DICOTYLEDONES : POLY PETALS : CALYCIFLORJ:. 



631 



p. Portnia is the Water- Purslane ; it has usually hexamerous flowers and an 

 indehiscent fruit : pynaeceum dimerous in both genera. Several species of 

 Cuphea, having a dorsiventral flower, with a posteriorly spurred calyx-tube, 

 from Mexico, are cultivated. 



Order 4. Mybtace^. Flowers 4- or 5-merous, epigynous : sta- 

 mens often very numerous, free, or connate in usually antipetalous 

 bundles (Fig. 431) ; sometimes few and obdiplostemonous : ovary 

 1-GO -locular ; seeds l-oc in each loculus, without endosperm : 

 placentation and frait various : leaves usually opposite, dotted 

 with oil-glands. Shrubs or trees. 



Tribe 1. Myrtece. Fruit a berry or a drupe ; stamens indefinite. 



Myrtiis communis is the Myrtle of Southern Europe ; the genus Eugenia 

 includes a number of ornamental shrubs, among which is E. (Jambosa) Caryo- 

 jyhyllus, the buds and flowers of which yield the spice known as cloves (Fig. 432). 



Tribe 2. Leptospermcce. Fruit a capsule, dehiscing loculicidally from above 

 downwards: stamens generally indefinite, frequently in bundles which are 

 opposite either to the sepals or to the petals (Fig. 431). 



Fto. 431.— Lon^tudinal section of 

 the flower of Calothamnus : / ovary ; 

 « calyx; p corolla; «t antipetalous 

 bundle of stamens; y style. (After 

 Sachs.) 



Fig. 432.— Flower-bud of Jamhosa 

 Caryophyllus, the Clove, in longitudi- 

 nal section ; /theinferior ovary, with 

 the oil-glands (dr); sfc the ovules; k 

 calyx; c corolla; »t stamens; a an- 

 thers ; g style (enlarged). 



Callistemon, Melaleuca, MetrosideroR, Calothamnus, and others, are or- 

 namental plants : Eucalyptus Globulus, from Australia, is much planted in 

 marshy districts, which it tends to dry up by its active transpiration. 



Tribe 3. ChamalaitcUce. Stamens often definite and obdiplostemonous : 

 ovary unilocular : fruit usually one-seeded and indehiscent. 



Tribe 4. Lecythidecs. Fruit large, woody, dehiscing with a lid, or inde* 

 hiscent ; leaves scattered, without oil-glands ; stamens indefinite. This tribe is 

 sometimes regarded as a distinct order, LECYTHiDACEif:. 



Jiertholletia exceha grows in tropical America ; its seeds are known as 

 Brazil uuts. 



