MELASTOMACE^E. (MELASTOMA FAMILY.) 131 



* Flowers in axillary cymes. 



1. E. dichotoma, DC. Leaves oblong-obovate, obtuse or emarginate, 

 ligid, and, like the branches, roughened with appressed hairs, at length smooth- 

 ish, the margins revolute ; peduncles twice as long as the leaves, 3 - 7-flowered, 

 the central flowers sessile ; calyx -tube obconical, 2-bracted, downy and hqary. 

 the lobes roundish, spreading ; petals orbicular, ciliate ; stamens numerous. 

 South Florida. A small tree. Leaves 1' long. Branches compressed. 



* * Flowers solitary or umbellate. 



2. E. procera, Poir. Smooth; leaves ovate, tapering but obtuse at the 

 apex, abruptly contracted at the base into a short petiole ; peduncles solitary or 

 2-4 together, filiform, not half the length of the leaves, 1 -flowered; calyx-tube 

 hemispherical; petals orbicular, ciliate ; berry globose, 1 -seeded. South Flor- 

 ida. May. A small tree. Leaves 1^'- 2' long. Flowers conspicuous, white 

 and fragrant. Berry as large as a grain of pepper. 



* * * Flowers minute, in very short duster-like racemes. 



3. E. monticola, DC. Smooth ; leaves coriaceous, ovate-oblong, some- 

 what tapering towards the apex, but obtuse or emarginate, contracted at the base 

 into a distinct petiole ; racemes clustered, several-flowered, shorter than the peti- 

 ole ; stamens numerous ; berry globose. South Florida. Shrub 4 - 6 high. 

 Branches compressed. Leaves 2' long. Flowers white. Berries abundant, as 

 large as a grain of pepper, black. 



4. E. buxifolia, Willd. ? Leaves smooth, coriaceous, obovate-oblong, 

 rounded at the apex, short-petioled ; racemes single or clustered, few-flowered, 

 about as long as the petiole ; flowers minute ; stamens few (9 - 12) or numerous ; 

 berry 1 - 3-seeded. South Florida. Varies much in the size of the leaves and 

 berries, length of the petiole, and number of stamens, and probably includes two 

 or more species. 



2. CALYPTRANTHES, Swam. 



Calyx-tube obovate ; the limb entire, opening across like a lid, deciduous. 

 Petals none. Stamens numerous. Ovary 2 3-celled, with 2 ovules in each 

 cell. Berry 1 -celled, 1-4-seeded. Seeds roundish: testa smooth. Embryo 

 curved ; the long and slender radicle coiled around the distinct unequal folded 

 and contorted cotyledons. Shrubs or trees. Peduncles axillary, many-flow- 

 ered. 



1. C. Chytraculia, Swartz. Leaves ovate and ovate-lanceolate, acumi- 

 nate but obtuse, pubescent, becoming smooth above ; peduncles longer than the 

 leaves, cymose-panicled, tomentose; flowers minute; berry dry, globose, 1-2- 

 seeded. South Florida. A small tree. 



ORDER 51. MELASTOMACE^E. (MELASTOMA FAMILY.) 



Herbs, shrubs, or trees, with opposite 3 - 9-ribbed leaves, without dots 

 or stipules, and showy flowers. Calyx urn-shaped, 4 - 6-lobeCt, pet-silent 



