396 l8l. MELASTOMATACEAE 



of the stem in many-flowered globose inflorescences composed of cymes. 

 — Species i. Equatorial West Africa (Gaboon) Myrianthemum Gilg 

 Stamens equal or subequal, rarely {Mcdinillä) distinctly unequal, but 

 then calyx-tube not much constricted and inflorescence not many- 

 flowered and springing from the base of the stem 22 



22. Connective of the stamens lengthened at the base and furnished with a 



spur in front and a boss behind. Flowers 5-merous. Ovary wholly 

 adnate. Shrubs. Flowers in terminal, few-flowered cymes. — Species i. 



Equatorial West Africa (Cameroons) Preussiella Gilg 



Connective with 2 spurs or bosses in front and I — 2 behind 23 



23. Stem woodv, shrubby. Flowers in cymes or panicles. Ovary adhering 



to the calvx-tube entirely or by several dissepiments. — Species 25. 

 Tropics. Some are used as ornamental or medicinal plants. 



Medinilla Gaud. 

 Stem herbaceous or woody at the base only. J.ea\'es opposite ; side- 

 nerves nearly perpendicular to the main nerves. Flowers 5-merous, in 

 terminal umbels or panicles. Connective with 2 bosses in front and 



one behind 24 



2^. Flowers in panicles. Petals subacute. Ovary in its lower half adhering 

 to the calyx-tube by dissepiments. Style without scales at the base. 

 Fruit bursting irregularly. Seeds curved. — Species i. Central Africa. 



Phaeoneuron Gilg 



Flowers in umbels. Petals acuminate. Ovary adhering to the calyx-tube 



to above the middle. Style surrounded at the base by 5 scales. — 



Species i. East Africa Orthogoneuron Gilg 



25. (17.) Fruit and ovary cylindrical or angled, convex at the top. Stamens 



equal ; connective appendaged behind only, more rarely without any 



appendage. [Tribe OXYSPOREAE.] " . . .26 



Fruit and usuall}' also the ovary angled or winged, broad and flat or concave 

 at the top, rarely (Calvoa) slightly convex, but then the connective 

 appendaged in front or in front and behind. [Tribe SONERILEAE.] 29 



26. Stem herbaceous or hall-shrubby, erect. Leaves large. Flowers in 



umbels, large, red, 5-merous. Calyx-tube angled ; lobes long. Petals 

 produced into a thread-like point. Connective with a thick spur and two 

 glands. Ovary crowned by 5 scales. — Species i. East .\frica. 



Petalonema Gilg 



Stem shrubby, more rarely half-shrubby, but then decumbent and bearing 



small leaves. Flowers in cymes or panicles 27 



27. Stem half-shrubby, decumbent. Connective shortly prolonged at the base, 



tubercled or obscurely spurred behind. — Species r. Madagascar. 



Phornothamnus Bak. 

 Stem shrubby. Connective not prolonged 28 



28. Calyx-limb divided into 4 large lobes without accessory teeth. Connective 



unappendaged. Ovary adhering below to the calyx-tubo by several 



