512 LX. MELASTOMACE^E. (C. B. Clarke.) 



DOUBTFUL GENUS. 



Lencymmaea, Presl. Epimel Bot. 211, a genus supposed by Kurz to come next 

 PZanchonia, has opposite leaves and branches, and is probably stipulate (from Presl' s 

 description) : at all events it cannot be allied to Planchonia. 



ORDER LX. 1VXELASTOIVXACE2E. (By C. B. Clarke.) 



Herbs or shrubs, more rarely trees, sometimes climbers. Leaves opposite or rarely 

 whorled, generally petioled, entire or nearly so, often palmately 3-5-7-nerved from 

 near the base to the apex (usually pinnate-veined in Memecylori) ; stipules 0. 

 Flowers spiked panicled or corymbed, rarely solitary or clustered, regular, herma- 

 phrodite. Calyx-tube united by vertical walls to the ovary, rarely nearly free ; 

 limb usually 4-5- (sometimes 3- or 6-) lobed, sometimes truncate, rarely falling off 

 in a cap. Petals as many as the calyx-lobes, contorted in the bud, on the mar- 

 gin of the calyx-limb. Stamens as many or more than (frequently twice as many 

 as) the petals, inserted with them ; alternate stamens often shorter sometimes 

 rudimentary, filaments bent inwards in the bud ; anthers opening at the summit 

 by one or two pores, rarely by slits down the face ; connective often appendaged 

 near the base by bristles tubercles or a spur. Ovary 4-5- (rarely 3- or 6-) 

 celled (in Memecylon 1-celled) ; style simple, filiform, rarely short ; ovules very 

 many (except in Memecylori) ; placentas in the Melastomea axile, in the Astro- 

 niece parietal, in Memecylon free central. Fruit included in the calyx-tube,, 

 capsular or berried, breaking up irregularly or by slits through the top of its 

 cells. Seeds minute, very many (in Memecylon one only) ; albumen ; coty- 

 ledons short (or in some of the Memecylece long thin convolute). DISTRIB. Spe- 

 cies 1800, tropical with a few subtropical ; very many in America, many in 

 south-east Asia, a few in Africa and Polynesia. 



SUBORDER 1. Melastomeae. Ovary 3-6- (usually 4-5-) celled. Ovules 

 very many, on placentas radiating from the axis. Seeds very many. Anthers 

 opening by a single terminal pore (rarely by 2). 



TRIBE I. Osbeckieae. Seeds curved through half a circle, minutely punc- 

 tate. 



Stamens all alike. Fruit capsular . 1. OSBECKIA. 



Stamens all nearly alike. Fruit a berry 2. OTANTHERA. 



Stamens very unequal 3. MELASTOMA. 



TRIBE II. Oxysporeae. Seeds straight, oblong or cuneate, raphe often 

 excurrent. Ovary with the vertex usually free conical. Petals more than 3- 

 Inflorescence not scorpioid. Fruit capsular. 



* Inflorescence terminal (see also Ochthocharis). 



Panicles broad showy 4. OXYSPORA. 



Large climber. Flowers umbellate 5. KENDRICKIA. 



Panicles narrow. Flowers minute 6. ALLOMORPHIA. 



** Inflorescence axillary, stamens equal, flowers minute* 



Stamens 4 7. BLASTUS. 



Stamens 10 8. OCHTHOCHARIS. 



Stamens 8 9. ANERINCLEISTUS^. 



