melastomace.t:. (mklastoma family.) 18:3 



obtusely angled, with a small groove between them ; stigmas as long &n the 

 fruit, erect, persistent; floating leaves crowdod in a tuft, broad) v spatulate, 

 often retuse, abrujjtly narrowed into a long petiole. — Stagnant water, MuftS. 

 and N. J. to S. Ind. and Mo. 



* * » Submersed perennial , with numerous uniform linear X-nerved leaves ; flow- 



ers witliintt bracts ; carpels separate nearli/ to the aris. 

 4. C. autumn^lis, L. Stems 3-6' high ; fruit large (1" wiilo or more), 

 flattened, circular, deeply and narrowly notclied, sessile or nearly so, its lobes 

 broadly winged, and with a very deep and narrow groove between them ; 

 stigmas very long, reflexed, deciduous; leaves all linear from a bro;i(b'r base, 

 retuse or notched at the tip (2-6" long). — W. Masa., Lake Champlaiu and 

 N. New York, Lake Superior, and westward. (Lu.) 



Order 40. MELAST03IACE^. (Melastoma Family.) 



Plants icith opposite 3- l-ribbed leaves, and dfjinile stamens, the anthers 

 opening by pores at the apex ; otherwise much as in the Onagraceaj. — All 

 tropical, except the genus 



1. R HE XI A, L. Deer-Grass. Meadow-Bkaitv. 



Calyx-tnl)e urn-sliaped, colierent witli the ovary below, and continued al)Ove 

 it, persistent, 4-cleft at the apex. Petals 4, convolute in the bud, ol)li(jue, in- 

 serted along with the 8 stamens on the summit of the calyx-tube. Anthers 

 long, 1-celled, inverted ni the bud. Style 1 ; stigma 1. Capsule invested by 

 the permanent calyx, 4-celled, with 4 many-seeded ])lacentaj projecting from 

 the central axis. Seeds coiled like a snail-shell, without albumen. — Low per- 

 ennial herl)s, often bristly, with mostly sessile 3 - 5-nerved and bristly-edged 

 leaves, and large showy cymose flowers ; in summer ; the petals falling early. 

 (A name in Pliny for some unknown plant, probably from pv^is, a crevice, from 

 the place of growth.) 



* Anthers linear, curved, with a minute spur on the back at the attachment of the 



Jilament above its base; flowers cymose, ped uncled. 



1. R. Virginica, L. Stem square, w^ith wing-like angles; leaves oval- 

 lanceolate, sessile, acute ; calyx-tube and pedicels more or less hispid with gland- 

 tipped hairs; petals bright purple. — Sandy swamps; coast of Maine to FLa., 

 west to northern N. Y., Ind., Mo., and La. Slender rootstocks tnl»eriferoua. 



2. R. arist6sa, Britt. Branches somewhat wing-angled ; leaves linear- 

 oblong, sessile, not narrowed at l)ase, naked or very sjjarsely hairy; hairs of 

 tlie calyx mostly below the throat, not gland-tipped ; petals sj)ars(dy villous, 

 bright purple. — Egg Harbor CMty, N.J. (./. E. letters); also Sumter Co., 

 S. C. (./. D. Smith). 



3. R. Mariana, L. Stems a/lindrical ; leaves linear-oblomj, narrowed 

 below, mostly petiolate ; petals paler. — Sandy swamps; N.J. to Fla., west 

 to Mo. and La. 



* * Anthers oblong, straight, without any spur ; flowers few, sessile. 



4. R. cilidsa, Michx. Stem scpuire, glabrous; leaves broadly ovate, 

 ciliate with long bristles; calyx glabrous. — Md. to Fla. and La. 



