394 l8l. MELASTOMATACEAE 



hairy shrubs or trees. Flowers in terminal panicles. — Species 20. 



Madagascar Dichaetanthera Endl. 



Calyx with accessory teeth outside the sepals. Connective of the smaller 

 stamens not or scarcely lengthened 7 



7. Fruit bursting irregularly or remaining closed ; skin leathery or fleshy. 



Flowers 5 — 7-merous. Shrubs with rough branches and bristly leaves. 



— Species i. Seychelles Melastoma Burm. 



Fl uit opening by 4 — 5 valves ; skin membranous or leathery. Ovary 

 adnate to the calyx-tube by 4 — 5 longitudinal partitions. Flowers 4 — 5- 

 merous. Hairv, usually bristly herbs undershrubs or shrubs. — Species 

 50. Central and South Africa ; one species also naturalized in the 

 Mascarene Islands. An intoxicating drink is prepared from the roots 

 of some species. (Including .4 rgv^^/ZflNaud.) (Plate 115.) Dissotis Benth. 



8. Connective with two spur-like appendages. Ovary half-inferior. Flowers 



in terminal cymes or panicles 9 



Connective with two bosses or without any appendage 12 



9. Stamens unequal in length. Connective much lengthened at the base. 



Flowers 4-merous. Calyx-lobes broadly rounded. Ovary with 4 bristles 

 at the top. Shrubs. — Species i. Equatorial West Africa. 



Barbeyastrum Cogn. 



Stamens equal in length. Connective not or slightly lengthened at the 



base 10 



10. Connective lengthened at the base. Flowers 4-merous. Calyx-tube 



pitcher-shaped, glabrous. Calyx-lobes 4, very short. Petals yellow. 



Shrubs. — Species I. Madagascar Amphorocalyx Bak. 



Connective not or scarcely lengthened at the base. Calyx-tube bell-shaped. 

 Calyx-lobes rather large. Shrubs with pink petals, or herbs. . . ii 



11. Flowers 4-merous. Calyx without accessory teeth. Shrubs. Leaves 



5 — ii-nerved. — Species 2. Madagascar. . . Dionychia Naud. 



Flowers 5-merous . Calyx with 5 bristle-like accessory teeth alternating 



with the sepals. Herbs. Leaves 3-nerved. — Species 4. Madagascar. 



Rhodosepala Bak. 



12. Calyx with accessory teeth or bristles alternating with the sepals. Stamens 



equal in length. Ovary with bristles at the top 13 



Calyx without accessory teeth or bristles. Petals red or white. Ovary 

 more or less adnate to the calj-x-tube 15 



13. Ovary free. Flowers 4-merous. Calyx-tube glabrous or scantily hairy. 



Petals yellow. Connective not lengthened at the base, obscurely 

 tubercled. Erect herbs. Flowers terminal, sohtary or ternate. — 



Species i. West Africa Nerophila Naud. 



Ovary more or less adnate to the calyx-tube. Calyx-tube usually hairy. 

 Petals usually red 14 



14. Anthers smooth, oval-oblong. Connective more or less lengthened and 



provided with two bosses at the base. Herbs. Flowers in cymes. — 

 vSpecies 2. Tropics. (Under Osbeckia L.) . Antherotoma Hook. fil. 



