50 



ORDER LXVm. MELASTOMACEiE, 



A tropical and sub-tropical Order, the greater number of its 

 members being natives of IS. America, with but few in other countries. 

 The berries of some species of the genus Melastoma are eatable, but 

 stain the mouth, hence the name of the Order. None are of much, if 

 any, economic value ; but some bear brightly-coloured and very orna- 

 mental flowers, such as Phroma macrantha, commonly cultivated in 

 gardens. Some of our indigenous species of Dissotis are well worth 

 cultivation. 



Number of species about 1800. 



Ex. Imfe-ye-inkala.) 



Leaves 5-ribbed. Anthers opening by pores. Dissotis. 



Leaves 9-ribbed. Anthers slitting. Memecylon. 



1 Dissotis, Bth. 

 eximia, Harv, AB. 



incana, Naud. AB. 



ji'hseotricha, Triana. A. 



ORDER LXIX. LYTHRARIJ?. 



A small order, the members of which are chiefly found in trojoical 

 and subtropical countries, a few only inhabiting temperate regions. 

 Some of the species contain tannin, others are used medicinally. The 

 " Henna," which is used by some women in Lidia for dying their nails 

 and hair is Lmvsonia alba. The Lagerstroemias are cultivated for the 

 beauty of their flowers, and are known locally as "Pride of Lidia," 

 One of them, L. Flos-Regineas, yields a valuable wood, and the timber 

 of some other species is used in India. None of our species have any 

 economic value. Lythrum and Nessea are herbaceous plants, Hetero- 

 pyxis and Rhynchocalyx are shrubs or small trees, the latter plant 

 being apparently very rare, one plant only, so far, having been observed 

 by botanists. 



Number of species about 250, 



2 Memecylon, Limi. 

 capense, E. & Z, 



Herbs or undershrubs. 



Small trees. 



1 Calyx tubular. Ovary 2-celled. 



1 Calyx bell-shaped. Ovary 3-celled. 



2. Stamens 5, opposite petals. Leaves aromatic. 



2. Stamens 5-6, opposite petals, petals fimbriate. 



2. Stamens 5, alternate with petals, petals entire. 



List of Species. 

 1 Lythrum, Linn. 

 rigidulum, Sand. 



Lythrum. 



NESiEA. 



Heteropyxis. 



Rhynchocalyx. 



Olinia. 



rivulare. Wood & Evans. 

 sagittsefolium, Sond. 



Z. 

 DE. 



Gommerson. 



floribunda, Sond. A. 



Kuntzei, Koehne. ? 



sagittaefolia, Koehne. ? 



Schinzii, Koehne. DE. 

 tolypobotrys, Koehne. 



