anthers sagittate-lanceolate, the connective produced in a 

 membranous wing ; corolla-lobes overlapping to the left . . 6. Antistrophe. 

 Fruit elongate, cylindric, long-pointed ; anthers markedly septate 7. iEaicERAS. 



1. M^sA, Forsk. 



Trees or shrubs, erect or straggling. Leaves entire, dentate or ser- 

 rate, usually pellucid-punctate, sometimes with resinous lines. Flowers 

 hermaphrodite or unisexual, in terminal or axillary racemes, the 

 pedicels bracteate. Calyx bibracteolate, 4-5-lobed ; lobes persistent, 

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