MYRTACE.E. XXVII. MYRTUS. 



835 



The broad-leaved Dutch myrtle. Leaves crowded, dark green. 

 The double-flowering myrtle appears to be of this variety. 



Var. 6, mucronata (Lin. spec.) leaves linear-lanceolate, acu- 

 minated. M. minima, Mill. Rosemary or thyme-leaved myrtle. 



B. leucocarpa (D. C. prod. 3. p. 239.) fruit white. J? . H. 

 Native of Greece and the Balearic Islands. Smith, prod. fl. graec. 

 p. 36. The fruit of this kind is rather large, edible, with a grate- 

 ful taste and smell. 



The above varieties are constant ; but there are others in the 

 gardens which are more variable. It will suffice to give the 

 names of a few of these. 



1 Gold-striped broad-leaved myrtle. 



2 Broad-leaved Jews' myrtle. This variety has its leaves 

 frequently in threes, on which account it is said to be in esteem 

 among the Jews in their religious ceremonies. 



3 Gold-stripcd-lejtved orange-myrtle. 



4 Silver-striped Italian myrtle. 



5 Striped box-leaved myrtle. 



6 Stiver-striped rosemary-leaved myrtle. 



7 Silver-striped nutmeg myrtle. 



5 Ctck's-comb or bird's-nest myrtle. 

 9 Spotted-leaved myrtle. 



Common Myrtle. Fl. July, Aug. Clt. 1597. Sh. 3 to 10 ft. 



6 M. MYRICOIDES (H. B. et Kunth, nov. gen. amer. C. p. 131. 

 t. 539.) peduncles axillary, 1 -flowered, hardly shorter than the 

 leaves, pubescent, furnished with 2 bracteoles at the apex ; 

 leaves oblong, coriaceous, veinless, glabrous above, puberulous 

 beneath as well as on the branchlets ; calyx 5-cleft. Jj . S. Native 

 of Peru. Petals glabrous. Berry nearly globose, 3-4-celled. 

 Seeds numerous, nearly reniform. Embryo as in M. communis. 



Myrica-leaved Myrtle. Sh. 4 to 6 ft. 



7 M. SALUTA'RIS (H. B. et Kunth, 1. c. p. 132.) pedicels ax- 

 illary, solitary, 1 -flowered, shorter than the leaves, puberulous ; 

 leaves ovate-oblong, obtuse, rather membranous, reticulated, 

 glabrous, shining ; branchlets rather hairy ; calyx quinquefid. 



(7 . S. Native near Carichana, on the banks of the Orinoco, where 

 it is called Guayava-Arayan. Leaves 2 inches long, and an 

 inch broad. Petals ciliated, length of stamens. Berry nearly 

 globose, 2-celled, about the size of a sloe. Seeds bony, soli- 

 tary, or numerous in the cells. A decoction of the root of this 

 species is considered good against haemorrhages. 

 Salutary Myrtle. Sh. 4 to 6 ft. 



8 M. CALOPHY'LLA (H. B. et Kunth, 1. c. p. 133.) pedicels 

 axillary, 1 -flowered, solitary, or twin, shorter than the leaves, 

 bibracteolate at the apex ; leaves elliptic-oblong, acute, running 

 into the petiole at the base, coriaceous, veinless, shining, and are 

 as well as the branchlets glabrous ; calyx 5-cleft. Ij . S. Na- 

 tive on the banks of the Orinoco, near Maypures. Leaves 2 

 inches long. Pedicels 10-14 lines long, when bearing the fruit. 

 Flowers as large as those of M. communis. Berry nearly glo- 

 bose, 2-celled, about the size of a sloe. Embryo probably like 

 that of M. communis. 



Beautiful-leaved Myrtle. Sh. 6 to 8 ft. 



9 M. U'GNI (Molin. chil. ed. gall. p. 133.) pedicels axillary, 

 1 -flowered, a little recurved, rather longer than the leaves, 

 bearing each 2 linear bracteoles under the flower ; leaves ovate, 

 acute, glabrous ; calyx 5-cleft, with the lobes reflexed. Ij . G. 

 Native of Chili, where it is called U'gni, and by the Spaniards 

 Murtilla. Feuill. obs. 3. p. 44. t. 31. Lam. diet. 4. p. 412. 

 Petals almost like those of M. communis. Fruit red, musky, 

 nearly globose, 8-seeded, compressed. The natives of Chili 

 express the juice from the fruit and mix it with water, to which 

 it gives a beautiful red colour. It forms a very refreshing drink, 

 and has something of the odour of rosemarv. 



Ugni Myrtle. Sh. 2 to 3 ft. 



10 M.? ARA'YAN (H. B. et Kunth, 1. c. p. 133.) pedicels 



axillary, solitary, 1-flowered, a little shorter than the leaves, bi- 

 bracteolate under the flower ; leaves ovate -oblong, acute, mem- 

 branous, reticulated, glabrous, shining ; branchlets hairy ; calyx 

 5-cleft. I? . S. Native of Peru, at Gonzanama, at the eleva- 

 tion of 3000 feet, where it is called, along with some other spe- 

 cies, Arayan. Leaves 20-22 lines long. Flowers size of those 

 of M. communis. Berry globose, red, 2-celled; cells 1 -seeded. 

 Arayan Myrtle. Sh. 6 to 8 ft. 



11 M. MULTIFLORA (Juss. herb. Jaume, in Duham. ed. nov. 

 1. p. 208.) pedicels solitary, axillary, elongated, and in terminal 

 racemes ; flowers 5-cleft ; leaves ovate-orbicular, mucronate, 

 opaque, coriaceous, hairy on the petioles, margins, and nerves 

 on both surfaces, as well as the branchlets and peduncles. T? . S. 

 Native of Chili and Peru. Leaves 8-9 lines long and 6-7 broad, 

 green above, and white beneath. Pedicels 6 inches long, gla- 

 brous at the apex, as well as the calyxes, but hairy at the base. 

 Fruit and seeds unknown. Perhaps the same as M. Luma, 

 Molin. chil. 17;5. but M. Lumaof Spreng. syst. appears to be 

 different. The bark is astringent, and possesses the same qua- 

 lities as that of M. t'lgni. 



Many-Jlowered Myrtle. Shrub. 



12 M. ? GOETHEA'NA (Mart. herb, ex D. C. prod. 3. p. 240.) 

 pedicels 1-flowered, 3 times shorter than the leaves, bearing 

 2 acute bracteoles at the apex : lower ones axillary and solitary : 

 upper ones in umbellate fascicles ; leaves oval, acuminated, 

 rather coriaceous, quite glabrous, shining ; tube of calyx glo- 

 bose, with 5 oblong-oval lobes. Jj . S. Native of Demerara, 

 and of Brazil at llio Janeiro. Leaves 4 inches long, 15-16 lines 

 broad, opaque, dotted beneath. Peduncles 9 lines long. Flowers 

 large. Petals 7-9 lines long. Staminiferous disk broad, as in 

 Psidium. Ovarium globose, 2-3-celled. Stamens very nu- 

 merous, shorter than the petals. Fruit globose, yellowish, 5- 

 celled. Seeds many, oblong. 



Goethe's Myrtle. Shrub. 



13 M. ? E'LEGANS (D. C. prod. 3. p. 240.) glabrous ; pedicels 

 axillary, 1-flowered, solitary, about equal in length to the leaves; 

 bracteas small under the flowers ; lobes of calyx 4, broad, acut- 

 ish ; tube obovate ; leaves lanceolate, attenuated at both ends, 

 acute, stiff, opaque ; branches tetragonal. fj . S. Native of 

 Brazil, in the province of Minas Geraes. Psidium elegans, 

 Mart. herb. Habit almost of M. communis var. Romana. In 

 habit it comes near Eugenia Pia ; but neither the flower-bud 

 nor fruit has been seen, and therefore the genus is very doubtful. 



Elegant Myrtle. Shrub. 



14 M. ? FASCICULA'RIS (D. C. 1. c.) pedicels 1-flowered, 4-7- 

 together, axillary, a little shorter than the leaves, bearing 2 

 linear bracteoles under the flowers ; leaves oval-oblong, acute at 

 both ends, full of pellucid dots, clothed with velvety pubescence 

 when young, as well as the calyxes ; calyx 5-lobed ; lobes very 

 obtuse. I? . S. Native of Cayenne. Flowers and leaves rising 

 in fascicles from the axils of the old leaves, as in Pyrus. Pedi- 

 cels 6 lines long. Fruit and seeds unknown. Limb of calyx 

 5-cleft, not 5-parted. 



/*a*cic/erf-flowered Myrtle. Shrub. 



15 M. ? BRACHYSTE'MON (D. C. 1. c.) pedicels 1-flowered, 

 axillary, 3-5-together, 3 times shorter than the leaves, bearing 

 2 ovate bracteoles under the flowers ; leaves ovate, glabrous, 

 bluntly somewhat acuminated ; calyx 5-cleft ; branchlets rather 

 downy. J? . S. Native of St. Domingo and Porto Rico, in 

 hedges. Eugenia Patrisii, Spreng. in herb. Balb. but not of 

 Vahl. Leaves an inch long, and 6 lines broad. Pedicels 3-5 

 lines long. Flowers small. Stamens 20, shorter than the petals' 

 Fruit and seeds unknown. 



Short-stamened Myrtle. Shrub. 



SECT. II. RHODOMY'RTUS (from poSov, rhodon, a rose, and pvp- 

 5 o 2 



