648 



MYRSINACEiE. 



[Perigynous Exogens. 



globe. 1 have alluded to the Suttonia divaricata having a considerable range in latitude, 

 a circumstance not without parallel in the Order to which it belongs. Of this, 

 Myrsine africana is an extreme instance, that plant being found both at the Cape of 

 Good Hope, in Abyssinia, and in the Azores. The species of the Natural Order are, 

 however, as M. A. De Candolle well remarks (Linn. Trans, vol. xvii. p. 99), very con- 

 fined as regards their geographical limits, Melastomaceae and Myrtaceae being two of 

 the very few groups containing about the same or a greater number of species which are 

 more so." — Jos. Hooker, Bot. of Antarctic Voyaye, p. 52. 



Their properties are little known. Many are handsome shrubs, with fine evergreen 

 leaves. Bread is said to be prepared from the pounded seeds of Theophrasta Jussiaei 

 in St. Domingo, where it is called Le Petit Coco. A slight degree of pungency exists 

 in the berries of Embelia Ribes, and some others ; cathartic properties are ascribed to 

 those of E. robusta and Myrsine bifaria. The bark of Cybianthus detergens is both 

 gummy and astringent, and is used in baths and as a lotion by the Brazilians, against 

 impetigynous affections. The seeds of Wallenia laurifolia are peppery. According 

 to Mr. Griffith, the fruit of the Reptonia (Edgworthia) buxifolia, or Goorgoora, is 

 commonly sold in the bazaars of Cabul. It is roundish and succulent, about the 

 size of a marble, and is considered heating by the Affghans. — Ann. Nat. Hist. x. 193. 

 The leaves and branches of some Jacquinias are said to be poisonous to fish, as is their 

 fruit to man ; but this statement requires confirmation. The fruit of Clavija is pleasant 

 to eat ; the root emetic. 



Many have resinous cysts in their wood, fruit, and flowers. 



GENERA. 



I. M.ESEJE. 



Maesa, Forsk. 

 Bteobolrys, Forst. 

 Sibouratia, Thouars. 



II. EMBELIE.E. 



Embelia, Juss. 



Ribesioides, Linn. 



Ribes, Bumn. 

 Choripetalum, A. DC. 



? Othera, Thunb. 

 ? Orixa, Thunb. 



III. ARDISIK.S. 



Onoostemum, Adr. Juss. 

 Amblyanthus, A. DC. 

 Ilymenandra, A. DC. 



Antistrophe, A . DC. 

 Pleiomeris, A. DC. 

 Heberdenia, Banks. 

 Pimelandra, A. DC. 

 Myrsine, Linn. 



Plotia, Adans. 



Rapurtea, Aubl. 



Manglilla, Juss. 



Caballeria, R.P. 



Samara, Swart z. 



Sderoxylon, Willd. 



Athruphyllum, Lour. 



Jlosta, Fl. Flum. 



Pcckia, Fl. Flum. 



Zacyntha, Fl. Flum. 

 Suttonia, A. Rich. 

 Labisia, Lindl. 

 Badula, Juss. 



Barthesia, Comm. 



Cephalogyne, A. DC. 



Discocalyx, A. DC. 



Isnstylis, A. DC. 



Acephala, A. DC. 



Hemigyne, A. DC. 



Astrophe, A. DC. 

 Stylogyne, A. DC. 

 Monoporus, A. DC. 

 Wallenia, Swartz. 



Petcsioides , Jacq. 

 Conomorpba, A. DC. 



Conostylus, Pohl. 

 Weigeltia, A. DC. 

 Cybianthus, Mart. 

 Icacorea, Aubl. 

 Ardisia, Swartz. 



Pyrgus, Lour. 



Niara, Dennst. 



Bladhia, Thunb. 



Micranthera, A. DC. 

 Tyrbcea, A. DC. 

 Pickeringia, Nutt. 

 ? Purkingia, Prcsl. 



IV. Theophraste.*:. 



Jacquinia, Linn. 



Boneltia, Berter. 

 Theophrasta, Juss. 

 Clavija, Ruiz et Par. 



Theophrasta, Linn. 



Ercsia, Plum. 

 ? Oncinus, Lour. 

 Monotheca, A. DC. 

 Reptonia, A. DC. 



Edgworthia, Falc. 



Position. 



Numbers. Gex. 30. Sp. 320. 



Sapotacece. 

 -Primulacete. — M v rs i n ac e.e.- 

 Ebenacece. 



The Abyssinians mix the fruit of Myrsine africana with barley, as food for their 

 asses and mules. They regard that of Majsa lanceolata as a vermifuge.— A. Richard. 



ADDITIONAL GENERA. 



Climacandra, Miguel. 



Samara, L. = Choripetalum, Alph. DC. 



Grammadenia, Benth. near Cybianthus. 



jEgicerace.e, Blume in Ann. Sc. Nat. n. s. 2. 97. Alph. De Cand. Prodr. 8. 141. Under this name 

 is included the genus yEgiceras of Gartner, a group of shore plants inhabiting the tropics, and rooting 

 out of their seed-vessels into the mud, like Mangroves. It differs in nothing from Ardisiads beyond 

 this, that the fruit, when ripe, becomes a follicle, the seed has no albumen, and the anther-cells are 

 cut transversely ; to which Alph De Candolle adds that the stalk of their central placenta is very much 

 lengthened during the period of ripening, and from being very short is finally converted into along and 

 false funiculus. It does not, however, appear to me advisable to distinguish the genus from Ardisiads, 

 for it may be conjectured that the absence of albumen, which is one of the most important marks of 

 distinction, is owing to the peculiar circumstances under which .Egiceras germinates- its embryo is 

 always developed in an atmosphere charged with moisture, and hardly requires that any' special prepa- 

 ration should be made for sustaining it in its infant state. The only genus known is 



JEgiceras, (jcertn. 

 MaUupineea, Presl. 

 of which 5 species are on record, whereof one is doubtful. 



