MELA5T0MACE.K. 43 



* Memecylon Heyneanum, Benth. B Courtallum, Wight, icon. 1, 

 t. 278. — M. amplexicaule, Roxb. Wight, icon. 1, t. 279. % Tra- 

 vancore, Malabar, Penang, Singapore. M. jambosioides, Wight, 

 icon. 1, t. 277. M. cordatum. Lam. B Peninsula of India, Mauri- 

 tius. — Mouriria guianensis, Aubl. $ Forests of Guiana. M. myr- 

 tilloides, Poir. B Jamaica. 



ORDER XXIV.— MELASTOMACE^, D. Don.— Lindl. Nat. Syst. 



p. 41. 



Trees, shrubs, (rarely climbing,) or herbs, sometimes annual, in 1828, 

 according to DC, under 69 genera amounting to 718 species; viz. 625 

 American ; 18 African ; 3 Chinese ; and 72 E. Indian. According to Lindl. 

 (o. c. p. 42-43,) the genera had, in 1836, risen to 93, containing, says 

 Wight, at least 1000 species. The E. Indian forms, with the additions from 

 Wallich's and Wight's herbaria, have now risen to 133; 2 of Oxyspora ; 

 18 of Sonerila ; 29 of Osbeckia ; 1 of Tristemma ; 72 of Melastoma ; 1 of 

 Triplectrum ; 4 of Pternandra ; 1 of Medinilla ; 1 of Sarcopyramis ; 1 of 

 Kibessia ; and 2 of Astronia. To these must, however, be added Blume's 

 new genera : Otanthera, Lac hnop odium, Pogonanthera, Allomorphia, Pachy- 

 sentria, Ochthocharis, Dissochceta, Aplectrum, Marumia, Creochiton, Phyl- 

 lagathis, and Ewyckia. 'I'he number of their species we have not been 

 able to ascertain, but Wight says, that if the other genera are somewhat 

 in proportion to Medinilla, of which Java produces 21 species, Blume 

 must nearly have doubled the Indian list of Melastomaceae. 



Far the greater part of the Indian forms are tropical, but few extending 

 towards the Khassya Mountains and the foot of the Himalayas in Nepal. 

 These are Melastoma malabathricum, L. ; M. normale, Don. ; M. Walli- 

 chii, DC. ; Oxyspora paniculata, DC. ; Sonerila angustifoha, Roxb. ; S. 

 squarrosa. Wall.; S. tenera, R. Br.; S. arguta, R. Br.; S. maculata, Roxb. ; 

 Osbeckia angustifolia, Don. ; O. nepalensis, Hook. ; O. stellata, Don. ; O. 

 ternifolia, Don. ; O. pulchella, Benth. ; O. campestris, Buch. ; O. longi- 

 collis and crinita, Benth. ; O. nutans, Wall. ; 0. capitata, Benth. ; Medi- 

 nilla erythrophylla, Lindl. ; and Sarcopyramis nepalensis and lanceolata. 

 Wall. 



The order, " though one of the most extensive known, is entirely desti- 

 tute of any unwholesome properties." (Lindl.) Astringency is said to 

 be its prevailing character. 

 Melastoma, Burm. {DC pr. 3, p. 144 ; — W. and A. pr. I, p. 324.) 



1. malabathricum, L. {DC. o. c. p. 145; — W. a?id A. I. c, — Roxb. 

 fi. ind. 2, p. 405 ;— 7. Grah. Cat. B. pi. p. 7 1 ,—B. Beg. 8, t. 

 Q12;— Wight, ill. 1, t. 9o;—Rheed. 4, t. V2 ^—Rumph. 4, t. 72.) 

 ^vS^f^^ Buro-phootiha. 5 Moluccas, Sumatra, Cochin-China, 



