822 MELASTOMACEAE 



introrse, those of the third usually perfect, with glands at the base, their 

 anthers 2-celled, extrorse, those of the fourth series reduced to staminodia. 

 Gynoecium a single pistil. Ovary nearly sessile, 1-celled, included in the hypan- 

 thium. Stigma capitate, nearly sessile. Ovule pendulous, anatropous. Fruit 

 a drupe included in the accrescent hypanthium, crowned with the persistent 

 sepals. Seed solitary, with a membranous testa. 



1. CASSYTHA L. 



Characters of the family. 



1. Cassytha filiformis L. A leafless plant parasitic on bushes. Stems filiform, twin- 

 ing, usually matted, often sparingly pubescent, yellowish green : flowers 3-6 in a spike, 2 

 mm. broad : calyx glabrous : outer sepals ovate, acute or acutish, the inner triangular- 

 ovate, 2-3 times larger than the outer : stamens included : filaments shorter than the 

 anthers : drupe subglobose, 5-7 mm. in diameter, included. 



On bushes, peninsular Florida and the Keys. Circum tropical. 



Order 25. MYRTALES. 



Herbs, shrubs or trees, unarmed, sometimes aquatic or amphibious. Leaves 

 alternate or opposite : blades sometimes prominently 3-nerved. Flowers regular 

 or irregular, complete, and often showy, or reduced to a stamen and pistil adnate 

 to the hypanthium. Hypanthium merely enclosing the ovary or adnate to it. 

 Androecium of few or many stamens. Anthers opening by slits or pores. Gyn- 

 oecium 1-several-carpellary. Stigma terminating the style, or sessile. Fruit 

 capsular or baccate, or resembling an achene. 



Style present, simple or compound : stigma terminal. 



Anthers opening by pores. Fam. 1. MELASTOMACEAE. 



Anthers opening by longitudinal valves. 



Hypanthium merely enclosing the ovary. Fam. 2. LYTHRACEAE. 



Hypanthium adnate to the ovary or mainly so. 

 Cotyledons spirally convolute in the embryo. 



Ovary several-celled : ovules numerous, not pendulous. Fam. 3. PUNICACEAE. 



Ovary 1-celled : ovules 2-5, pendulous. Fam. 4. TERMINALIACEAE. 



Cotyledons not spirally convolute. 



Sepals imbricated or united and the calyx falling away as a cap. Fam. 5. MYRTACEAE. 

 Sepals valvate. 



Leaves stipulate : sepals leathery. Fam. 6. RHIZOPHORACEAE. 



Leaves not stipulate : sepals membranous or herbaceous. Fam. 7. EPILOBIACEAE. 

 Styles wanting : stigmas sessile. Fam. 8. GUNNERACEAE. 



FAMILY 1. MELASTOMACEAE R. Br. MEADOW-BEAUTY FAMILY. 



Perennial herbs, shrubs or trees, of little economic importance. Stems some- 

 times enlarged at the joints. Leaves opposite or rarely whorled, exstipulate : 

 blades with two or more lateral ribs, not punctate. Flowers mostly showy, per- 

 fect, regular or nearly so. Hypanthium glabrous or pubescent, campanulate, 

 urn-shaped or tubular. Calyx of 3-6 valvate sepals. Corolla of 3-6 petals, con- 

 torted in aestivation, oblique. Androecium of twice as many stamens as there 

 are petals, or sometimes of the same number, inserted with them, all fertile or 

 those opposite the petals smaller and sterile. Anthers appendaged, opening by 

 pores. Gynoecium compound. Ovary free, or adnate to the hypanthium, 2-many- 

 celled, often 4-celled. Styles united. Stigma undivided. Ovules numerous, anat- 

 ropous. Fruit berry-like or capsular, dehiscing by longitudinal valves, 2-many- 

 celled, many-seeded. Endosperm wanting. Embryo straight or curved. 



1. RHEXIA L. 



Perennial herbs, with horizontal often tuber-bearing rootstocks. Stems terete or 

 angled, the branches opposite. Leaves opposite : blades usually 3-5-nerved, commonly 

 toothed. Flowers somewhat irregular, solitary or in terminal cymes. Hypanthium urn- 

 shaped, prolonged beyond the ovary and constricted. Sepals 4, varying from subulate to 

 triangular. Petals 4, oblique, retuse or awn-tipped at the apex, deciduous. Stamens 8, 

 exserted : filaments equal in length : anthers various, 1-celled, each sac opening by a ter- 



