220 Melastomacece. {Memecylon. 



A small tree, twigs slender, quadrangular ; 1. sessile or 

 very nearly, 3-4 in., ovate-oval, very acute at base, long-acu- 

 minate, obtuse at apex, dull not shining, paler beneath, veins 

 invisible ; fl. numerous, ped. twice as long as cal., slender, in 

 rather large umbellate-corymbose cymes on short flattened 

 peduncles; cal.-segm. broad, shallow; disk with winged rays ; 

 fruit j in., purplish-black. 



Moist low country to 3000 ft.; rather common. Ratnapura; Alagala; 

 Hantane. Fl. April ; pale violet-blue. 



Endemic. 



Clarke, followed by Cogniaux, quotes for this C. P. 2572 in error; 

 that number is an Oberonia. 



23. 1*1. leucanthum, Thw. Enum. 1 10. 

 M. edule, var., Cogn. Mon. 11 56. C. P. 1559. 

 Fl. B. Ind. ii. 564 (M. edule, var. S). 



A small tree, twigs obscurely quadrangular; 1. ij-2|-in., 

 broadly oval to rotundate, acute at base, shortly acuminate, 

 obtuse at apex, lat. veins rather conspicuous beneath, petiole 

 very short ; ped. as long as or longer than cal, divaricate, 

 cymes racemose-paniculate, lax; cal.-tube campanulate, segm. 

 short, erect, obtuse; pet. clawed, somewhat lacerate, strongly 

 reflexed, disk-rays distinctly winged; fruit small, under £ in., 

 crowned with large cal. -limb. 



Lower montane zone ; rather rare. Hantane; Watagoda; Dimbula. 

 Fl. April ; pure white. 

 Endemic. 



24. M. macrocarpum, Thw. Enum. 110(1859). 

 M. ovoideum (non. Thw.), Cogn. 1. c. 1147. C. P. 2798. 

 Fl. B. Ind. ii. 556 (with M. ovoideum). 



A small tree with straight erect trunk, branches thickened 

 at nodes, twigs stout, cylindrical ; 1. rather large, 3-4 in., ro- 

 tundate, acute at base, obtuse or rounded at apex, very thick 

 and coriaceous, margin slightly revolute, pale beneath, lat. 

 veins quite invisible, petiole very short and thick ; fl. (not 

 seen) from large axillary bosses on the old wood, ped. short ; 

 fruit large, f in. or rather more, globose, suddenly contracted 

 at summit into a short neck, crowned by truncate cal. -limb., 

 disk conspicuously winged. 



Moist region ; very rare. I have only seen the C. P. specimens from 

 Ambagamuwa, which are in fruit. 

 Endemic. 

 A very distinct species, curiously confused with M. ovoideum. 



25. IVX. laevig-atum, Bl. Mus. Bot. i. 358 (1851). 



M. sylvaticum, Thw. Enum. no. C. P. 1558, 1567, 3302. 

 Fl. B. Ind. ii. 561. 



