OsbecTcia.'] MELASTOMACEAE. 489 



Stamens equal ; fruit opening by pores at its apex 



1. Osbeckia. 



Stamens unequal; fruit bursting irregularly 2. Melastoma. 



'Is straight, stamens equal: 



Flowers moderately large, fleshy and red, petals 4 ; climber 



3. Kendrickia. 

 Flowers rather small, pink or white, somewhat fleshy; epiphytic 



shrubs 4. Medinilla. 



Petals 3 ; seeds straight ; stamens equal ; inflorescence scorpioid ; 



herbs o. Sonerila. 



Leaves not ribbed but penninerved with faint intramarginal nerves; 

 ovary 1 -celled, few-ovuled ; seed 1 6. Memecylon. 



1. Osbeckia, Linn. 



Herbs, undershrubs or shrubs, usually erect, branches usually 

 4-angled. Leaves opposite or sometimes ternate, entire, 3-7- or 

 sometimes 9-ribbecL Flowers terminal, solitary capitate or 

 panicled, purple-pink or white, often conspicuous; bracts con- 

 spicuous, sometimes involucrate. Calyx-tube urceolate or sub- 

 globose, sometimes much produced beyond the ovaiy, usually 

 covered with bulbous-based bristles which are solitary or in sessile 

 or stalked clusters or on pectinate scales ; lobes 4 or 5, subulate or 

 lanceolate, variously bristly, alternating with as many appendages 

 usually stellately bristly. Petals 4 or o, usually broadly obovate, 

 ciliate. Stamens 8 or 10, equal or subequal ; anthers oblong, 

 truncate attenuate or beaked. Ovary semi-inferior, 4-5-celled, 

 bristly at apex; ovules numerous in each cell on placentas radiating 

 from the axis ; style long, simple. Fruit a capsule opening by 

 pores at its apex. Seeds many, curved, minutely tuberculate. 

 Flowers pentamerous (also, sometimes, 0. cupularis) ; anthers attenuate 

 at tip : 



Calyx-tube with simple bristles only ; leaves 3-5-ribbed, outer pair 

 of ribs very slender : 



Leaves elliptic, "5-1 in. long, -5 in. broad, acute at apex, obtuse 

 at base, pale greenish when dry, bristles on upper surface many 

 small adnate, also few large adnate only at base; branchlets 

 strigose ; calyx-lobes ovate, obtuse, appendages very short with 



only about 3 bristles 1. minor. 



Leaves elliptic, 1-1 '75 in. long, '5-1 in. broad, acute at apex, acute 

 or obtuse at base, yellowish-green when dry, bristles on upper 



