548 LX. MELASTOMACEJE. (C. B. Clarke.) [Medinilla. 



Anthers at the base very shortly produced, spur of the connective very short. Fruit 

 -i in. diam., when ripe black, edible though insipid, rim of the calyx then evanes- 

 cent. This plant really differs little from M. Hasseltii ; but in its typical form the 

 leaves are elliptic nearly sessile : also the anthers at the base and the spur of the 

 connective are even shorter. 



5. TNI. fuchsioides, Gardn. in Calc. Journ. Nat. Hist. viii. 12; branches 

 round somewhat striated, leaves subsessile elliptic-oblong subcuneate at the 

 base, peduncles 1-3-flowered, flowers 4-merous. Thwaites Enum. 106 ; Triana 

 in Trans. Linn. Soc. xxviii. 86. 



CEYLON ; Gardner ; Newera Ellia and Horton Plains, Thwaites, 

 Leaves 2-3^ in., 3-5-nerved, minutely glandular beneath (Thwaites). Peduncles 

 solitary ; pedicels and calyx rose-purple. Petals a fine lake below, white at top. An- 

 thers shortly produced at the base, connective with a short spur. Fruit in. diam., 

 subglobose. The specimens of this very succulent plant are imperfect and the above 

 description is mainly compiled from Gardner and Thwaites' description. 



6. XIX. maculata, Gardn. in Calc. Journ. Nat. Hist. viii. 13 ; branches 

 quadrangular angles waved winged, leaves subsessile ovate obtuse or oblong 

 obscurely crenate, peduncles 1-3-flowered, flowers 4-merous small. Thwaites 

 Enum. 106 ; Triana in Trans. Linn. Soc. xxviii. 86, excluding the syn. Don. 



CEYLON ; Central Provinces, alt. 3000-5000 ft., Thwaites, Macrae, Walker. 



Leaves f-l in., 3-nerved, minutely glandular beneath (Thwaites). Calyx-tube 

 green-red. Petals f in., pale-rose. Anthers shortly produced at the base, connective 

 with a short spur. Fruit in. broad, very small, subcampanulate. 



VAR. Thwaitesii, leaves cuneate-obovate. Ceylon ; Hellesseen, Pasdoon Corle, 

 Thwaites No. 3443. 



7. M. Beddomei, C. B. Clarke ; branches round, leaves short-petioled 

 orbicular or broad-elliptic, peduncles 1-flowered, flowers 4-merous large. M. 

 radicans, Bedd. Ic. PI. Ind. Or. t. 184, not of Blume. Triplectrum radicans, 

 W. $ A. Prodr. 324. 



WESTERN PENINSULA ; KTJRG, Wight. WYNAAD, alt. 2000-3500 ft., Beddome. 



Leaves 1-1| in., 3-nerved, much thicker than those of M. maculata. Petals (in 

 Wight's own No. 1151) more than \ in. Beddome says the flowers are " 14-15 lines 

 long." Anthers prominently produced at the base, spur of the connective also promi- 

 nent ; four additional imperfect stamens sometimes present (ex Beddome). This 

 plant wholly differs from M. maculata (with which Triana unites it doubtfully) by 

 its much larger flowers as well as different leaves and anthers. It does not appear 

 however that Triana ever saw Wight's No. 1151. Nor did Beddome, who doubts if 

 it can be the same as his M. radicans : with which however it agrees perfectly. 



8. IKE. malabarica, Bedd. Ic. PI. Ind. Or. 157 ; branches round striate 

 somewhat verrucose, leaves 2-3 in. elliptic narrowed to both ends 3- 5-nerved, 

 petiole less than \ in., flowers 4-merous, anthers oblong short truncate subnude 

 at base. 



ANAMALLAYS and NILGHIRIS, alt. 3000-4000 ft. ; Beddome. 



Peduncles axillary, 1-3-flowered. Flowers large. Filaments long, anthers short 

 with two glandular swellings at the apex of the filament inside, spur of the con- 

 nective perceptible behind but very small. This species in leaves and inflorescence 

 is much like M. rubicunda ; but in its anthers it is altogether remote, and approaches 

 Pachycentria. 



** Flowers in terminal panicles or quasi-lateral cymes. 



