Materials for a Flora of the Malayan Peninsula. 75 



B. Nageli, Miq. Fl. Ind. Bafc. I, Pfc. 1, 478. B. smtrifiora and R. Mnlleri, 

 Bl. Ic. 79. 



This species, being widely distributed, presenta many forms several of which 

 have been dpscribed as species. The above arrangement of these forms into two 

 varieties was first suggested by Kurz. 



6. Rhodomyrtus, DC. 



Small trees or tomentose shrubs. Leaves opposite, 3-nerved. 

 Flowers rather large, axillary. Calyx-tnhe turbinate, oblong or sub- 

 globose, slightly produced above the ovary ; lobes 5, rarely 4, herbaceous, 

 persistent. Petals 5, rarely 4, spreading. Stamens indefinite, free, in 

 many series. Ovary J- 2- 3-celled with spurious partitions, or divided 

 into numerous 1-ovuled superposed cells ; style filiform, stigma capitate. 

 Ben-y globose or ovoid, with few or numerous seeds not distinctly 

 superposed in rows. Seeds compressed, reniform or nearly orbicular, 

 horizontal, testa hard ; embryo curved or spiral, radicle very long, 

 cotyledons small. Distrib. — 5 species, four of them inhabitants of E. 

 Australia, and one widely distributed over Tropical Asia, especially 

 throughout the Indian Archipelago, as far as China. 



Rhodomyrtus tomentosa, Wight Spicil. Neilgh. I, 60, t. 71. A 

 shrub 4 to 8 feet high: young parts tomentose. Leaves the lower 

 ternate, the upper opposite, elliptic to obovate, obtuse, sometimes 

 mucronate, 3-nerved, tlie under surface covered with soft white tomen- 

 tara, the upper glabrous : length 1*5 to 2-5 in. ; breadth '65 to 1 in. ; 

 petiole *1 to '15 in. Peduncles axillary shorter than the leaves, 1-3- 

 flowered, bracteolate close to the calyx. Flowers '5 to '75 in. across. 

 Calyx tomentose, with 5 unequal lobes. Petals downy, shortly clawed. 

 Berry about the size of a cherry, oval or sub-globose, dark-purple : pulp 

 abundant, sweet. Seeds compressed, forming 2 rows in each cell. Miq, 

 Fl. Ind. Bat. I, Pt 1, 477; Benth. Fl. Hongk. 121 ; Duthie in Hook, 

 fil. Fl. Br. Ind. II, 469 ; Trimen Fl. Ceylon. II, 166. Myrtus tomentosa. 

 Ait.; DC. Prodr. Ill, 240; Yahl Symb. II, 56; Blume Bijdr. J081 ; 

 W. & A. Prodr. I, 328 ; Wight 111. II, 12, t. 97, f . 3, Ic. 522 ; Roxb. 

 Fl. Ind. II, 498 ; Wall. Cat. 3630; Korth. in Ned. Eruidk. Arch. 1, 197. 

 M. canescens, Lour. Fl. Cocbinc. I, 311. 



Penang, Malacca, Perak. Distrib. — Malayan Archipelago. Hills 

 of Southern British India and Ceylon. 



7. Decaspermum, Forst. 



Shrubs or small trees. Leaves opposite, pinnate-nerved. Flowers 

 small, in axillary racemes, or in terminal leafy panicles, occasionally 

 polygamous. CaJyx-tuhe campanulate, slightly or not at all produced 



505 



