47. MELA8T0MACE&. 

 1. Melastoma, L. 



t. M. malabathricum^ L. Indian Rhododendron (a 

 misnomer). 



A beautiful bushy shrub with 4-angled branches, 3 7- 

 basal-nerved rough broadly lanceolate or elliptic leaves 3-4" 

 long, and numerous bright mauve-purple fls. 1-1|" diam. 

 in terminal clusters with conspicuous yellow dimorphous 

 stamens. 



Along water-courses in Singbhum, not common. 8. P. (stream near 

 K^skira) Gamble ! Fit. March-May. Fr. r.s. Evergreen, 



Stems 4-6 ft. strigoae. L. with adpr eased hairs. Petiole |*. 



3. Osbeckia, L. 



1. 0. chinensis, L. 



A perennial-rooted erect herb 1J-2| ft. with 4-angled 

 sparsely adpressed hairy stems, linear or rarely oblong 

 basally 3- nerved leaves and handsome mauve flowers 1" diam. 

 in terminal capitate cymes. 



\j snaiiy on clay soil and common in grassy forest. Singbhum ; 

 Santal P. ; Parasnath ; Palaman (Neterhat). Fls. Aug.-Oct. 



Larger L. 2-2$* by f ', acute, margin very obscurely serrulate. Sepals 

 4 ith alternating stellate scales. St. 8 yellow, awned. 



2. 0. truncata, Don. A small variety of this species 

 CKurzii) only 2" high occurs on Parasnath. Anthers not 

 awned. 



Fain. 48. RHIZOPHORACEjE. 



Trees or shrubs with opposite usually coriaceous glabrous 

 leaves with interpetiolar caducous stipules. Fls. usually in 

 axillary cymes or clusters, rarely solitary or spicate. Calyx 

 superior, 4rl4-nsually 4-8-lobed, lobes valvate persistent. 



358 



