114 LIII. MELASTOMACEiE. 



slightly thickened upwards. Capsules included in the urceo- 

 late calyx-tube, 5-celled. Seeds cochleate. — Benth. in Niger 

 Flora, p. 346. Osbeckia, Fl, Cap. ex parte, \\.p. 518. 



To this genus belong Osbeckia eximia, Soiid., and O._p^(^o^;7c7ia, Hoclist., 

 both found near Natal ; the former has 5-merous, panicled flowers ; the 

 latter 4-mcx*ous, capitate. 



8. MEMECYLON, Linn. 



Calyx-tube hemispherical or subglobose, adnate to the ovary; 

 limb very short or cup-like, obsoletely 4-toothed or subentire. 

 Petals 4, oval. Stamens 8, mostly longer than the petals ; 

 filaments filiform ; anthers short, with a thick connective, 

 forming a conical spur at base, opening at base by a short slit. 

 Ovary inferior, 1-celled ; ovules on a central placenta ; style 

 filiform ; stigma simple. Berry crowned with the limb of 

 calyx, frequently 1-seeded. Seeds with convolute cotyledons. 

 — Fiidl. Gen. n. 6269; Benth. Hongkong Flora, p. 117. 



Trees or shrubs, chiefly Asiatic. Twigs 4- sided, with tumid nodes. 

 Leaves opposite, impunctate, 1-ribbed, coriaceous, quite entire. Flowers 

 axillary, tufted or subcapitate. — A species (as yet undescribed) of this 

 genus has recently been found, by Mr. Gerrard, near Natal. 



4. OLINIA, Th. 



Calyx tubular, adhering to the ovary ; limb of 5, rarely 4, 

 minute teeth. Petals 5-4. Scales 5-4, minute, obovate, al- 

 ternating with the petals. Stamens 5-4 ; filaments very short, 

 adnate to the calyx below the scales ; anthers subglobose, 2- 

 celled, introrse, with a thick connective. Ovary inferior, 

 5-4-celled ; cells 3-ovuled ; style subulate ; stigma obtuse. 

 Fruit drupaceous, subglobose, truncate, 3-4-celled ; cells 

 mostly 1-seeded. Seeds with a spirally rolled embryo. — Fl. 

 Cap. ii. p. 519. 



O. cymosa, Thunb., is a glabrous shrub or tree, with 4-sided twigs. 

 Leaves opposite, petioled, coriaceous, green, shiny above, impunctate, 1- 

 ribbed and penninerved, quite entire, varying in shape from obovate obtuse 

 to ovato-lanceolate acuminate. Cymes terminal or axillary, densely moiny- 

 flowered. Flowers white. — Found in kloofs, throughout the colony, and 

 beyond the Eastern frontier. 



Order LIV. LYTHEARIE^. 



Plowers bisexual, rarely polygamous. Calyx free, persis- 

 tent, tubular or bell-shaped, 4-12-toothed, often ribbed. Pe- 

 tals on the summit of the calyx-tube, deciduous. Stamens 

 usually inserted at or below the middle of the calyx-tube, as 

 many or twice as many as the petals ; rarely inserted at the 

 summit of the tube and opposite the petals. Ovary free, 2-6- 



