MALPIGHIACE/E. 147 



axillary, shorter than the leaf, solitary : common peduncle half 

 an inch in length with appressed hairs ; pedicels of the same 

 length, one-flowered, with a pair of minute bracteoles below 

 the middle : flowers purple. Calycine segments oblong, con- 

 cave, 6-8 glandulose (one of the segments being eglandulose 

 and those on each side having in general only one glandule). 

 Petals with the limb crisped, fimbriated. Filaments subulate, 

 connate at the base: anthers yellow, tetragonal. Ovary ovoid, 

 glabrous : styles 3 : stigmata simple. Drupe spherical, from 

 the size of a large pea to that of a small cherry, smooth, shining, 

 scarlet, bearing the persistent remains of the styles : seed 3, 

 triquetrous with the angles acute, and with a sharp longitudi- 

 nal ridge running down the centre of the outer side. 



The fruit of this species is juicy and of a sweet but rather 

 insipid taste, and is scarcely ever brought to the dessert. In 

 the wild state, this is a lowly shrub. When cultivated in gar- 

 dens, however, it attains the size of a small tree and the fruit 

 is much larger and more juicy ; but the leaves are usually smaller. 

 I have no doubt, but that the fruit might be still more improved, 

 by further cultivation. 



3. Malpighia punicifolia. Pomegranate-leaved 

 West-India Cherry. 



Leaves ovate very entire glabrous, peduncles axil- 

 lary 1 -flowered. 



M. fruticosa erecta, floribus solitariis, Browne^ 230 M. mali 

 punici facie, Plum. Gen. 46. t. 160. f. 2. M. punicifolia, 

 Lamarck, Encycl. IV. 303. 



HAB. Woods near Bath, St Thomas in the East. 



FL. Autumn. 



This has a great resemblance to M. GLABRA, of which it pro- 

 bably is only a variety. 



II. BYRSONIMA. 



Calyx 5-partite, externally at the base 8-10 glan- 

 dulose. Petals clawed. Stamens 10 shortly mona- 

 delphous at the base. Styles 3. Drupe with a nut 

 3-celled, 3-seeded. De Cand. 



Racemes spiked, terminal, simple or branched. 



1. Byrsonima coriacea. Lotus-berry Tree. 



Leaves oblongo-ovate acuminate ; the young leaves 

 ferrugineo-sericeo-tomentose, the adult subglabrous ; 



