Melastoma.~\ LX. MELASTOMACEJJ. (C. B. Clarke.) 525 



PEGU, Kurz. TENASSERIM or ANDAMANS; Heifer (Kew Distrib. No. 2241). 



Leaves 4-5 in., broad-lanceolate ; petiole -f in. Flowers clustered. Hairs on 

 calyx-tube - in. This species is essentially like M. sanguineum, but the indu- 

 mentum of the stem and branches is of a widely different character : as to the leaves, 

 the indumentum of M. sanguineum var. molle is exactly half-way between that of 

 M. sanguineum and M. Houtteanum. 



DOUBTFUL SPECIES. 



As to the numerous species of Melastoma admitted by Triana in Trans. Linn. 

 Soc. xxviii. 59, 60 as native in India, the names M. triflorum, Naud. ; ellipticum, 

 Naud. ; microphyllum, Naud. ; lanuginosum, Blume ; Eoyenii, Blume ; longifolitim, 

 Naud. are not found in the Kew collection. So far indeed from multiplying species 

 out of the existing material, it would be better to reduce the whole of the Indian 

 forms to three, viz., M. malabathricum (including M. polyanthum and M. imbri- 

 catum) ; M. normale. ; and M. sanguineum (including M. Houtteanum). 



As to the 13 species of Melastoma described by Eoxburgh, the first eight are 

 octandrous ; the next two have been admitted ; the last two are outside the limits of 

 the present Flora. 



M. FINDLAYSONII, Wall. Cat. 4041, has not the place of collection given, and it is 

 doubtful whether it was found within the limits of the Flora Indica. The Wallichian 

 example shows the leaves and fruit, which might be those of Osbeckia Leschenaultiana 

 .above described ; but Triana (assuming probably that had the stamens been all similar 

 Wallich would have named it Osbeckia and not Melastoma} has called it Dissotis 

 Findlaysonii. 



M. CURVA, Eoxb. FL Ind. ii. 406. " Shrubby, all the tender parts strigose, leaves 

 petioled ovate-cordate 5-7-nerved finely serrulate, panicles terminal subcorymbiform 

 supra-decompound, flowers 10-androus, petals cordate ciliate."- Chittagong. Neither 

 figure nor specimen is known : the description is too short for safe identification. 



4. OXYSPORA, DC. 



Large spreading shrubs with drooping branches terminated by large, lax, 

 almost naked panicles of rose-purple flowers. Leaves opposite, long-petioled, 

 large, 5-7-nerved, ovate, acuminate, 'uppermost pair below the panicle often 

 sessile much smaller and subcordate at base. Panicle long, sometimes narrow ; 

 branches decussate ; bracts very small. Calyx-tube ovate-cylindric ; teeth 4, 

 short, triangular. Petals 4, subacute. Stamens 8, of which 4 are purple with 

 longer filaments, 4 are yellow ; anthers narrowed upwards, at top opening by 

 one pore, produced at base, connective with or without appendage. Ovary 

 inferior, 4-celled, apex glabrous ; style simple, elongate ; ovules very many, 

 placentas axile, radiating. Capsule dry, elliptic, elongate, with 8 ribs. Seeds 

 very many, falcate; raphe lateral, produced at top in front into a point. 

 DISTKIB. Species 4, whereof 3 are in East Bengal, 1 in Sumatra. 



1. O. paniculata, DC. Prodr. iii. 123 ; branchlets panicles and nerves of 

 the leaves beneath with some stellate pubescence, capsule long-elliptic very little 

 narrqwed below the calyx-mouth, seeds with a sharp right angle at the "top of 

 the back and a produced angular point at the top in front. Watt. PL As. Rar. 

 t. 88 ; DC. Mem. Melast. t. 4 (not correct as to the base of the connective) ; Wall. 

 Cat. 4076 ; Miq. Fl. Ind. Bat. i. pt. i. p. 556. 0. vagans, Sot. Mag. t. 4553 ; 

 Lemaire Jard. PL t. 79. Arthrostemma paniculatum, Don in Mem. Wem. Soc. 

 iv. 299 ; Prodr. 222 (partly}. Melastoma rugosa, Roxb. MS. 



SUBTROPICAL and TEMPERATE HIMALYA, from NIPAL to BHOTAN ; alt. 3000-7000 ft. 

 KHASIA MTS. ; alt. 3000-5000 ft., common. Abundant in the interior of Sikkim cover- 

 ing the hill sides. 



