LYTHRACEAE 341 



apex acute and apiculatej base narrowed, 1.5 to 4 cm long. Panicles 

 7 to 30 cm long, the lower branches subtended by leaves. Flowers 

 fragrant. Calyx about 4 mm long. Petals usually straw-yellow, a little 

 longer than the calyx-lobes. Capsule depressed-globose, 5 to 7 mm in 

 diameter. (Fl. Filip. pi. 108.) 



Commonly cultivated for its fragrant flowers, occasionally spontaneous; 

 in and about towns generally in the Philippines, chiefly cultivated, and 

 certainly introduced after the Spanish occupation. A native of parts of 

 Africa and India, now cultivated or spontaneous in most tropical 

 countries. 



2. LAGERSTROEMIA Linnaeus 



Trees or shrubs with opposite, usually distichous,, entire, oblong to 

 ovate leaves. Panicles axillary and terminal, ample. Flowers large, 

 showy, regular. Calyx-tube funnel-shaped, smopth, grooved, angular, or 

 narrowly winged, lobes usually 6. Petals usually 6, large, clawed, margins 

 crisped or undulate. Stamens long, very numerous, inserted near the base 

 of the calyx-tube. Ovary sessile at the base of the calyx-tube, 3- to 6- 

 celled, ovules many. Capsule ovoid to ellipsoid, more or less adnate to 

 the persistent calyx-tube, 3- tb 6-valved, 3- to 6-celled. Seeds many, winged 

 at the apex. (In honor of M. Lagerstroem, a correspondent of Linnaeus.) 



Species about 30, chiefly Indian and Malayan, few in China and Aus- 

 "tralia, 4 in the Philippines, of which 1 is introduced. 



Leaves 4 to S cm long, subsessile; flowers about 4 cm in diameter; petals 

 beautifully crisped and lobed, with a long slender claw 1. L. indica 



Leaves 12 to 25 cm long, distinctly petioled; flowers 7 to 8 cm or more 

 in diameter,, the petals with a short claw 2. L. apecioaa 



*1. L. INDICA L. Melindres (Sp.-Fil.) ; Crepe Myrtle. 



A shrub or small tree, 4 m high or less, the branches slender, 4-angled, 

 narrowly winged. Leaves entire, elliptic-ovate to oblqng-ovate, or obovate, 

 sessile, very shortly acuminate or obtuse, 4 to 8 cm long. Flowers about 

 4 cm in diameter, in small, terminal panicles. Calyx green, 6-lobed. Petals 

 6, pink or purplish, with a long slender claw, the limb 1.5 to 2 cm ,wide, 

 orbicular or reniforni in outline, lobed, strongly crisped. Capsule globose- 

 ovoid, 1 cm long or less. (Fl. Filip. pi. 207.) 



Occasionally cultivated for ornamental purposes, but not spontaneous, 

 fl. June-Sept.; occasionalin larger towns throughout the Archipelago. A 

 native of China, now widely distributed in tropical and warm countries, 

 cultivated and vdld. 



2. L. speciosa (L.) Pers. Banaba (Tag.). 



A tree 4 to 20 m high, or sometimes flowering when a mere shrub 

 2 m high or less. Leaves coriaceous, oblong to elliptic-ovate, obtuse 

 or shortly acuminate, 12 to 25 cm long. Panicles terminal, large, up 

 to 40 cm in length. Flowers 6-merous. Calyx pubescent, ribbed. Petals 

 lilac-purple, oblong-obovate or obovate, shortly clawed, 3 to 3,5 cm long: 

 Capsule obovoid or ellipsoid, 2 to 3.5 cm long. (Fl. Filip. pi. SH, L. 



reginae.) 



In thickets, Malabon, San Juan del Monte, etc., occasional, sometimfes 

 also cultivated for its very ornamental flowers, fl. May-Aug.; common 

 and widely distributed in the Philippines. India, through JJalaya to 

 Australia. 



