Melastoma] LII. MELAST0MACM2E 333 



hairs or scales, lobes deciduous. Stamens usually 10, inserted with petals on 

 the calyx-rim, very unequal, 5 longer, with purple anthers, connective long, 

 produced at the base, and terminating in two lobes, alternating with 5 shorter 

 stamens, with yellow anthers, connective not produced. Ovary aduate to the 

 base of calyx-tube, usually 5-celled, apex clothed with bristles, ovules on large 

 axile placentas, which become pulp}' in fruit. Seeds minute. Species 40, 

 tropical Asia and Australia. Polynesia. 



1 . M. malabathricum, Linn. : Wight 111. t. 95, includes M. normale, Don ; 

 Rurz F. Fl. i. 504 Vera. FutLi, Ass. : Myetpyi, Lower, Shawn '. Upper Burma. 



An evergreen shrub nr small tree, brauchlets. petioles and peduncles densely 

 clothed with acute or acuminate, often serrulate scales. L. 3— 5-nerved, strigose 

 and often tonientose on the underside, blade 2 Mi. petiole ]-.', in. long. Fl. 

 purple, 2-3 in. across, calyx densely clothed with pale linear acuminate entire 

 or serrate scales. Fr. \ in. diam. 



Subhimalayan tract and outer hills from Xepal eastwards, ascending in Sikkim to 



6,000 Et. Ass Khasi hills. Cbittagong, Andamans, Burma. Western Peninsula. 



Fl. throughout the year, chiefly March-July. Ceylon moist country* to 3,000 ft. 

 Seychelles. Malay Peninsula and Archipelago. China, Australia, New Caledonia. 

 Nearly allied are: 2. M. decemfldum, Boxl>. (.1/. sanguineum, Sims). Tenasserim, Malay 

 Peninsula, Tonkin, China. Brauchlets, petioles and peduncles clothed with long spread- 

 ing hristles, 1. scattered, appressed hairs above, glabrous beneath. Fl. bright purple, 

 2-3 in. diam.. calyx-tube clothed with long shining bristly hairs. 3. M. imbricatum. 

 Wall. Assam, Khasi hills, Andamans. Burma. Brauchlets, petioles, peduncles ami 

 calyx clothed with closely oppressed serrulate scales. L. strigose on both sides, oppressed 

 scales on nerves beneath, Made 1-9, petiole 1-1J in. Fl. 1} in. across, petals oblong. 1. M. 

 Clarkeanum, I logniaux in DC. Monogr. Phan. vii. 346 1 .1/. South anum, Kurz, not Naudin), 

 Pegu Soma. Tenasserim, calyx-tube clothed with ciliate pale coloured scales about 

 i in. long. 



•2. OXYSPORA, DO. : Fl. Brit. Ind. ii. 525. 



Large shrubs with spreading and drooping branches. L. long-petioled, ovate, 

 acuminate. 5-7-nerved, sec. n. numerous, at right angles to main nerves. Fl. 

 in long terminal panicles. Calyx-tube cylindric-turbinate, teeth 4. short, tri- 

 angular. Stamens 8, the anthers of 4 on long filaments, purple, the others 

 yellow. Ovary inferior, 4-celled. Capsule fusiform, dry, 8-ribbed. Seeds go, 

 fali/ate. Species 7. India. Malay Peninsula and Archipelago. 



1. O. paniculata, DC; Wall. PI. As. Rar. t, 88. 



I '.ranch lets, petioles and nerves beneath with scanty fugacious stellate t omen- 

 tum and long s >fl bristles. ['anicle ample, calyx, petals and pedicels purple or 

 lilac, base of larger antlers deeply 2-lohed. 



Outer Himalaya, from Nepal eastwards, I 6000 Et. in Sikkim. Assam. Khasi hills. 

 I'M. A u ir- March. — Yunnan. 2. 0. vagans, Wall. A—am. Khasi hills. Manipur. 

 Branchlel -. petioles and nerves beneath with long, thin sofl hairs, base ..f larger ani hers 

 shortly 2-lobed, connective spurred al bass. 3. 0. cernua, Triana. Upper Assam. 

 Chittagong. Scandent, glabrous, leaves pale or brown beneath, blade I 12, petiole 

 J-1J in. long. I'M. rose-coloured, in lone narrow drooping panicle-, racing sharply 

 quadrangular : the ba ■■ Anther-cells of longer stamens slightly diverging at ; 

 con -I m. •• i„, i spurred. 



Ptermuidra caerulescens, .lack, including /'. capilellata, .lack. Tenasserim, Mala} 

 Peninsula and Archipelago. An evergreen large shrub or small tree j I. elliptic, shortly 



acuminate, 8 pr inenl basal nervea Fl. blue in axillary compound oy s, calyx 



ado ii> i i prolonged beyond it, truncate, tesselate outside, petals 1 thick. 



ovate, reflexed, stamens 8, filaments short, perfect anthers I oi 5, ovate, blunt, tl thers 



narrow. Fr. pulpy, turbinate, brum in. diam. 



:;. OSBECKIA, Linn.; PI, Brit. Ind. ii. 513. 



Hairy herbs or shrubs. I'M. large, I- or ■">- rous, in small, mostly bracteate 



terminal cymes. Calyx-tube oanipanulato. adnale tO lower half ol "\aryand 



