22 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM, YOu. 62. 
curving and inosculation in an intricate fashion, and connected by 
cross nervilles, forming lanceolate meshes whose long axes are at an 
angle of about 60° with the midrib. 
Although the type material is somewhat broken the peculiar vena- 
tion stamps this form as a distinct type in this flora, and one that is 
clearly referable to the family Lecythidaceae. In the presence of 
some doubt as to the most closely related existing genus of this 
peculiar and interesting family I have proposed the form genus 
Lecythidophyllum for its reception. The family is essentially South 
American but Grias, Couroupita, Japarandiba, and perhaps others 
occur in Central America. Very few fossil forms have been com- 
pared with the existing members of this family. The genus Couratart 
Aublet is represented in the Miocene of Ecuador” by a form not very 
dissimilar from the present species, and a species of Lecythis has been 
described from the lower Miocene of Chile.** The present occurrence 
represents, as far as I know, the first record of a fossil member of the 
family outside of South America. 
Occurrence.—Isthmian railroad ? km. north of Palomares on the 
Saravia estate, State of Coxaca. 
Cotypes.—Cat. No. 36835, 36845, U.S. N. M. 
Family MELASTOMATACEAE. 
Genus MELASTOMITES Unger. 
MELASTOMITES ANGUSTUS, new species. 
Plate 6, fig. 5. 
Leaves of small size, lanceolate in outline, widest below the middle 
and acuminate at both ends, the apex being slightly more narrowed 
than the base. Margins entire. Texture subcoriaceous. Length 
about 5 cm. Maximum width about 1.2 cm. Apparently sessile. 
Midrib curved, relatively very stout. Lateral primaries one on each. 
side, thin, suprabasilar, acrodrome; connected with the midrib by 
numerous, closely spaced, approximately straight nervilles; giving 
off on the outside numerous thin camptodrome branches. 
This small leaf, although not unlike forms frequently referred to 
the genus Cinnamomum of the Lauraceae, is considered by me to 
represent the family Melastomataceae, which is such an extensive 
modern family and so largely developed in the American tropics. 
None of the few fossil forms that have been recognized are similar 
to the present species. The genus is present near the Oligocene- 
Miocene boundary in Panama and in the Miocene of the Dominican 
Republic. 
32 Engelhardt, H., Abh. Senck. Naturf. Gesell., vol. 19, p. 24, pl. 2, figs. 3-42, 1895. 
33 Engelhardt, H., Idem., vol. 16, p. 677, pl. 10, fig. 1, 1891. 
