MELASTOMACE^: 327 



filaments, which are at first bent inwards. These long 

 coloured filaments to a great extent take the place of 

 the petals in making the flower conspicuous (p. 236). 

 The fruit is usually a berry with one or very many 

 seeds, and has often at the top a crown (as in 

 Guava and Rose-apple and Pomegranate) formed of 

 the sepals. 



Of other well-known or commonly cultivated mem- 

 bers of this family mention may be made of * CALLIS- 

 TEMON, R. Br., the Bottle-brush tree, whose flowers 

 are crowded round the axis and have numerous straight 

 red filaments, whence its name. It is a native of 

 Australia. 



MELALEUCA LEUCADENDRON, L., is cultivated for 

 the oil ' Cajeput oil ' obtained from the leaves. 



The dried flower buds of EUGENIA CARYOPHYL- 

 LATA, Thumb., form the well-known spice Cloves. 



The Rose-apple or ' Malay-apple ' is the fruit of 

 another species, E. MALACCENSIS, L. 



MELASTOMACE^E 



Example : 



MEMECYLON EDULE, Roxb. A small tree. Leaves 

 opposite, shortly petioled, exstipulate, elliptic, entire,, 

 glabrous, lateral veins obscure. 



Flowers in umbel-like cymose bunches, shortly 

 peduncled in the axils of the fallen leaves, of the 

 previous year's shoot, bright blue in colour and fra- 

 grant. Ovary inferior. Calyx cup-shaped with four 

 shallow lobes. Centre (disc) of flowers depressed. 

 Petals four, on the margin of the calyx-tube, roundish 

 sessile (no claws). Stamens (also on the margin of 



