Leptospermum.] XXIX. MYETACEAE. 157 



Tribe I. LEPTOSPBRMEAE.— Ovary inferior or haU-inferior, 2-5-oelled, rarely more. Capsule 

 dehiscing at the apex by as many valves as there are cells. Seeds usually 

 numerous, often imperfect. 



1. LEPTOSPEBMnM. Leaves alternate. Flowers solitary or crowded. 



• Eucalyptus. Leaves alternate. Calyx truncate, entire. Petals forming a convex 

 operculum. 



2. Metrosidbbos. Leaves opposite. Flowers in terminal cymes or umbels. 



II. MYRTEAE.— Ovary 2-oelled, with 2 parietal placentas, or rarely 1-celled. Fruit a berry 

 or drupe, indehiscent. 



3. Mybtus. Flowers mostly solitary. Berry few- or many-seeded. Embryo long and 



narrow. 



4. Eugenia. Flowers oymose. Berry with 1 or more large angular seeds. 



1. LEPTOSPERMUM, Forst. 

 Calyx-tube adnate to the base of the ovary, turbinate ; lobes 5, persistent 

 or deciduous. Petals 5, rounded, exceeding the calyx-lobes, imbricate. Sta- 

 mens numerous, free, inserted on the margin of the disk, not exceeding the 

 petals. Ovary enclosed in the calyx-tube^ inferior j cells 5, rarely more or 

 fewer ; style straight ; ovules very numerous. Capsule woody or coriaceous, 

 each cell dehiscing by a valve on the upper surface. Seeds numerous^ linear, 

 pendulous, mostly sterile ; testa membranous. Shrubs or trees, with small 

 alternate entire leaves and hermaphrodite or polygamous axillary flowers. 



Species, about 28, of which 20 are restricted to Australia; 3 are found in New Zealand, the 

 others in New Caledonia and the Indian Archipelago. 



Etym. From the Greek, in reference to the slender seeds. 



Calyx broadly turbinate ; lobes rounded, deciduous. Ovary half exserted . .. 1, L. seoparium. 



Calyx broadly turbinate or oampanulate. Ovary wholly included in the calyx- 

 tube. Teeth persistent . . . . . . . . . . .. 2. L. ericoides. 



Leaves, pedicels, and calyx-tube white with silky hairs. Ovary deeply sunk in the 



narrow silky calyx-tube . . . . . . . . . . ,. 3. L. Sinclairii. 



1. L. SCOpariuin, Forst., Char. Gen. 48, t. 36. Varying from a rigid 

 or slender dwarf shrub to a tree 30ft. high, but usually under 30ft. high. 

 Leaves alternate or scattered, ^in.— lin. long, sessile, linear, linear-lanceolate 

 ovate-lanceolate or ovate, erect, spreading or rarely recurved, rigid, acute or 

 pungent, concave, silky when young. Flowers sessile, solitary, axillary or ter- 

 minal, iin.— ^in. in diameter. Calyx- tube broadly turbinate ; lobes orbicular, 

 deciduous. Petals orbicular, shortly clawed. Capsule woody, girt round the 

 middle with the calyx-limb, 5-valved at the apex. — DC, Prod. iii. 237 ; A. 

 Rich., Fl. N.Z. 337 ; A. Cunn., Precurs. n. 5.53 ; Hook, f ., Fl. N.Z. i. 70 ; 

 Handbk. 69 ; Benth., Fl. Austr. iii. 105 ; T. Kirk, Forest Fl. N.Z. t. 117. 

 Philadelphus parvif alius , Banks and Sol. MSS. 



NORTH and SOUTH Islands: from the Three Kings Islands and North Cape to STEWART 

 Island. Sea-level to upwards of 3,000ft. CHATHAM Islands, Oox I Manuka. Tea-tree. Nov. to 

 April. Also in Australia. 



Var. linifolium. Leaves linear-lanceolate. — T. Kirk, Forest Fl. N.Z. t. 117. 



Var. myrtlfolium. Leaves ovate, spreading or recurved. 



