l8l. MELASTOMATACEAE 



593 



enlarged connective and opening at the top by i — 2 pores or sliort slits. Ovary 

 generally inferior or half-inferior. Ovules numerous. Style simple ; stigma 

 •entire. Seeds exalbuminous. — (ienera 33, species 2S0. TrojMcal and South 

 Africa. (Plate 115.) 



1. Ovary i-celled, inferior. Ovules 6 — 20, inserted upon a free central ])lacenta. 



Fruit a berry. Seed i, large. Calyx entire or 4-lobed. Petals white or 

 blue. Stamens twice as many as the petals. Anthers short, with a 

 posterior appendage, opening in front by two longitudinal slits. Shrubs 

 or trees. Leaves penninerved or obscurely trinerved. [Subfamily 

 MEMECYLOIDEAE, tribe MEMECYLEAE.l ....... 2 



Ovary completely 2- or more-celled. Ovules numerous, inserted upon 

 axile placentas. Seeds numerous, small. _Subfamilv MELASTOMA- 

 TOIDEAE. I 3 



2. Connective of the stamens lengthened at the bast.'. Petals reddisli. Flowers 



in terminal fascicles. Stem and inflorescence bristly. — Species i. East 



Africa. Warneckea Gilg 



Connective of the stamens not lengthened at the base, but spurred at the 

 back. Petals white or blue. Plowers in axillär}' inflorescences, more 

 rarely in terminal, many-flowered cymes. Stem and inflorescence 

 glabrous. — Species (h>. Tropical and South-east Africa. Some species 

 yield timber, dyes, medicaments, and ediblic fruits. . . Memecylon L. 



3. Seeds strongly curved or spirally coiled. P'ruit usually a membranous, 



4 — 5-valved capsule with a convex, usually bri.stly summit. Con- 

 nective of the stamens unappendaged behind, but furnished with two 

 spurs or gibbosities in front, rarely quite unappendaged. Calyx-lobes 

 usually large and alternating with bristles or small teeth. Tribe 



OSBECKIEAE.j 4 



Seeds straight or slightly curved, rarely strongly curved, but then fruit 

 bursting irregularly or indehiscent and connective gibbous before 

 and behind. Connective usually appendaged behind, or before and 

 behind. 17 



.4. Stamens of two kinds, the larger with the connective distinctly lengthened 



at the base and furnished with two spurs or bosses, the smaller ones with 



a not or slightly lengthened connective. Shrubs or trees. ... 5 



Stamens equal in shape, but sometimes unequal in length 8 



.5. Connective of the smaller stamens unappendaged, of the larger with two 

 bosses. Calvx-tube glabrous ; teeth very short. Fruit with a membran- 

 ous skin, bursting irregularly. Low shrubs. Flowers in terminal pan- 

 icles. — Species 2. West Africa Dinophora P.cnth. 



■Connective of all stamens provided with 2 spurs or bosses. Calyx-tube 

 usually hair\-. Fruit with a membranous skin, but dehiscing in 4^5 

 valves, or with a leathery or fleshy skin b 



6. Calyx without accessory teeth. Connective of all stamens lengthened 

 at the base and pnnided with 2 awns. Fruit 4 — 3-valved. Rough- 



