Melanthem.'] euphorbiace^e. 313 



late or urceolate at the base, with 6 teeth or lobes, connivent over the stamens 

 in the males, spreading and persistent in the females. Disk none. Stamens 3. 

 Anthers sessile at the top of the central colnmn. Ovules 3-eelled, with 2 

 ovules in each. Styles bifid. Fruit succulent, indehiscent. — Shrubs or herbs, 

 with the distichous leaves and habit of Phyllanthns, but almost always turn- 

 ing black in drying. 



A small genus, spread over tropical Asia and Australia. 



1. M. chinensis, Blume, Bijdr. 592. A glabrous somewhat glaucous 

 shmb. Leaves ovate to ovate-lanceolate, obtuse or almost acute, 1 to 1| in. 

 long, coriaceous when old. Flowers 2 to 4 in each axil. Males in the lower 

 clusters, on slender pedicels of 1 to H lines : Perianth 1 line long. Female 

 flowers in all the other clusters : Perianth turbinate at the base, the border 

 expanding to a diameter of 2 lines when in flower, twice that in fruit. Drupe 

 about 3 lines diameter, enclosing six 1 -seeded cocci. — Mdcmthesa cernua, 

 Benth. in Lond. Journ. Bot. i. 491 ; not of Dene. PJ/yllcmthm lucens, Vow.; 

 Hook, and Arn. Bot. Beech. 210. P. turbinatus, Bot. Mag. t. 1862; not of 

 Keen. P. Simslana, Wall. Cat. n. 7920. 



Tn woods, Champion and others. On the adjacent continent, in Siani, and perhaps in 

 Java. 



17. G-LOCHIDION, Forst. 



Flowers monoecious, in axillary clusters. Perianth-segments 6, free or shortly 

 united, imbricate in the bud. Glands none. Male flowers : Stamens 3 to b 

 or rarely more. Anthers oblong, sessile on a central column, tipped by their 

 projecting connectivum. Females : Ovary 3- to 10-celIed, with 2 ovules in 

 each cell. Styles short, erect and connivent in an oblong or globular mass or 

 in a short ring, or rarely spreading. Capsule globular or depressed, loculici- 

 drdly dehiscent or separating into 2-valved cocci. ^Shrubs. Leaves entire, 

 usually distichous on short petioles, but larger and coarser than in most 

 Phyllanthi. 



A considerable genus, extending over tropical Asia and Australia. 



Anthers 3. Leaves usually under 3 in. or thin. 

 Branches and leaves quite glabrous. 



Leaves li in. long. Ovary 3-celled \. G. Wrightii. 



Leaves about 3 in. Ovary 5-celled 2. G. pJiilippinense. 



Branches and leaves pubescent or hirsute. 



Pubescent. Leaves oblong, glabrous above ^. G. sinicum. 



Hirsute. Leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate, pubescent above . 4. G. eriocarpum . 

 Anthers 5 or more. Leaves coriaceous, mostly above 3 in. 



Branches and leaves softly pubescent ^. G. moUe. 



Branches and leaves quite glabrous. 



Capsule 4 lines diameter. Leaves 3 or 4 in 6. (?. littorale. 



Capsule 6 lines diameter. Leaves 5 or 6 in 'J. G. macroplnjUitm. 



1. G. Wrightii, Bmtli., n. sp. A perfectly glabrous glaucous shrub, 

 with slender branches. Leaves oblong, shortly acuminate, about 1 k in. long, 

 veiy oblique at the base, on petioles of near 2 lines. Male flowers in small 

 clusters, on pedicels of 1 to li lines. Perianth-segments less tlum 1 line. 

 Stamens 3. Female flowers 2 or 3 together, almost sessile. Perianth-seg- 

 ments } line long in flower, ^ line in fruit, the 3 inner smaller. Ovary 3- 



