MYRTIFLORE. 489 



3. LECYTHIDE^E. The majority are South American. The leaves are 

 scattered, without pellucid glands, and frequently dentate. The flowers are 

 zygomorphic. The woody fruits are either indehiscent, or open by a lid. To 

 this belong: Bertholletia (B. excelsa), the seeds well known as "Brazil-nuts," 

 LecytJds (Sapucaia-nuts from L. ollaria), Barringtonia. 



4. LEPTOSPERMETE. Almost entirely from Australia and the East Asian and 

 Pacific Islands. The fruit is a capsule. The leaves are scattered, and in some 

 placed edgewise by the twisting of the leaf-stalks. Eucalyptus, the Australian 

 Gum-tree ; the calyx falls off like a lid (Figs. 526, 527). Some of the species 

 attain gigantic heights, E. amygdalina 140-150 m. with a diameter of 8 m. 

 The leaves in E. globulus are opposite and dorsiventral on the young plant ; on 

 the older scattered, placed edgewise by the twisting of the leaf-stalk, and 

 isolateral ; Metrosideros, Calothamnus (stamens distinctly polyadelphous), 

 Melaleuca, Leptotpermum, Callistemon (the flowers are borne in spikes whose 

 axis continues to grow after flowering, thus several zones of fruits may be seen 

 on the same branch). 



526. 



FIGS. 526, 527. Eucalyptus gl 



Fio. 526. Long. sect, of flower. FIG. 527. Flower opening. 



5. CHAM^LAUCiEa:. Australian shrubs with heath-like appearance; they 

 differ from the other Myrtacese in having a unilocular ovary with few, basal 

 ovules, and a 1-seeded nut. The sepals are often pappus-like, and divided into 

 many bristles. Chamcelaucium, Darwinia, etc. 



This large order (2,100 species) is confined almost entirely to the Tropics, 

 being found principally in America and Australia. In Europe, only Myrtus 

 communis. Several are useful on account of the large quantity of volatile oils 

 (contained in internal glands) : the flower-buds ("Cloves") of Eugenia caryo- 

 pliyllata (the Moluccas, cultivated in the Tropics, Figs. 523, 524) ; the unripe, 

 dry berries (" Pimento ") of Myrtus pimento, (Pimenta officinalis, W. Indies) ; 

 Cajeput oil is extracted from Melaleuca minor and leucadendron (East Asian 

 Islands). Eucalyptus globulus (Australia) has of late years become well known 

 on account of its rapid growth, its hard wood, and its antipyretic qualities^ 

 it is cultivated on swampy soils, which it helps to drain.- OFFICINAL : " Cloves," 

 and the cork of both stem and root of Punica granatum. Several have EDIBLE 

 FRUITS, such as Psidium guyava (Guava, var. pomiferum and pyriferum, Am.), 

 Eugenia cauliflora and others, E. jambosa, Punica granatum (the Pomegranate), 

 etc. EDIBLE SEEDS (with abundance of fatty oil) : " Brazil nuts " from 

 Bertholletia excelsa (Trop. S. Am.). "Bay-rum" is extracted from the leaves 



