of the 'Natural Order of Myrti. ' 26 1 



gcnns in the Horltts Kewenjls. Forllcr confounded with them, 

 under the name of Lcptofpermum, another mofl; diftinil genus, the 

 Metrnfideroi of Banks and Solandcr. Gxrtner firfl: feparated all 

 thefe, and really underftood the genus of which we are now treat- 

 ing, though he did not find out its genuine eflential charadler, the 

 capitate ftigma, which (as well as the ftiortnefs of the ftamina) 

 clearly diftinguitlies it from MetroJiJeros. With Philadelpbus it has 

 no refemblance in habit, nor fcarcely any botanical characters in 

 common. The excellent Dr. Solander would certainly never have 

 referred thefe plants to that genus, had he examined the common 

 Philadelpbus itfelf, which is clearly and ftrikingly diftinguillied by 

 its more or lefs deeply quadrifid ftylc and fimple ftigmas, without 

 adverting to the broad bafe of the petals, or the differences pointed 

 out by Gaertner in the fruit. Even Tournefort's figures fliew the cha- 

 radlers above mentioned, though the flyle is commonly more deeply 

 divided than he reprefents it, infomuch that the flowers have often 

 aftually four ftyles. Duhamel defcribes them fo, giving a very 

 incorrect reprefentation of thefe ftyles, with capitate ftigmas (which 

 ought to be fimple), by the fide of his copy of Tournefort's figure, 

 to which his has as little refemblance as can well be. 



The younger Linnaeus and Profeffor Schreber have confounded 

 Leptofpermum, as well as Meirofideros, with MelalcucayWith. which the 

 latter of the two only has any great natural affinity. Dr. George 

 Forftcr has fallen into the fame error in his Prodromus publiftied in 

 1786. 



The fpecics of Leptofpermum are much lefs eafy to define than its 

 generic character. Many of them are to be feen in the EnghHi 

 gardens, and feveral have often flowered. The following att<;mpt 

 to eharadterife fuch as are diftindly known to me, may ferve till 

 we have more hght upon the fubje6t ; there being feveral more fpe- 



cies 



