462 Lix. MTBTACB^. (J. F. DutHe.) 



Obbeb lix. MYRTACES:. (By J. F. DutHe, F.L.S.). 



Trees or slirubs, rarely herls. Leaves opposite, seldom alternate or whorled, 

 petioled, simple, entire, rarely denticulate or crenate, 3-nerved or pinnately- 

 nerved and usually with an intramarginal nerve, generally coriaceous and dotted 

 ■witli peUucid glands. Stipules if present small and deciduous. Flowers regu- 

 lar, very rarely irregular, hermaphrodite or polygamous by arrest, axillary, soli- 

 tary or in spikes cymes corymbs or heads, naked or with an involucre, often 

 with 2 bracts at the base, white, pink, purple, or yellow, never blue. Calyx 

 superior or ^superior, limb 4^-5-many-fid or -partite, persistent or deciduous, 

 valvate or imbricate, sometimes entire or closed in bud. Petals inserted on a 

 disk surrounding the cavity of the calyx, equal in number to the calyx-lobes and 

 alternate with theln, rarely 0. Stamens usually oo, inserted with tiie petals in 

 several rows, rarely definite and alternate with the petals ; filaments free or 

 more or less coherent at the base or in bundles opposite the petals ; anthers 

 small roundish with parallel cells bursting longitudiially. Ovary inferior or 

 ^-inferior, crowned by a fleshy disk, l-ceUed with 1 or more ovules, or 2- 

 many-celled with oo ovules ; placentation axile (parietal in JRhodamnia) ; style 

 terminal rarely lateral, smooth or bearded at the summit ; stigma undivided. 

 Fruit usually crowned with the calyx-limb, either 1-celled and 1-seeded by 

 arrest, or 2-many-celled with loculicidal or septicidal dehiscence ; or baccate 

 and indehiscent with the cells many-seeded or 1-seeded by arrest. Seeds angu- 

 lar cylindric or compressed; testa hard or membranous, sometimes winged; 

 albumen ; embryo straight curved or spirally twisted, cotyledons usually short 

 and obtuse sometimes combined into a mass with the radicle, very rarely leafy, 

 radicle often thick close to the hilum. — ^Disteib. Tropical and subtropical regions 

 of both hemispheres ; species upwards of 1800. 



Species of the Australian genus Wucalyptus are being successfully cultivated 

 on the Nilghiri hiUs and in other parts of India. The common Myrtle {Myrtus com- 

 munis, L.) is extensively grown in India, the leaves being used in native medicine ; it 

 extends from the Mediterranean region as far as Afghanistan and Beluchistan. 

 Allspice {Pimenta aeris, Wight), a West Indian tree, is much cultivated for the sake 

 of its aromatic leaves and berries. 



Glaphyria sericea, Jack, in Trans. Linn. Soc. xiv. 128, from Penang, may be a spe- 

 cies of Leptospermvm by description only. Myrtus androsmrmides, Poir. is Myonima 

 multiflora. Ait. A native of Mauritius. Eircsa Finlaysoniana, Wall. Cat. 3566 F. 

 is Secaspermum paniculatum, Kurz. 



A. Fruit capsular. 



Teibb I. Xaeptospennese. Ovary 2-5-celled. Fruit opening by as 

 many valves. 



Leaves narrow. 



Stamens definite (10 or fewer) free, in one series. Leaves 



alternate. Flowers few or solitary in the axils .... 1. Bjeokba. 

 Stamens oo, free, in one series. Leaves alternate. Flowers 



few or solitary in the axUs 2. Lkptospbemum. 



Stamens oo, slightly combined below into bundles opposite 



the petals and exceeding them. Flowers in heads or 



spikes 3. MEiAtBrcA. 



Leaves broad. Stamens oo, united into 5 bundles oppomte the 



petals. Flowers in axillary cymes 4. Tbistania. 



