732 



MELASTOMACE^E. 



[Epigynous Exoge.ns. 



rious ways beyond the insertion of the filament ; sometimes bursting longitudinally ; 

 before flowering, contained within the cases between the ovary and sides of the calyx. 

 Ovary more or less coherent with the calyx, with several ceils, and definite or indefinite 

 ovules; style 1; stigma simple, either capitate or minute ; a cup often present upon the 



apex of the ovary, surrounding the style. 

 Pericarp either dry and distinct from 

 the calyx, or succulent and combined 

 with the calyx, with several cells ; if 

 dehiscent, bursting through the valves, 

 which therefore bear the septa in the 

 middle ; placentas attached to a central 

 column. Seeds innumerable, minute, 

 with a brittle testa and no albumen ; 

 usually with appendages of some kind ; 

 embryo straight, or curved, with equal 

 or unequal flat or convolute cotyledons. 

 " The Order of Melastomads," re- 

 marks De Candolle, in an excellent 

 Memoir upon the subject, " although 

 composed entirely of exotic plants, and 

 established at a period when but few 

 species were known, is so well charac- 

 terised, that no one has ever thought 

 of putting any part of it in any other 

 group, or even introducing into it 

 genera that do not rightly belong to it." 

 These distinct characters are, the oppo- 

 site leaves, with several great veins or 

 ribs running from the base to the apex, 

 and the long beaked anthers. Good, 

 however, in most cases, as these charac- 

 ters undoubtedly are, yet the cause of 

 no uncertainty having been yet found 

 in fixing the limits of the Order, is 

 rather to be attributed to the small 

 number of species that have been examined, than to the want of connecting links: thus 

 Diplogenea has traces of the dots of Myrtles, which were not known to exist in Melas- 

 tomads until that genus was described. Mouriria has no ribs, and its leaves are very dis- 

 tinctly dotted ; the Memecylons are ribless, and so is Sonerila. 



The greatest affinity of Melastomads is on the one hand with Lyfhrads, on the other 

 with Myrtleblooms and their allies ; from the former they differ in the aestivation of 

 then' calyx not being valvate, from the latter in having the petals twisted before expan- 

 sion, and no dots on the leaves, and from both, and all others to which they can be 

 compared, in their long anthers bent down parallel to the filaments in the flower, and 

 lying in niches between the calyx and ovary; with the exception of Memecyls, in 

 which the union between the calyx and ovary is complete, and which have leaves desti- 

 tute of the lateral ribs that so strongly point out Melastomads. The structure of the seeds 

 of Memecyls is also peculiar, the cotyledons being convolute as in Myrobalans, to 

 which the Myrtleblooms approach at this point. It was for these reasons that the Meme- 

 cyls were regarded as the type of a peculiar Order, but it seems on the whole more 

 advisable to retain them as a section of Melastomads. That the convolute cotyledons 

 are of no moment is proved by the genus Chamremeles, which differs from other Apple- 

 worts in the same maimer. Mr. Gardner makes Mouriria the type of an Order, because 

 its leaves are dotted and ribless, its ovary perfectly adherent, and its ovules solitary. 

 Sir W. Hooker, however, finds 3 erect ovules in each cell. It is doubtless a genus con- 

 necting the Myrtleblooms and Melastomads, and belonging almost as much to one as to 

 the other Order, as Brown long ago stated. As to the Oliniese, Mr. Amott regards 

 them as being nearer Myrtleblooms than Melastomads ; but they can hardly be 

 separated from Memecyls. 



Found neither in Europe nor in Africa north of the desert of Zahara, nor south of 

 Brazil in South America, nor in extra-tropical Africa to the south. Beyond the tropics, 

 8 are found in the United States, a few in China ami the northern provinces of India, 

 and 3 hi New Holland. Of the remainder, it appears that "!! are described from India 



Fig. CCCCLXXXIX. 



Fig. CCCCLXXXIX.— Melastoma polyantlmm. 

 4. fruit; 5. section of ditto; 0. sued — after B 



1. flower; 2, 2. stamens; 3. base of anther; 



