36 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



In the same country the wood of M, longistyla Steud., Cainillo of the 

 natives, is used for building. 



Mouriri rhizophorcefolia,^ a shrub of the Antilles, has fetid flowers, 

 a nauseous fruit, but seeds with a filbert flavour. M, guianensis is 

 considered astringent in its native country. Several species of 

 Memecylon are useful : the leaves of M, capitellatum,^ are used in 

 Ceylon to dye cotton yellow and red ; M. grande,^ in the same country, 

 takes nearly the place of safiron ; the bark of M, intermedium * yields 

 a black dye in Java; M, edule,^ grandifolium Naud., sphcerocarpum 

 DC, etc., in India and in Madagascar, furnish edible fruits. Many 

 ornamental Melastomacece are cultivated in our conservatories, espe- 

 cially Melastoma, Centradeniciy Gravesia, Clidemia, Monochcetum, 

 Miconia, Tihouchina, Medinilla, Sonerila and Bertolonia, The flowers 

 are sometimes large and handsome, but these plants are much more 

 generally esteemed for their leaves, green or purple or feathery, 

 punctuate, sometimes of a metalHc lustre. 



1 Mouriria rhizophorafolia Tri. Melcrst. 153. Bl. (not Burm.). — M. garchdoides P tlongatum 



— Olisbea rhizophorcefolia DC. Prodr. iii. 31. — Bl. 



Guildingia psidioides Hook. Bot. Misc. i. 122, ^ Roxb. PL Corom. i. 82. — DC. Prodr. iii. 6. 



t. 30. —Tri. Melast. 158, n. 63.— Thw. Enum. PL 



2L. Spec. 497; FL ZeyL 136.— Burm. PL ZeijL 110.— itf. ovatum Sm. Pees Cyclop.— J)G. 



ZtyL t. 30 ; FL Ind. 87.— Lamk. IlL t. 284, fig. Prodr. iii. 6.-3/. lucidum Presl. Fpim. 209.— 



1. — DC. Prodr. iii. 6. — Miq. FL Ind.-Bat. i. 574. M. tinctorium /3 Wight and Arn. Prodr. 319. — 



—Thw. Enum. PL ZeyL 110.— Bl. 31us. Lugd.- M. grande Wall. Cat. n. 4103 (not Bl.).— il/. 



Bat. i. 254 (part). — Rosenth. op. cit. 919. ramijlorum Ham. Cat. WalL n. 4103. — M. pra- 



3 Retz. Obs. iv. 26. simitn Naud. loc. cit. xviii. 275. — ? M.piiifolium 



"* Bl. Mus. Lugd.-Bat. i. 358. — M. tmhellattan Naud. loc. cit. (ex Tri.). 



