Psidium.] MYRTACEAE. 471 



Ovary with 2 cells, each with 4 pendulous ovules ; flowers 



supra-axillary 6. Meteoromyrtus. 



Leaves alternate in older plants, young leaves often different from 

 the later and usually opposite ; petals falling off as a calyptra 



7. Eucalyptus. 



1. Rhodomyrtus, DC. 



Trees or shrubs. Leaves opposite, 3- or 5-ribbed. Flowers 

 rather large, in axillary 1-7-flowered cymes; bracteoles small, 

 deciduous. Calyx-tuhe turbinate, not or hardly produced beyond 

 the ovary; lobes 5, persistent. Petals 5, spreading. Stamens 

 indefinite, free, in many series. Ovary 1- 2- 3-celled, but appear- 

 ing 2- 4- 6-celled by spurious partitions between the pairs of 

 ovules which are arranged in vertical rows ; style filiform ; stigma 

 capitate. Fruit a globose berry with numerous horizontal seeds. 

 Seed compressed, exalbuminous, reniform or orbicular, horizontal ; 

 testa hard ; embryo curved with small cotyledons and long radicle. 



RHODOMYRTUS TOMENTOSA, Wt. Spic. Neilgh. t. 71 ; F. B. I. 



ii. 469. Myrtus tomentosa, Ait. ; W. & A. 328 ; Wt. 111. t. 97*3, 



Ic. t. 522. 



Nilgiri and Pulney Hills, and southwards above 5,000 ft., on 

 open downs, on dry slopes. Hill Gooseberry. 

 A thickly tonientose shrub with grey-tomentose foliage, pink 

 flowers and pleasant fruit, much eaten on the Mlgiris. 

 Fyson says that the Pulney fruit is not so good. Bark 

 thin, red, papery ; wood dark red, close-grained, makes good 

 walking-sticks. Yern. Badaga Thaontay ; Trav. Hills, Koratta. 



2. Psidium, Linn. 



Trees or shrubs. Leaves opposite, entire, not dotted. Flowers 

 large, white, on 1- or few-flowered axillary peduncles. Calyx 

 urceolate or obovate, limb undivided in aestivation, separating 

 valvately into 4-5 lobes when in flower. Petals 4 or 5, free. 

 Stamens many, inserted in several series on a wide disk. Ovary 

 many-celled, with numerous ovules in each cell ; style subulate ; 

 stigma peltate or capitate. Fruit a globose ovoid or pyriform 

 berry, usually crowned by the calyx-limb. Seeds many, sub- 

 renif orm ; testa hard ; embryo curved with short cotyledons and 

 long radicle. 



II 



