M Y R 



M Y R 



flowers arc smaller, and the berries small and 

 oval. 



The Brdatl -leaved Dutch INIvrtle, which has 

 leaves much less than those of the common sort, 

 and more pointed, standing close together on the 

 branches: tlie midrib on liie under side of ihe 

 leaves is of a purple colour : thev are of a darker 

 green, and sit closer to the branches : the flowers 

 are smaller, on shorter peduncles, and come out a 

 little later than those of the common sort. 



The Double-flowering Myrtle, which is pro- 

 bably a sub-variety of this ; the leaves and 

 grow th of the plant, the size of the flowers, and 

 the time of the flowering, agreeing better with 

 this than any of the others. 



The Uosemary -leaved or Thyme-leaved INIy- 

 tle, which has the branches growing pretty erect; 

 the leaves small, narrow, acute, sessile, and of 

 a lucid green : the flowers are small, appearing 

 late in the season. These varieties are con- 

 stant; but there are others which are propagated 

 in gardens and nurseries for sale, which are less 

 considerable and more variable, as; the Gold- 

 striped Broad-leaved Myrtle; the Broad leaved 

 Jew's Myrtle, having frequently the leaves in 

 threes; the Gold-striped Orange-leaved Myrtle; 

 the Silver-striped Italian Myrtle; the Striped Box- 

 leaved Myrtle ; the Silver-striped Rosemary-leav- 

 ed Myrtle; the Silver-striped Nutmeg Myrtle j 

 and the Cock's-comb or Bird's-nest Myrtle. 



The second species has the branches round, 

 toinentose : the leaves are an inch and half long, 

 elliptic, blunt, above dark , and veined, reflex at 

 the edge, the nerves more conspicuous under- 

 neath, smooth above, hoary underneath, on very 

 short petioles : the peduncles axillary and ter- 

 minating, solitary, opposite, tomentose : bractes 

 two, small, oblong, at the base of the calyx, 

 which is turbinate and tomentose, with four 

 rounded segments : the petals oblong, tomentose- 

 hairy without, purple within. It is a native of 

 China, flowering in June and July. 



The third rises with a divided trunk to the 

 height of eight or ten feet, sending out many 

 opposite branches covered with a gray bark : 

 the leaves are shorter and rounder at the points, 

 smoother and of a firmer texture than in the ninth 

 sort : the flowers come out from the side of the 

 branches between the leaves, on slender foot- 

 stalks, about an inch in length, two generally 

 from the same point: the berries are round, and 

 brighter than in the ninth: but the leaves and fruit 

 nut being aromatic are not in use. 



As it retains its leaves, which are of a splen- 

 dent green, all the year, it makes a good ap- 

 pearance; but the flowers, being small and grow- 

 ing thinly upon the branches, do not make any 

 great figure. It is a native of Jamaica. 



Vol. II. 



The fourth species has the leaves of a singular 

 structure, being from ovate remarkably attenu- 

 ated into a lanceolate top : the t!owers are five- 

 pctalled. It is a native of Surinam. 



The fifth has thick leaves : peduncles axillary 

 and terminating, brachiate-paniclcd, leno-th of 

 the leaves : petals few. Native of America. 



The sixth species has a strong upright stalk, 

 covered with a smooth gray bark, tlividino- to- 

 wards the top into many slender stiff' branches : 

 the leaves are near two inches long, and an inch 

 and quarter broad, of a lucid green, and on very 

 short foot-stalks : the flowers come out at the 

 ends of the branches, several on one coiimion pe- 

 duncle, which branches out; and each flower 

 stands on a very slender pedicel : they are very 

 like the flowers of the Italian Myrtle. It is a 

 native of Ceylon. 



The seventh sort may contend the palm of 

 elegance with most trees. It grows slowly, and 

 flowers late, twice in a year. By age it acquires 

 thickness and height beyond the mediocrity : the 

 trunk is handsome, straight, forming a very 

 lofty thick beautiful pyramidal head : the bark 

 in the younger trees is brown, then ash-coloured, 

 finally white entirely, or with large yellow spots ; 

 it is very smooth and even, especially in old 

 trees, but here and there hangs down in slender 

 shreds ; the flavour is astringent, not without 

 something of aromatic: the timber very hard, 

 red, compact, ponderous, and capable of being 

 polished ; used for the cogs of wheels in the 

 sugar-mills, and other works where considerable 

 frictioiT is required : the younger branches are 

 acutely four-cornered and green ; the leaves nu- 

 merous, quite entire, shining, bright green, 

 with transverse veins, blunt, attenuated into a 

 short petiole ; they are always opposite, com- 

 monly three or four inches long, of a very sweet 

 aromatic smell, and on account of their agree- 

 able astringency are used for sauce with food : 

 the flowers small, white with a slight tinge of 

 redness : the berries round, the size of peas, 

 crowned with the remains of the calyx, having 

 an aromatic smell and taste, which render them 

 agreeable for culinary purposes. It is a native 

 of the West Indies, where it is sometimes 

 called Bois d'Inde. 



The eighth species has the whole of the plant 

 smooth : the leaves petioled, an inch long, 

 emarginate, from a reflexjjiargin becoming con- 

 vex, the upper surface shming very much, vein- 

 less, transversely but obliquely marked with 

 dusky nerved lines; the under suiface less shin- 

 ing : the younger leaves veined on both sides, 

 with minute raised dots scattered over the under 

 surface, which vanish in the older leaves, and 

 tbey have dusky spots impressed on the upper 

 T 



