2 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



as is likewise the receptacle, with hairs or prominences of variable 

 nature.^ Within are an equal number of alternate, free, symmetrical 

 or unsymmetrical petals, likewise contorted in prefloration.^ The 

 stamens are interior to the petals and arranged in two verticils. 



Melastoma malabathricum. 



Fig. 2. Long. sect, 

 of bud (0- 



Fig. 4. Long. sect, of 

 flower. 



Five of them are larger and superposed to the sepals, and five smaller 

 alternate. Their organization is peculiar, each being formed of a 

 filament, at first incurved at the summit,^ and of an elongate, curved, 

 undulated, introrse, bilocular anther, prolonged at the summit to a 



^ Some larger than the others form teeth or 

 rigid hairs alternating exactly with the sepals. 

 On the exterior surface of the receptacle there 

 may he from simple hairs to flattened tongues, 

 dentelate at the margin and each formed of a 

 great number of elongate, fibriform elements 

 bound together at the margins. These are then 

 in some sense prickles. 



2 The torsion of the sepals and that of the 



petals are normally inverted. 



^ After anthesis the filaments are so displaced 

 as to become all on one side of the flower, and 

 to direct the convexity of their curvature to 

 this same side. This is effected in the stamens 

 inserted on the opposite side by a torsion upon 

 itself of that portion of the filament surmount- 

 ing the point of insertion. 



