464 lvii. melastomace^: (hooker). [Memecylon. 



dry on both surfaces, penninerved, midrib distinct, lateral nerves very 

 numerous, horizontal, very obscure. above, invisible beneath. Inflores- 

 cence axillary, of apparently many flowers crowded on a very short 

 stout peduncle. Flowers wanting-. Berry on a stout curved pedicel 

 which has the scars of fallen bracteoles at the base, J-J in. diameter, 

 globose, crowned with the calyx-limb, 1— 2-seeded. Testa crustaceous ; 

 cotyledons excessively irregularly plaited ; radicle thick, incurved, fleshy 

 next the hilum. — Pavetta lateriflora, Don, Gard. Diet. iii. 575. 



Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone, Don I 



Order LVIII. LYTHRACEJE. (By Mr. W. P. Hiern.) 



Calyx-tube campanulate cylindrical or hemispherical, sometimes 

 whitish or coloured, having an oblique mouth in Woodfordia alone ; 

 calyx-lobes 4-8, deltoid or lanceolate, valvate in aestivation, and in 

 many genera with as many intermediate (usually) exterior teeth or 

 cornua. Petals usually isomerous and alternate with the calyx-lobes, 

 obovate, often corrugated in the bud, sometimes wanting, deciduous or 

 persistent, inserted around the top of the interior of the calyx-tube. 

 Stamens usually definite, inserted on the interior of the calyx-tube, 

 declinate in Woodfordia alone ; filaments inflected in the bud ; anthers 

 2-celled, introrse and versatile except in Olinia, dehiscing by longitu- 

 dinal parallel fissures. Ovary free, except in anomalous genera, sessile 

 or very shortly stipitate, usually 2-4-celled ; cells with many anatro- 

 pous ovules attached to a central placenta, except in anomalous genera ; 

 6tyle simple, persistent ; stigma usually capitate, sometimes puncti- 

 form or 2-lobed. Fruit 2-4- or many-celled or by obliteration of septa 

 1 -celled, usually capsular and valvular or with circumscissile or irregular 

 dehiscence. Seeds usually numerous, exalbuminous ; embryo straight 

 or slightly curved except in Olinia ; radicle short. — Herbs, shrubs or 

 trees, terrestrial subaquatic or even aquatic. Leaves simple, entire, 

 usually opposite, occasionally verticillate or alternate, exstipulate, equal 

 at the base. Flowers hermaphrodite, solitary racemose cymose or 

 panicled, usually axillary, bracteate, sometimes dimorphous or tri- 

 morphous. 



A considerable Family, inhabiting for the most part the Tropics of both hemispheres ; 

 a few of them are found in temperate latitudes. Five small genera are limited to 

 Africa. 



Ovary free. Fruit capsular. 

 Herbs. 



Calyx tubular. Ovary 2-celled 1. Lythrum. 



Calyx campanulate (or,, if tubular, with a 4-celled ovary). 



Flowers sessile or'subsessile, usually solitary 2. Rotala. 



Flowers racemose , 3. Khyacophila. 



Flowers cymose or capitate. 



Petals corrugated in bud. Capsule valvular 4. Nesjea. 



Petals not corrugated in bud. Capsule with circumsciss or 



irregular dehiscence 5. Ammannia. 



