Melanthesa.] euphorbiaceje. 313 



late or urceolate at the base, with 6 teeth or lobes, connivent over the stamens 

 in the males, spreading and persistent in the females. Disk none. Stamens 3. 

 Anthers sessile at the top of the central column. Ovules 3-celled, with 2 

 ovules in each. Styles bifid. Fruit succulent, indehiscent. — Shrubs or herbs, 

 with the distichous leaves and habit of Phyllanthus, but almost always turn- 

 ing black in drying. 



A small genus, spread over tropical Asia and Australia. 



1. M. chinensis, Blume, Bijdr. 592. A glabrous somewhat glaucous 

 shrub. Leaves ovate to ovate-lanceolate, obtuse or almost acute, 1 to 1| in. 

 long, coriaceous when old. Flowers 2 to 4 in each axil. Males in the lower 

 clusters, on slender pedicels of 1 to \\ lines : Perianth 1 line long. Female 

 flowers in all the other clusters : Perianth turbinate at the base, the border 

 expanding to a diameter of 2 lines when in flower, twice that in fruit. Drupe 

 about 3 lines diameter, enclosing six 1 -seeded cocci. — Melanthesa cernua, 

 Benth. in Lond. Journ. Bot. i. 491 ; not of Dene. Phyllanthus lucens, Poir.; 

 Hook, and Arn. Bot. Beech. 210. P. turbinates, Bot. Mag. t. 1862 ; not of 

 Keen. P. Simsiana, Wall. Cat. n. 7920. 



In woods, Champion and others. On the adjacent continent, in Siam, and perhaps in 

 Java. 



17. GLOCHIDION, Forst. 



Flowers monoecious, in axillary clusters. Perianth-segments 6, free or shortly 

 united, imbricate in the bud. Glands none. Male flowers : Stamens 3 to 5 

 or rarely more. Anthers oblong, sessile on a central column, tipped by their 

 projecting connectivum. Females : Ovary 3- to 10-celled, with 2 ovules in 

 each cell. Styles short, erect and connivent in an oblong or globular mass or 

 in a short ring, or rarely spreading. Capsule globular or depressed, loculici- 

 dally dehiscent or separating into 2-valved cocci. — Shrubs. Leaves entire, 

 usually distichous on short petioles, but larger and coarser than in most 

 Phyllanthi. 



A considerable genus, extending over tropical Asia and Australia. 



Anthers 3. Leaves usually under 3 in. or thin. 

 Branches and leaves quite glabrous. 



Leaves 1£ in. long. Ovary 3-celled 1. G. Wrigktii. 



Leaves about 3 in. Ovary 5-celled 2. G. philippinense. 



Branches and leaves pubescent or hirsute. 



Pubescent. Leaves oblong, glabrous above 3. G. sinicum. 



Hirsute. Leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate, pubescent above . 4. G. erioearpum. 

 Anthers 5 or more. Leaves coriaceous, mostly above 3 in. 



Branches and leaves softly pubescent . 5. G. molle. 



Branches and leaves quite glabrous. 



Capsule 4 lines diameter. Leaves 3 or 4 in 6. G. littorale. 



Capsule 6 lines diameter. Leaves 5 or 6 in. 7- G. macrophyllum. 



1. G. Wrightii, Benth., n. sp. A perfectly glabrous glaucous shrub, 

 with slender branches. Leaves oblong, shortly acuminate, about \\ in. long, 

 very oblique at the base, on petioles of near 2 lines. Male flowers in small 

 clusters, on pedicels of 1 to \\ lines. Perianth-segments less than 1 line. 

 Stamens 3. Female flowers 2 or 3 together, almost sessile. Perianth-seg- 

 ments } line long in flower, \ line in fruit, the 3 inner smaller. Ovary 3- 



