THE COMBRETUM AND THE CHILI-NETTJLE FAMILIES. 285 



but differ from them in having no dots of scented oil upon the leaves ; 

 and not only from the Myrtacetc, but from all other plants with which 

 they can be compared, in having their long anthers bent down parallel 

 with the filaments, and lying in niches between the calyx and the 

 ovary. Positively they are also characterised by the strongly-ribbed 

 leaves. The flowers are remarkably handsome, and have given many 

 species a place in our hot-houses. Others are conspicuous for the 

 beauty of their foliage, such as the Sonerila margaritdcea, the large, 

 broad, and green, but ribless leaves of which look as if sprinkled with 

 seed-pearl. The species most esteemed for cultivation, on account of 

 their flowers, belong to the genera Rhexia, Blakea, Osbechia, Melas- 

 tonia, and Medinilla. There are some superb plants of the last-named 

 in the conservatory at Tatton. 



LXXXVil.— THE COMBRETUM FAMILY. Comhretdcece. 



A family of about two hundred beautiful trees and shrubs, the affinities 

 as in the former, and natives of tropical Asia, Africa, and America. 

 They are interesting as pi'oducers of the "myrabolams" used by the 

 dyers, which are the fruit of the different species of Terminalia ; and 

 as including that splendid twining shrub of the hot-house, the Com- 

 brHum purpUreum, distinguished by its racemes of crimson flowers 

 the size of May-blossom, with innumerable stamens projecting half an 

 inch or more beyond the corolla. The leaves are oval and dotless, 

 I have observed this magnificent plant in perfection at Mr. Yates's. 



LXXXVIIL— THE CHILI-NETTLE FAMILY. Loasdcece. 



A little family of American plants, usually covered with stings like 

 those of the nettle, and with gay yellow or reddish flowers, which 

 recommend them for cultivation in spite of their hurting properties. 

 The most shewy is fortunately unprovided with stings, namely, 

 that handsome golden-blossomed annual, the Bartonia aiirea. The 

 leaves are usually feathcr-lobed, pinuatifid, or doubly pinnatifid ; the 

 peduncles are axillary and one-celled ; the petals five or ten ; the 

 stamens numerous, and adhering by the base of the filaments into 

 sheafs. In the true Loasas, commonly called, from their native 



