2 G. King — Materials for a Flora of the Malayan Peninsula. [No. 1, 



rarely solitary or fascicled, regular, hermaphrodite. Calyx-tube united 

 by vertical walls to the ovary, rarely nearly free ; limb usually 4-5- 

 (sometimes 3- or 6- )lobed, or truncate, rarely falling off in a cap. 

 Petals as many as the calyx-lobes, contorted in bud, inserted on the 

 margin of the calyx- limb. Stamens as many as or more than (frequently 

 twice as many as) the petals, inserted with them ; alternate stamens 

 often shorter, sometimes rudimentary, filaments bent inwards in the 

 bud ; anthers opening at the summit by one or two pores, rarely by slits 

 down the face ; connective often appendaged near the base by bristles, 

 tubercles or a spur. Ovary 4-5- (rarely 3- or 6-) celled (in Memecylon 

 1-celled) ; style simple, filiform, rarely short ; ovules very many (except 

 in Memecylon) ; placentas axile, parietal or free central. Fruit included 

 in the calyx-tube, capsular or berried, breaking up irregularly or by 

 slits through the top of its cells. Seeds minute, very many (in 

 Memecylon one only) ; albumen ; cotyledons short (or in some of the 

 Memecylese long, thin and convolute). — Distrib. Species about 2700, 

 tropical, with a few subtropical ; mostly in America, but many in south- 

 east Asia, and a few in Africa and Polynesia. 



Suborder I. Melastome^:. Ovary 3-6-celled. Ovules very many, 

 on placentas radiating from the axis. Seeds very many. Anthers 

 opening by a single terminal pore (rarely by 2). 



Tribe I. Osbeckie^e. Seeds curved through half a circle, minutely punctate. 



Stamens all nearly alike. Fruit a berry ... ... 1. Otanthera. 



Stamens very unequal ... ... ... 2. Me la stoma. 



Tribe II. Oxysporeje. Seeds straight, oblong or cuneate, raphe often ex- 



current. Ovary with the vertex usually free, conical. Petals more than 3. In- 

 florescence not scorpioid. Fruit capsular. 



* Inflorescence terminal {see. also Ochthocharis). 



Panicles broad, often coloured ... ... ... 3. Oxyspora. 



Panicles narrow. Flowers minute ... ... 4. Allomorphia. 



** Inflorescence axillary, stamens equal, flowers minute. 



Stamens 4 ... ... ... ... ... 5. Blastus. 



Stamens 10 ... ... ... ... 6. Ochthocharis. 



Stamens 8 ... ... ... ... ... 7. AnerinclEistus. 



Tribe III. Sonerile^e. Seeds straight, oblong or cuneate, often angular, 

 raphe sometimes excurrent. Ovary flattened or depressed at the vertex. Fruit 

 Capsular. 



Petals 3. Inflorescence scorpioid ... ... 8. Sonerila. 



Petals 4. Flowers in a long-peduncled head ... 9. Phyllagathis. 



Tribe IV. Medinille^;. Seeds straight, cuneate or obovate, often angular. 

 Connective often appendaged near the base. Fruit baccate. 



* Longer stamens having two long bristles Attached to the 

 base of the connective in front. 



Cymes lateral ... .., ... ... 10. Marumia. 



Panicles terminal ... ... ... ... 1], DissocHiETA. 



